Blue Bayou atmosphere

[krybandt]

For those who have eaten here but not at a coveted table by the water, were you disappointed, or did you feel the bayou theming/atmosphere held up? I would request a table by the water at check in and am willing to wait, but if we're seated in the middle of the room, for example, are there still fun things to look at and take in. Hope this makes sense, lol.

 

[Pluto468]

Blue Bayou is still unique and a nice restaurant even if you aren't near the water. I've had tables at various locations there, and the only one I didn't like at all was way in the back. I forget now if it was right next to the kitchen or the bathrooms, but there were people coming and going next to our table the whole time. I think it was the kitchen.

Also, even if you don't get a water table, you can see the boats and the bayou part of Pirates from some tables.

You could look at pictures or videos online to get an idea of the atmosphere. I request water tables but will happily eat there even without one.

Have fun!

 

[irlandaise]

I've never sat near the verandah, but my recollection from the middle is that we could see the boats and hear the banjo, of course not as well as waterside.

 

[JCsonoma]

Worth the wait for waterside.

 

[Tinkaboo]

In the middle it felt like we were at any random restaurant. Now we only do waterside. Def worth the wait. However, the quality of the food was so bad last time (preCovid), we haven’t bothered going back.

 

[Disco Lemonade]

We were in the middle last time and I kind of liked it as you can still see the boats without feeling like you are being gawked at as you eat. I only went one other time and I feel like the view wasn’t as good, so it kinda depends where the middle, I guess.

 

[chezcurrie]

As long as you’re not in the back back the ambiance and experience is excellent - such a unique to DL thing to do. I have been twice in the past 6 months and the food has been great - better than pre-covid.

 

[purple figment]

I would ask for and wait for a waterside table. We were once seated near the entrance and seeing and hearing the guests waiting in the lobby took away all the ambience.

 

[LKing]

I would wait. We were there over the weekend and sat towards the middle/back. It felt like any other restaurant. The tables were so close to each other that guests and wait staff had a hard time squeezing by.

 

[DizMe]

However, the quality of the food was so bad last time (preCovid), we haven’t bothered going back.

We've had great meals in our last 3 visits. It's definitely much better than it was when you went, but it's not as good as when we first started going. I still have a pirate chest made of sugar that was part of my dessert once--it came with the real dessert (can't remember what that was, ha ha! Cake, I think) and the chest had cookies in it. They used to have menus for kids that turned into pirate hats. Everything these days is scaled back, though they do have hurricane drinks now

I'll include a few pics of the sugar chest. It's funny that is says "Edible Disney" on the bottom!

 

[Elle23]

I booked a reservation for right when they open hoping for a water-side table.

 

[DizMe]

I booked a reservation for right when they open hoping for a water-side table.

That's smart. Be early and let them know you'd like waterside as soon as you can. You should get it, no problem. Great work!

 

[Steven G]

I've eaten there like 3-4 times, and never sat by the water. Each time, there were reasons we couldn't wait (or the first time, I didn't know you could ask).

I don't think it's a make or break thing, and our last time at Blue Bayou (after covid) was so bad, they had to refund us around $30-40 in prime rib that was so fatty that it was not edible, so I am not sure if I would return just to sit by the water. Our other experiences were "fine".

 

[Disco Lemonade]

I would ask for and wait for a waterside table. We were once seated near the entrance and seeing and hearing the guests waiting in the lobby took away all the ambience.

How long do you have to wait though? We were tempted to do that last time but when we saw the full waiting area, we decided not to. We waited like an hour after our reservation time even without doing that.

 

[Chupaca bruh]

Near the entrance it is bright and all the traffic is distracting. Most of the other locations we have had were good.

 

[Tinkaboo]

I'll include a few pics of the sugar chest. It's funny that is says "Edible Disney" on the bottom

I think we got those once…maybe back in the day when you still got a seat cushion for Fantasmic! I still rave about the short ribs they had prepared in a wine Demi-glace. That’s been easily 15 years ago…my husband…”will ya get over those ribs already…they ain’t coming’ back!” I order short ribs if we’re ever in a restaurant that serves them. “Why?” He asks…”you know they won’t be as good as Blue Bayou,”

Last time my BFF and I went, her salmon was so dry. I think I had some kind of pasta. It was awful and we haven’t been back. I just decided that if we want to have a great dinner, we’ll go to one of the nearby restaurants.

But I am excited to try the chicken cordon bleu sandwich at Red Rose Taverne On Sunday!

 

[DizMe]

I think we got those once…maybe back in the day when you still got a seat cushion for Fantasmic! I still rave about the short ribs they had prepared in a wine Demi-glace. That’s been easily 15 years ago…my husband…”will ya get over those ribs already…they ain’t coming’ back!” I order short ribs if we’re ever in a restaurant that serves them. “Why?” He asks…”you know they won’t be as good as Blue Bayou,”

Last time my BFF and I went, her salmon was so dry. I think I had some kind of pasta. It was awful and we haven’t been back. I just decided that if we want to have a great dinner, we’ll go to one of the nearby restaurants.

But I am excited to try the chicken cordon bleu sandwich at Red Rose Taverne On Sunday!

I hope you have a great time and the sandwich is good!! I went to BB in Dec and Jan, and both meals were wonderful. I know they went way downhill for a while but I found the food really good recently, though my experience with Napa Rose was beyond disappointing in Dec.

Yeah, it has been a long time since I got that chest! I think it was between 12 and 15 years ago. OMG!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

As long as you’re not in the back back the ambiance and experience is excellent - such a unique to DL thing to do. I have been twice in the past 6 months and the food has been great - better than pre-covid.

We've had great meals in our last 3 visits...

Agree with you both. Our past few experiences at BB have been very good. The food has improved over the past few months.

 

[godfather927]

I booked a reservation for right when they open hoping for a water-side table.

Yep. This is the best strategy. For WDW, we did the exact same thing to get awesome window seats at Sanaa and decent aquarium seats at Coral Reef. Ideally, we'd prefer to eat there at dinner times, but it's not a big deal to rearrange some things to maximize the experience.

 

[87disney]

How long do you have to wait though? We were tempted to do that last time but when we saw the full waiting area, we decided not to. We waited like an hour after our reservation time even without doing that.

We never really had longer than 10 min. wait . If the lobby is full , it could be for several reasons . usually larger parties waiting for set up. i always word my request as “can we be put on the wait list for a waterside table?”. That way they know we are ok with waiting and don’t get the spiel about how it could take a while. We once got put in the back back by the restroom , that was enough to make the request every time we go now.