After a DEAFENING breakfast at Cracker Barrel on the way back from Galveston Beach this morning, I got to thinking about our upcoming WDW trip and the dining reservations I’ve booked. While I expect Biergarten and maybe 50’s Primetime Cafe to be louder by their very nature, what about everywhere else? Will I have a peaceful dinner at Brown Derby or Teppan Edo?
Also, are people going to think I am a total weirdo if I occasionally don foam ear plugs? Will security look askance if I pack noise cancelling headphones??
HBD is very quiet; actually all of the signatures are more subdued than “regular” TSs (one exception is LC; because it is so small and packed, it can get a bit noisy). 50s actually is not bad either, as it is split into many smaller dining areas. The ones that stick in my mind as being loud are VN and Les Chefs (large open rooms with very little sound-absorbing materials). Boma was definitely noisier and more hectic than I would have liked. I have to assume that Askershus would be a bit of a nightmare knowing the clientele, but I refuse to go there since they turned it into a Princess meal (it used to be a favorite). BG is a bit noisy, but more because of the entertainment than the general crowd sounds (I’m guessing the high ceiling has a lot to do with this. Hands down the WORST are Rain forest and T-Rex. The former is trying, the latter, well, I only stopped in for a drink at the bar and after 15 minutes I just wanted to leave…
Forgot to mention Teppan Edo - Again, it’s broken into smaller dining areas, so it’s a bit more subdued. Keep in mind that part of the “chef show” involves quite a bit of knife and spatula clanging, so while your meal is being cooked, there will be noise.
We are familiar with teppanyaki dining and that’s a pleasant racket! I think it’s the unnecessarily loud music with a packed room of people shouting over top that is so grating on the nerves.
I think Crystal Palace is going to be the loudest on our plan, but we have a pre-RD res so I’ll try not to be a grump about it.
I would avoid dinners at Disney Springs. Most of the restaurants there seem to have really cranked up the volume over the last few years; either that or I’m getting old…
Raglan Road always has a higher noise level when the entertainment is playing; late in the evening when it changes over from more of a “folk” sound to more of a “rock” sound, it gets quite loud (but at that time, I’m pretty much just hanging out around the bar). The Boathouse was very noisy; I was at a table in the “bar” area, so I had the in-house entertainment, street entertainment and the hoard of people waiting for a table, not to mention “normal bar noise” hitting me from all sides - but even the main dining room(s) seemed quite loud. Morimoto’s was not loud. I’ve already commented on RF and T-Rex. These are the only ones I can comment on first hand…
If you go to Askershus and are worried about noise they have a front section that is very quiet. CRT was also quiet. BOG can be loud at least at breakfast and lunch. Grand Floridian Cafe is lovely quiet. DD is deaf in one ear so we always pay attention to noise level! I hope people keep listing the good and the bad!
Anyone want to chime in on 1900PF breakfast? Taking niece to meet Mary Poppins and want to prep the family for the level of chaos. First time doing a character dining since I was a kid myself.
I did it on my trip in Jan & I don’t remember it as being especially loud. It is a buffet which so there is ‘traffic’ with people getting up and down & of course the characters are interacting at each table & people will be taking pictures.
A character meal just by it’s nature is going to be very different than a ‘normal’ table service meal. I have to say that I have been to both the breakfast & dinner at 1900 park and I really enjoyed the characters at both!
