Major refurbishment of the Flying Fish Cafe beginning in February 2016

[TomHendricks]

The Chef's table is almost impossible to get but I figure that you're not interested in that. The next hardest is the Victoria's Room but even that usually has availability 180 days out. Standard V&A reservations are tough as well but usually available at the 180 days. I would just make sure to call exactly at the 180 day mark. When you make the reservation, inform them you will be dinning to celebrate your anniversary. V&A is singularly, the best dinning experience you will ever have. It's well worth it, be prepared to expand your culinary horizons. Remember that there are in general two sittings, around 5ish and 8ish. So plan your time accordingly.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The Chef's table is almost impossible to get but I figure that you're not interested in that. The next hardest is the Victoria's Room but even that usually has availability 180 days out. Standard V&A reservations are tough as well but usually available at the 180 days. I would just make sure to call exactly at the 180 day mark. When you make the reservation, inform them you will be dinning to celebrate your anniversary. V&A is singularly, the best dinning experience you will ever have. It's well worth it, be prepared to expand your culinary horizons. Remember that there are in general two sittings, around 5ish and 8ish. So plan your time accordingly.

Great info, thank you so much! I am actually considering the chef's table - it depends how much I earn in Disney dollars over 19 months lol.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

It's kind of crazy... Any other restaurant would close for 2/3 weeks for a refurb - that would include kitchen work. But that's in the real world. This is Disney... The same company that on that fateful day in 2011 announced Avatar coming to Disney Parks (about that...) and it still isn't done. Any business in the real world that shut for such a long refurbishment would probably fold. Someone really needs to sit down and tell someone at Disney how they get ripped off by their contractors and internal businesses!

We recently had our basement completely gutted and remodeled. It took a little over two months. I dont think for the results we got it took too long.

10 possible months of refurb for a high end restaurant? That dont sound unreasonable.

Jimmy Thick- Check please!!!

 

[COProgressFan]

Was it hard to get a reservation? Like 180 days out or whatever? We'd be going in early September, traditionally not a busy time. We are doing no Disney in 2016 so I'll have all year and half of 2017 to save up Chase Visa rewards dollars.

No, I don't remember it being that difficult. It certainly isn't the type of place that the uber-planner families are going to! If I remember correctly, we probably booked maybe 2 months out. It's a small place, but there were a couple of seatings. We were probably there a good 2-3 hours. In any case, I'd book as soon as you're able. Enjoy!

 

[Kate Alan]

Looks like the menu will also be getting an overhaul, though they are at least keeping the snapper:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...imagined-in-2016-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[llrain]

According to the chef the majority of the menu will remain, not just the snapper..also the manager we speak to all the time indicated disney is pressuring him to go with linened tables. .he is not a fan of the idea cause he feels people looking for walking as they walk the boardwalk will see the linens and think they are under dressed to eat there...
The middle islands are being taken out as well as a full gutting but everything will still be in the same spot ie the open kitchen and bar. ..he is receiving a chandlier that will span the entire length of the restaurant and from the sounds of it (complete with entwined fishes for accenting) it is a grand and awesome sounding chandlier

Each server will be given a list of available relocations and they choose from the list....the most seniority gets their first picks and down the line it goes...when completed they will all be returning back to the fish

Looks like the menu will also be getting an overhaul, though they are at least keeping the snapper:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...imagined-in-2016-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

Ity

 

[danlb_2000]

Permit was filed for this today, expires 9/30/2016.

Flying Fish Cafe - General Construction

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Permit was filed for this today, expires 9/30/2016.

Flying Fish Cafe - General Construction

We were eating there at the moment you posted this.

 

[danlb_2000]

We were eating there at the moment you posted this.

I have images of you sitting there, reading this, and suddenly construction workers come in and start taking your table away.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Ha! Try and pry that banana Napoleon away from me!

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Friday, Feb 19. Construction walls surround The Flying Fish Café and Seashore Sweets. I got a peek inside when the doors were opened....the inside of both establishments is entirely gutted...just empty rooms.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

All of the structure work is very nice..... but I want to know about the MENU.

FF is a GREAT place for "FISH fish". Currently? Few SHELL Fish offerings. With Fulton's down in April.... this would be a GREAT time to give patrons LOBSTER, CLAMS, CRAB, MUSSELS - hell, go for ABALONE (not expecting it to happen). Great SHELL fish offerings would draw us to FF in a heartbeat....

