Disney should open a restaurant chain!

[Baloo76]

Not a rumor, just an idea...Disney should open up restaurants nationwide that feature character meals! It would be an awesome way to get a little disney when you can't get to WDW or DL.

What do you think? Should it be buffet, familiy style or a la carte? Rotating characters by day/week/month? What theming would you want?

[davedmaine]

Honestly, outside of Disney I don't think there'd be all that much interest in Disney character buffets.

[DizCaptain]

No... I just can't see this working. It would actually spoil Disney imho. Also, aren't there enough accusations of misconduct against characters without nationalizing it in a chain? I will say however, in contribution, that a buffet would be the best way to handle it.

[Peter Pirate 2]

Disney isn't even interested in running the restaurants they have properly anymore!

[lockedoutlogic]

Originally Posted by davedmaine

honestly, outside of disney i don't think there'd be all that much interest in disney character buffets.

x2

[lockedoutlogic]

Originally Posted by peter pirate 2

disney isn't even interested in running the restaurants they have properly anymore!

x3

[lockedoutlogic]

Originally Posted by dizcaptain

no... I just can't see this working. It would actually spoil disney imho. Also, aren't there enough accusations of misconduct against characters without nationalizing it in a chain? I will say however, in contribution, that a buffet would be the best way to handle it.

x4

[lockedoutlogic]

Just to add...


All star cafe, wwe restaurant, NASCAR cafe, supermodel cafe, planet Hollywood, and to a lesser extent rainforest cafe...

What do they all have in common?

You can throw the disneyquest in Chicago in that boat too

[DRDISNEYMD]

~Chef Mickey would be very easy to market or franchise, as a normal restaurant, definitely not a buffet. With that said, I'm not fond of the idea at all. I can see quality control issues alone as a constant headache.

[lockedoutlogic]

Originally Posted by DRDISNEYMD

~Chef Mickey would be very easy to market or franchise, as a normal restaurant, definitely not a buffet. With that said, I'm not fond of the idea at all. I can see quality control issues alone as a constant headache.

Lots of reasons why this wouldn't fly...

But the main one is that if Disney has "destinations" and not spots next to Applebee's in Diluth...then they control a lot of the economic realities they deal with.

This has come up in recent days...Disney parks are not really "ride places"...they are well behind. Walt Disney's original idea - and he was right - was to control the environment.
If things like more retail and restaurants are built...they lose control of their environment.

And that effects money. They charge you 100 a day to enter their turnstiles, they charge you $400 for a $170 room at the Polynesian, and they charge you 2.5 times what your buffet is worth at chef mickeys.

More "neighborhood" access would eventually erode that. I'm not sure the "gains" would outweigh the losses over time.

[Lewisc]

Disney restaurants now feature overpriced mediocre food. We tolerate it on vacation, in part, for character interaction. I can't see it being popular. Theme restaurants aren't doing that great in generally as per a PP

I don't think it's a good idea. Should Disney decide to give it a shot the first location should be in NYC near, the theaters showing Disney plays. I might suggest the next locations would be in malls near Disney stores but I'd predict the NYC location would be a flop in 6 months. Long before any other locations came close to opening.

edited to add:
pp posted while I was composing this post. He made the same point, but better.

Some people suggested Disney open up hotels along I95 so guests driving to Disney could start their Disney experience even earlier. Same "issues". Would guests "overpay" without the theme parks.

[DRDISNEYMD]

Originally Posted by lockedoutlogic

Lots of reasons why this wouldn't fly...

But the main one is that if Disney has "destinations" and not spots next to Applebee's in Diluth...then they control a lot of the economic realities they deal with.

This has come up in recent days...Disney parks are not really "ride places"...they are well behind. Walt Disney's original idea - and he was right - was to control the environment.
If things like more retail and restaurants are built...they lose control of their environment.

And that effects money. They charge you 100 a day to enter their turnstiles, they charge you $400 for a $170 room at the Polynesian, and they charge you 2.5 times what your buffet is worth at chef mickeys.

More "neighborhood" access would eventually erode that. I'm not sure the "gains" would outweigh the losses over time.

~Hey Logic, this is great!!! I totally agree -- I don't wan't Disney to think that this kind of venture could ever fly, lol.

Originally Posted by Lewisc

Disney restaurants now feature overpriced mediocre food. We tolerate it on vacation, in part, for character interaction. I can't see it being popular. Theme restaurants aren't doing that great in generally as per a PP

I don't think it's a good idea. Should Disney decide to give it a shot the first location should be in NYC near, the theaters showing Disney plays. I might suggest the next locations would be in malls near Disney stores but I'd predict the NYC location would be a flop in 6 months. Long before any other locations came close to opening.

edited to add:
pp posted while I was composing this post. He made the same point, but better.

Some people suggested Disney open up hotels along I95 so guests driving to Disney could start their Disney experience even earlier. Same "issues". Would guests "overpay" without the theme parks.

~Good post! I also agree, we're captive at Disney, even more so on the dining plan, so we tolerate it.

[Lewisc]

Originally Posted by Peter Pirate 2

Disney isn't even interested in running the restaurants they have properly anymore!

Disney has realized they could standardize the menus, remove menu items which require expensive ingredients and/or prep time, improve restaurant turnover by discouraging many of their guests from ordering appetizers, (my imagination?) most menu offerings don't seem to require being "cooked to order" and maintain (actually increase) pricing.

Disney learned they could charge Palm pricing (OK a slight exaggeration) and offer Outback quality. The second statement is an exaggeration. Outback sometimes offers prime beef Disney never.

Disney is running the restaurants "properly" if your goal is to maximize profit but not if your basis is the quality of dining experience.

[diamondpixienc]

Originally Posted by lockedoutlogic

Lots of reasons why this wouldn't fly...

But the main one is that if Disney has "destinations" and not spots next to Applebee's in Diluth...then they control a lot of the economic realities they deal with.

This has come up in recent days...Disney parks are not really "ride places"...they are well behind. Walt Disney's original idea - and he was right - was to control the environment.
If things like more retail and restaurants are built...they lose control of their environment.

And that effects money. They charge you 100 a day to enter their turnstiles, they charge you $400 for a $170 room at the Polynesian, and they charge you 2.5 times what your buffet is worth at chef mickeys.

More "neighborhood" access would eventually erode that. I'm not sure the "gains" would outweigh the losses over time.

This is sad but true :0( I only go to Chef's Mickey at WDW only because my kids like the characters not for the food. Poor quality just like the local Golden Corral except with Mickey and friends. So, I can honestly say that i would not want to go if we are not in WDW. BTW i've already told my kiddos only 2 character meals this time and it Chef Mickey's can not be one.

[DizCaptain]

Originally Posted by Lewisc

Disney restaurants now feature overpriced mediocre food. We tolerate it on vacation, in part, for character interaction.

Its gotten to the point for us that we're actually going to one of the many restaurants on 192 in Kissimmee or other off-property restaurants some nights. Sadly (though not really) some of the best meals I've had in Florida in recent years were during a Disney vacation but at restaurants not owned by Disney (Blue Zoo, Bull and Bear, Parc Soleil Cafe, heck even Wolfgang Puck is pretty darned good). At least at places like these you get quality for the cash. I'm not saying all of Disney's food options are crap, but a large amount have turned that consistency, I'm happy a few places still stand with quality food).