Pre-Pooh Crystal Palace

[babypeanut]

Forgive me if this is the wrong forum for this question. I ate at the CP for the first time in 2003 and have been there a few times since then. I remember being surprised to learn that it was a character buffet. I had always thought it was just a nice sit down restaurant.

So does anyone know what it was like before Pooh and friends took over? What kind of food was served?

 

[RiversideBunny]

"Pre-Pooh". Sounds like a baby with a clean diaper.

For as long as I can remember the Crystal Palace has been a buffet with the characters. Maybe someone who remembers further back can add some comments.

We like to go there for breakfast.

 

[jesemeca]

When we ate at Crystal Palace on May 30th, I asked our waiter about this. Paul said that Crystal Palace opened on day 1. But the characters did not show up till 1995. It was always Winnie the Pooh and Friends. He also said that before it became a character meal, it was more like a buffeteria. So thanks to Paul.

 

[LordHelmut]

If you look at the floor, you can still see where the original cashier booths used to stand. As for the experience, well, it was a heck of a lot easier to get in & out, You picked where you were going to sit, & in general really had more of a 'wow I'm eating in the Crystal Palace' vs. the 'LOOK its TIGGER !' experience....

Food-wise, perhaps it a bit better now vs. then. We generally only got breakfast pre-characters. At the time, you could have pretty much the entire family eat at the Waffle House for the same as 1-2 people at the Palace....


But most of this is my opinion, take for what you think it's worth....

 

[scpergj]

When we ate at Crystal Palace on May 30th, I asked our waiter about this. Paul said that Crystal Palace opened on day 1. But the characters did not show up till 1995. It was always Winnie the Pooh and Friends. He also said that before it became a character meal, it was more like a buffeteria. So thanks to Paul.

If you look at the floor, you can still see where the original cashier booths used to stand. As for the experience, well, it was a heck of a lot easier to get in & out, You picked where you were going to sit, & in general really had more of a 'wow I'm eating in the Crystal Palace' vs. the 'LOOK its TIGGER !' experience....

Food-wise, perhaps it a bit better now vs. then. We generally only got breakfast pre-characters. At the time, you could have pretty much the entire family eat at the Waffle House for the same as 1-2 people at the Palace....


But most of this is my opinion, take for what you think it's worth....

I remember eating at the Crystal Palace with my friends back in probably 1981 or so on a school trip...and remember the buffeteria setup. Ate there with my family a few times until 1986...then don't remember anything about it until a trip with my wife and kids in 2001, and by then it was a character meal. Don't know when the change happened, but I sure miss the old version - even though we enjoy the breakfast buffet.