Overview:
It is nearly impossible to miss Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner when you walk through the Hollywood Studios. Located within the S.S. Down the Hatch, Min & Bill’s dominates Echo Lake and helps enhance the classic Hollywood theme of the park.
You might be wondering what this little tramp steamer has anything to do with Hollywood, but there are several connections that can be made. The steamer itself and the name of the Diner pay tribute to an old MGM film, a comedy-drama entitled Min & Bill. The film starred Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler, who would go on to win the 1931 Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Min.
The architectural style of the S.S. Down the Hatch is actually something known as “California Crazy,” a building design which became popular in the 1930s. Buildings constructed in this style were meant to catch a customer’s eye and leave a lasting impression (Dinosaur Gertie’s just across the lake would be another example of this). While Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner certainly catches people’s attention as they walk through the park, it is definitely lesser known as a dining location.
While for a long time the Min & Bill’s was just a place to grab a quick snack, changes in the menu not too long ago have turned it into another dining option for a quick lunch or dinner.
Atmosphere:
One thing about Min & Bill’s is that it only offers outdoor seating. This can be a good or bad thing depending on the weather. As is usually the case when dining al fresco, the weather will have a tremendous impact on your dining experience. This is definitely a dining location that you would want to avoid if it is raining because there is no indoor seating anywhere close. While all the tables do have umbrellas, they would not offer enough protection in the rain. Likewise, although the umbrellas do afford some shade, it can still get very hot sitting in this area, especially during the summer months.
A couple of other factors to take into account are the Diner’s location to some of the Studios’ other attractions and entertainment. If you are a fan of the American Idol Experience, Min & Bill’s offers a great spot to enjoy the finale show on the big screen while you eat. For this reason, it can be far more crowded at this time and definitely more difficult to find a table. For this reason, if you do not really care about seeing American Idol you may want to eat prior to the start of the finale show. Min & Bill’s is also in close proximity to the location where High School Musical takes place. If you are not a fan of High School Musical you may want to check your time guide for performance times so you are not eating while the show is going on because the music is very loud (I personally made this mistake). Otherwise, despite being in a fairly high traffic area with a lot of guests walking by, the seating area is relatively quiet and offers a nice spot to sit, relax, and do some people watching.
The Menu:
While the menu is limited to three entrée selections, each appealed to me and I was torn as to which one I wanted to try. The main items found on the menu are a Frankfurter on a Pretzel Roll, a Chicken Caesar Sandwich, and an Italian Sausage Sandwich. The menu also includes several snack items such as Vanilla or Chocolate Shakes, Frozen Lemonade, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and a standard assortment of soft drinks. I finally decided on the Frankfurter, mostly because I really wanted to try the pretzel roll. I also ordered a chocolate shake to accompany my meal.
While the Frankfurter was good, in hindsight I probably would have enjoyed the Chicken Caesar or Italian Sausage sandwiches more. I ordered the Frankfurter largely because of the pretzel roll, and that certainly did not disappoint. While not as good as the pretzel bread served at Le Cellier, it was better than a standard pretzel that you would buy at one of the concession stands in the park. The pretzel roll was nice and soft and was also served warm, definitely helping to put a new spin on a classic favorite. If it had not been served on the pretzel roll, there would have been nothing special about the Frankfurter. The Frankfurter was also served with Dijon mustard, which gave it a nice little extra kick. If you do not really care for Dijon mustard then I would chose something else from the menu because there was a lot of it. I happen to like Dijon and felt it complimented the Frankfurter and pretzel roll very well.
The chocolate shake was probably the highlight of the meal and it was so big that it really could almost have been a meal unto itself. Not only was it big, but it was also extremely thick and filling. I had to use a spoon when I started and was not able to use a straw until the heat had melted it a little. The shake had a rich chocolate flavor and was extremely refreshing on a very hot day. I will certainly be adding this to my list of favorite snack items in Disney World.
Service:
At a counter service restaurant efficiency is always extremely important. This often means that Cast Members serving the food may not have time to interact with the guests to the same extent as servers in a sit down restaurant. I have experiences many situations where cast members at quick service locations care only about taking your order and getting you your food quickly and thus sometimes come across as being cold and uncaring. This was not the case at Min & Bill’s. Not only was the service speedy and efficient, but the Cast Member who took my order also was very personable. Although our interaction was brief, he was still able to strike up a quick conversation and even threw in a couple of jokes as well. I thought that this was very refreshing because it showed that having quick service does not necessarily need to come at the expense of good guest interaction.
Dining on a Budget:
If you are looking for a snack, the chocolate and vanilla shakes at Min & Bill’s are probably one of the better values in all of the Disney parks. The size of the shake is absolutely huge and the price is only $3.99 (it is also a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan). When you consider that a Mickey’s Premium Bar now costs $3.50, you are getting so much more for your money if you get a shake at Min & Bill’s. The shakes are so big that you were looking for a quick lunch for two people you could each get a shake, split a sandwich, and still leave feeling full. Other than the shakes, the sandwich prices are basically on par with the prices found at other quick service locations.
The Overall Experience:
While my meal at Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner was one of the better counter service meals I have had at the Hollywood Studios, it still does not match the level of some of the quick service dining options found at the other parks. I will probably go back again to try the other sandwich choices, but I am more likely to go back just to have a chocolate shake as a snack. I think that Min & Bill’s actually has more value for a quick snack than it has as being a counter service dining location for a quick lunch or dinner. While my meal was not bad, there was nothing about it other than the shake that really made me say “wow.” However, given the choice of any of the counter service restaurants at the Hollywood Studios, I would probably choose Min & Bill’s as my first option.
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