We are absolutely thrilled to bring you our first review of dinner at the Be Our Guest Restaurant in the New Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Welcome guest author Amy Gagliardi with details of her experience during an unexpected Be Our Guest Restaurant preview night!
Be Our Guest Sneak Preview Walk-In Experience
Serendipity is one of my favorite things about visiting Disney. The unexpected coincidence of events that can make any moment a truly magical memory has come to be what I expect from each visit. This is how I came to dine at Be Our Guest Restaurant. It was quite by accident and good fortune.
My husband Peter was given a tip by a server at dinner one night that Be Our Guest would be taking walk ins the following night. He recommended we go to the podium and ask if we could dine and that is exactly what we did.
With a simple walk to the outside reservation podium, we were able to be seated for any time that we selected. In addition to myself, our party of five consisted of my husband, a friend of the family, our youngest daughter Faith and her boyfriend Jon.
Atmosphere
We were thrilled and filled with anticipation as we were escorted beyond the heavy wooden castle doors and through a foyer, which brought us to the Ballroom dining room in which we were seated. The hostess and server seemed as delighted to be a part of the dining experience as we were. The congenial warmth of the staff contributed to a feeling of hominess even in such a grand surrounding.
We were invited to wander at will throughout the 3 dining areas. We truly felt like guests as we strolled through the West Wing and Rose Gallery and wondered in awe.
Panoramic View of The Rose Gallery
The rooms connected to each other with smooth thematic transitions.
Walkway Between Ballroom and Rose Gallery
The dimly lit rooms, common to each sitting area, reinforced an enchanted fairy tale atmosphere supporting the Beauty and the Beast story line.
From our table in the Ballroom we could see the large painting of the Beast as a handsome prince, which stands tall in the West Wing. At intervals we could hear a crashing of distant thunder and at that moment, like a stroke of a clock, the face on the portrait would turn to its Beastly counterpart.
Princely Beast
With faux snowfall gently trickling across a midnight blue back drop behind a window on the back wall of the Ballroom, we relaxed into our seats to view a rose theme at out table.
Rose Themed Menu
From the rose on the cover of the menu to the rose-like folding of the deeply red napkins, we were transported to another time. The room was filled with young and old, single diners, couples and families. All seemed to feel at home at Be Our Guest.
Rose Folded Napkin
Eats
I have a habit of being distracted by the dessert menu. I’ve been known to order my meal with serious consideration of being able to savor a sweet treat at the end. As my fortune continued this evening, we were seated two feet from the dessert display.
Dessert Display
Another View of Dessert Display
I immediately got up and walked a few steps to preselect how I would end my meal, but first let’s turn to the appetizers.
I ordered the French Onion Soup and my friend ordered the Potato Leek Soup. Both were hearty, but not heavy or dense. The portion was plentiful enough to be satisfying, but not so large as to interfere with our readiness to enjoy the entrée. The soups were not too filling but rather an enticing prelude of what was to come.
While waiting for the main course we enjoyed the warm basket of French bread-like rolls set down at the center of our table. The basket held one roll for each guest and was accompanied by a small dish filled with one large portion of sea-salted butter.
The rolls were immediately gobbled by each of us and satiated our hunger enough so we could patiently await our meal.
French Rolls
With perfect timing our main course was served. All five of us ordered a different menu item, which allowed us to finesse a taste of each others’ offerings. Our items included the following: Rotisserie Cornish Hen with roasted fingerling potatoes and miniature vegetables; Shrimp and Scallops with seasonal vegetables served in puff pastry with a creamy lobster sauce; Ratatouille baked with zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes and caramelized onions amid a bed of quinoa and topped with a bell pepper sauce; Pork Loin Chop with au gratin macaroni, seasonal vegetables and red wine au jus; and Pan-seared Salmon above a leek fondue and saffron mashed potatoes.
Each entrée was a home run. Distinct flavors for varying palates. As much as my taste buds appreciated the selections ordered by my dining companions, I was sure I had secured the best choice for my predilection.
The Pan-seared Salmon was truly delicious. The portion size was almost too large for me to finish, but the tender flavor and texture of the salmon and the subtle sweetness of the leek fondue and saffron-scented mashed potatoes persuaded me to finish each bite on my plate.
Pan-Seared Salmon
In enjoyment of good food we raised our glasses, or should I say souvenir goblets, to good health and happiness.
Natural fruit juices sweetened with organic cane sugar filled our cups.
Natural Juices in Souvenir Goblets
While the fruit punch was a little tart, the lemonade was a perfect balance of strong lemon flavor tempered with sweetness. Lemon lime foam topped the fruit punch while wildberry foam topped the lemonade.
Foam Topped Natural Juices
Before the desserts came — and in honor of Jon’s and my own birthday — a surprise was delivered to our table by our server, who at this point was more like kin.
