Since we are still in the COVID pandemic, masks are required at all indoor locations including rides and restaurants. Once seated you may remove your mask but anytime you leave your table (going to the buffet, going to the restroom, leaving) you must put your mask back on.
We had opening reservations for lunch at the Brown Derby while we were at Hollywood Studios. This was my third time there and the food and service have always been excellent. If you are unaware, since COVID started many of the restaurants have gone to paperless menus. Some restaurants have the QR codes already at the table when you sit down and others will be given to you like a traditional menu when you are seated.
We were seated in a booth which still has plexi-glass dividers in between yourself and other booths (not all restaurants still have them). As before, the staff was excellent with anything we needed and the food was served hot, well presented, and most importantly delicious! I had the signature Cobb Salad while my brother had the burger and his wife had the shrimp cocktail (cocktail sauce was spicy) and chicken noodle soup. My brother also had fun looking at all the silhouettes of celebrity's hanging on the walls just like at the real Hollywood Brown Derby in California.
The Boathouse in Disney Springs sits right on Lake Buena Vista and is themed as, you guessed it, a boathouse. This place is enormous so you could walk a ways just to get to your table but the food and service are very good. I had the pasta with vegetables and pesto cream sauce but the theme of the menu is American seafood and steaks.
Whispering Canyon Café is located in the main building at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. This restaurant used to have a reputation for being raucous and rowdy as the staff would play jokes on customers and get the rest of the crowd involved. Now, this casual restaurant still has some of that but on much smaller scale. This place is known for it's all-you-can eat signature skillets which are very big and they really will just keep bringing you more. The American western style food is very good and I ended up with the traditional skillet which is meat, potatoes, and vegetables (I did not ask for seconds...).
The Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom set in a Victorian style greenhouse at the end of Main Street USA and behind Casey's Corner. Before COVID this was a character featuring the 100 acre woods crew. Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, and Eeyore would come around to your table while you munched on a buffet at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Today the characters have not returned and the restaurant is only open for lunch and dinner. The buffet has classics like prime rib, chicken, vegetables and dessert.
Steakhouse 71 was an exceptional meal. Located off the lobby of the Contemporary Resort in the old Wave it is a casual American steakhouse. The design was a retro clean and modern look which fits in with the re-design of the Contemporary resort. Our server was excellent and checked on us many times. I would have no problem returning or recommending it to others. I had the fish sandwich which was very good.
We also enjoyed several meals for breakfast and dinner at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma restaurant. This is a buffet that includes many dishes both American and African. Again, the cast members were excellent and the food was delicious. I did notice that Boma was very strict about their mask policy. Anyone in line for the buffet without a mask was asked to return to their table and put one on.
I did want to mention that almost all of the restaurants on property have a QR code by the podium that you scan to check-in for your reservation. Some places still allow you to come up and check-in in person but do be prepared to use your cell phone.
I hope that these last few posts have been fun. If you have any questions or comments please reach out and I will help answer them. Also, next time your looking for some of that Disney magic, let me know and I can help arrange whatever your looking for.