Now, decent SHELL Fish offerings are not cheap.... I get that. Please - FF? Where's the SEAFOOD?

 

[halltd]

All of the structure work is very nice..... but I want to know about the MENU.

FF is a GREAT place for "FISH fish". Currently? Few SHELL Fish offerings. With Fulton's down in April.... this would be a GREAT time to give patrons LOBSTER, CLAMS, CRAB, MUSSELS - hell, go for ABALONE (not expecting it to happen). Great SHELL fish offerings would draw us to FF in a heartbeat....

Now, decent SHELL Fish offerings are not cheap.... I get that. Please - FF? Where's the SEAFOOD?

Just gonna throw out there that the restaurant is actually named after a roller coaster...not actual fish.

 

[llrain]

I was told by executive chef Tim ( we and coworkers call him Big Tim) Keating assured us that he was not going to change the menu,
And then today the worst news possible has come out of the Flying Fish, reports that he, the executive chef, the mastermind behind
all of the awesome Flying Fish menu is departing the Disney company. This is quite possibly the worst news I have ever heard of Disney, I don't care about attractions, executives coming and going, I care about the Fish and its about to become a thing of my recent past. It will not be the same without him unless for some miraculous chance the menu still stays the same....but again and again it happens, Someone new takes over and does their own thing...and I expect that to happen here upon reopening of the fish.

There already was great fish at the flying fish , IMHO if it stays as it has it is a ton better than fultons. If Mr Keating stayed he is a James Bearde nominee although never has won, but he is that good.

All of the structure work is very nice..... but I want to know about the MENU.

FF is a GREAT place for "FISH fish". Currently? Few SHELL Fish offerings. With Fulton's down in April.... this would be a GREAT time to give patrons LOBSTER, CLAMS, CRAB, MUSSELS - hell, go for ABALONE (not expecting it to happen). Great SHELL fish offerings would draw us to FF in a heartbeat....

Now, decent SHELL Fish offerings are not cheap.... I get that. Please - FF? Where's the SEAFOOD?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I was told by executive chef Tim ( we and coworkers call him Big Tim) Keating assured us that he was not going to change the menu,
And then today the worst news possible has come out of the Flying Fish, reports that he, the executive chef, the mastermind behind
all of the awesome Flying Fish menu is departing the Disney company. This is quite possibly the worst news I have ever heard of Disney, I don't care about attractions, executives coming and going, I care about the Fish and its about to become a thing of my recent past. It will not be the same without him unless for some miraculous chance the menu still stays the same....but again and again it happens, Someone new takes over and does their own thing...and I expect that to happen here upon reopening of the fish.

There already was great fish at the flying fish , IMHO if it stays as it has it is a ton better than fultons. If Mr Keating stayed he is a James Bearde nominee although never has won, but he is that good.

No, no, no, no, no!!!

The two best meals of my life were there. This will be truly upsetting. And so glad I didn't deviate from the signature dish on our last trip in January.

So not happy if this is true.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Saturday, April 9. The construction wall in front of The Flying Fish Café has been extended down the covered walkway to near the entrance to the staircase to the second level bar. What's behind the construction wall? Here you go....

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Tuesday, April 26. You won't notice anything different unless you look closely....the word "Café" has been removed from the sign. As mentioned by the staff, the restaurant name change drops the word "café" to better reflect it's upscale nature.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

the flying fish restaurant? eatery? seafood?

 

[dstrawn9889]

no other words needed, like Cher, or Prince.... 'Flying Fish at the Boardwalk Villas' most likely

 

[ford91exploder]

No, no, no, no, no!!!

The two best meals of my life were there. This will be truly upsetting. And so glad I didn't deviate from the signature dish on our last trip in January.

So not happy if this is true.

The exodus of creative talent from Disney continues and yes a Executive Chef is a creative, If Tim is leaving it's probably over the directive from Burbank to use lesser quality ingredients which is something no decent Chef will do as the great Chef's only use the freshest and best quality ingredients in the practice of their art.

Today's Disney seems to want Darden's idea of a chef. i.e. someone who will be happy reheating frozen entrees from a central kitchen in boiling water.