Let me offer one hint to the surprise: Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious.
Try The Grey Stuff
A small grey colored mound about the size of a 50-cent piece on a white plate was served to each of us. At the bottom of the plate in writing we were invited to “try the grey stuff”.
The grey mound was the texture of a mousse and flavored subtly and indistinctly. We took turns at guessing the flavor but were finally told the grey stuff is actually cookies and cream flavored. The edible Rice Krispie-like decorative topping on the mound added to the texture and flavor of this delightful surprise.
The grand finale of our meal, the dessert portion, did not disappoint. Too full for another bite but so willing to try, we ordered two different offerings to share amongst us. Our server recommended the Be Our Guest signature triple chocolate cupcake dessert.
Triple Chocolate Cupcake
From the bitter chocolate ganache dribble decorating the plate to the smooth dark chocolate frosting this was truly a chocolate delight.
We rounded out our dessert sampling with the healthier gluten and sugar free Lemon Raspberry Cream Puff. This was truly a delightful burst of subtle fruit flavors and creamy texture. It was a guilt free way to punctuate a pleasurable evening among family and friends.
Overall
Be Our Guest is a welcome and welcoming addition to the Magic Kingdom’s dining offerings. It is a warm and friendly place to eat well while being transported into a magical fairytale land.
Amy D. Gagliardi is a maternal and child health professional, mother of four and Disney enthusiast. Disney dining is among her favorite vacation experiences. Amy is employed at Community Healthy Center, Inc. and is chief operating officer for Lily’s Kids Inc.: A Non-profit Organization for Children.
Stay tuned, Be Our Guest Restaurant fans! We’ll have another Be Our Guest review — counter-service Lunch this time — coming up on Monday!
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YUM! I cannot wait to eat here!….Next December :'( That salmon looks divine.
I really enjoyed reading this review–thanks so much. We arrive at Disney World three weeks from tomorrow (squee!) and are planning to stop in for lunch at BOG at least once during our stay. I know that lunch is counter service, but if it’s half as good as what you had for dinner, we should be in good shape. 🙂
Great, enticing review. When I saw the first food pics were desserts, for a moment, I thought my wife wrote it. Nice job, Amy.
Everything sounded so wonderful and yummy. This will be a place that I try. Thank you for the great review.
🙂
Great review Amy! Do you or does anyone know if the “grey stuff” will be served at lunch as well? It looks amazing!
We, too will be arriving at WDW three weeks from tomorrow (whoo hoo!) and were lucky enough to secure a late dinner reservation on our arrival night for BOG!!
I can’t WAIT to dine there! I think that the West Wing would be my room of choice. Amy, did anyone try the steak and pomme frites?
GREAT review! 🙂
Wow! I’m so jealous! Everything sounds fantastic. I can’t wait to eat there next year!
Awesome.
Great review! Thank so much for sharing your experience with us Amy!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I can’t wait to try the gray stuff! It does sound delicious.
It would have been a nice touch if the dishes had the same pattern as Mrs. Potts & Chip. THe food looks amazing.
Oh, I am so ready for Christmas already!!! Our ADR is for Christmas Eve dinner and I just am soooooo excited!!!
Can’t wait we have reservations for opening night! Food looks great!
I hope they serve beer in those goblets…
YEAH! We arrive 3 weeks from today. We have the Free Quick Service dining and are looking forward to eating lunch there both days when at the Magic Kingdom. Can’t wait to read the review on Monday to plan what I will be eating!
before this review i wasnt sure how interested in this place i was… now seeing that pic of the salmon and leek. it will be a must ,, hopefully on my wifes birthday next year ( she loves beauty and the beast)
I was so excited to read this review! The whole restaurant looks amazing! I’d just wanna sit in there for the atmosphere and surroundings lol.
How exciting that they got to dine there. I’m looking forward to my upcoming trip (6 days!) so I can see the area.
Thank you so much for your review.
April seems sooooo far away because I cannot wait to eat there!! Have 6:30 reservations!
I had dinner tonight and it was fantastic!! One of the best meals I’ve had in all the Disney Parks and by far the best decor and ambiance. Can’t wait to go back again.
I have a reservation there for February 25th. I’m so excited to try the grey stuff! 🙂
Amy,
Thank you for a wonderful description of your time at Disney, so glad you shared!
I’m so excited to have dinner here on my birthday next April! Just curious, are the desserts included in the price of the meal? I have seen menus that say they are included and ones that have a price so I was confused. Thanks!
Great review! I am anxious to start hearing from those who get to dine there multiple times: which dining room is the best?
Thank you for the terrific review, especially the very enticing photos! (and hello from Middletown, CT!)
Had lunch there the other day and I’m sad to say it was not good at all. I had the ham sandwich which was all right not good, and the wife had the steak sandwich which was really bland like it had no seasoning. The atmosphere was great and the french fries were really good, and the child had the macaroni spaghetti which was all but nasty water down spaghetti sauce on elbow noodles. The only reason i might return is to give it a second try before crossing it off the list and the fact you get unlimited refills on the drinks.
We eat at Be Our Guest last Sunday. It was a lot of fun and the ballroom was beautiful.
The First Be Our Guest Proposal
On 11/19/12 at 8:40 pm my girlfriend Tiffany and I had the privilege to eat dinner at Be Our Guest in Fantasy land at Walt Disney World Orlando, We were greeted at the bridge that led to the castle and escorted to the hostess who in turn took us to our seats. The napkins were red and folded into the shape of a rose bud.
Our server Amber was cheerful and very attentive, she brought our drinks right away, which seemed bottomless as she kept them filled at all times. We ordered the French Onion Soup which was excellent great texture, aroma, the cheese was not burnt, and it was not too salty. After the appetizers, Amber let us know that the Beast was going to retire for the evening in about 30 mins, we did not have any clue that we had a photo opportunity and she made sure we did not miss it. After the photos with the beast we were able to walk around the castle and take photos and experience it in all it’s glory. Tiffany was worried we would return to cold food, but as we returned to the table Amber asked if we wanted her to put in our dinners in to be cooked, This gave Tiffany and me enough time to talk and just enjoy the experience. We ordered the steak and it came out very quickly with French fries and green beans. The steak was hot and cooked to perfection, the green beans were hot and still had a little snap to them. It was amazing how much attention Amber paid to our table and her ability to judge our time and body language was second to none.
After Dinner she brought out the dessert cart and Tiffany gotten the Chocolate Dessert which was a moist cupcake with a rich chocolate icing and creamy chocolate filling. And she brought out “The Grey Stuff” desert, which was delicious.
The hospitality was excellent, I had brought an Enchanted Rose replica as gift for Tiffany. Since it contained glass it had to go threw security, Hospitality Services then delivered to the restaurant. The Manager asked how and when I wanted to present Tiffany my present. The manager put it together in the back and it was delivered to the table on cue.
Amber our server filmed the event for us on our camera and also filmed when I presented Tiffany the ring and proposed to her. We did not feel at any time that the extra attention and help was an imposition. Their excitement and enthusiasm made our engagement the best and I believe the first ever at he Be Our Guest Restaurant. I would like to Thank Amber, the staff at the restaurant, Holly and all the girls at guest services for all there help.
Ed — HUGE Congrats and best wishes to you! Thanks for sharing your special moment and review with us here at DFB!!
I totally want to go there to not just “try the grey stuff”, but to see the whole place, then to eat whatever’s delicious. However, I am just so happy with the restaurant that it has got to be the best restaurant in the whole world! 🙂 🙂 🙂
My family and I ate at Be our Guest to celebrate my daughters 10th birthday on April 29. Sadly, this was one of the worst Disney dining experiences in 30+ years. Our server was rude and completely ignored my daughters birthday, this was a much anticipated event and we had reservations 6 months prior notating it was a birthday celebration. Letters are going out tomorrow to upper management. It truly was a HUGE disappointment.
Where can I get the recipe for their strawberry cream cheese cupcake? We ate there a week ago and I CANNOT stop thinking about it!
Just grabbed a reservation for 10/11! Can’t wait! To whoever cancelled….Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Just left Be Our Guest and was fairly dissapointed. The atmosphere was hands down the most amazing but the actual food left much to be desired. I initially ordered the thyme chicken with fingerling potatoes and seasonal veggies. The chicken was flavorless and the skin rubbery. There were no actual potatoes on the plate either. I sent it back and ordered the steak with garlic seasoned butter and green beans and mashed potatoes. The steak lacked flavor, had no butter and was “warm” not really a hot meal. The best thing on the plate was the green beans. My mother ordered the scallops and shrimp entree. The scallops were very well done but the shrimp had no flavor.
We were very excited to finally get reservations at Be Our Guest. But left feeling let down and missing $75.
We just had dinner at Be Our Guest on 1/4/16 and a lot had changed for the worse, as far as the food. Last year the steak was juicy and warm but this year it was cold and almost dry (the wood grilled steak at the Boardwalk In Room dining was wonderfully warm and juicy and one of the best steaks I have had). The french fries where cold and over salted.
My daughter enjoyed her Mixed salad but she said it was not like last year. Our biggest disappointment was the lack of flavor in the Onion soup broth although the cheese topping was still amazing.
There definitely has been changes in inconsistent seasoning and desert changes. I am sorry I don’t have a picture of the Grey Stuff but it was NOT what we had last year. It was sweet but with now real taste other than like a smooth cake topping.
The restaurant and staff are wonderful but we where very disappointed.
It is a great experience and meeting the Beast is great but the food needs to improve.