my comments on dining

[buzz2400]

just back from using the dining plan. here is what I think about the places I ate (bear in mind that this is the first time I have been to each place)

concourse at contemporary - very good, had filet mignon

50's prime time - had adr's, had to wait a very long for a table. was put way in back in little room. atmosphere terrible. had a waitress who had broken english. food was so so.

whispering canyon - not too many antics going on. Food was terrific.

La Cellier - food great

chef mickey - we were seated at what I was told was one of the two tables for two people. We felt so out of it that they should have just put us in the bathroom or kitchen. Food was not that good.

sci fi - they showed advertisements on the screen, no film clips. Food was terrible.

Kona - Food was disgusting.

All in all, I didn't have to pay so I am not complaining. We used up our quick services and snacks as well but it was very hard. Way too much food. The only thing I hated was that all the sit down dinners had to have reservations. I would rather have been spontaneous but you had to schedule all the meals and how do you know how hungry you will be on say tuesday at 6 p.m.

 

[grimley1968]

Good reviews. Thanks.

Comments/Questions:

- For 50's, did you have to wait a long time with an ADR? Or did you do a walk-up without an ADR? It's my theory that ADR's really don't give you much of an advantage at some places when it's packed with free diners, so I'm curious as to whether you had an ADR here or not. Also, it's amazing that they'd have someone who doesn't speak good English serving at a restaurant themed after Eisenhower's America. Strange, and too bad you had that.

- I agree about Kona. It's alright for a quick snack or drink, but the one meal we ever ate there wasn't too great.

- Did you eat at WCC for lunch or dinner? WCC tends to have some antics for lunch, but nothing compared to what they do for dinner. Also, WCC servers will definitely tailor their antics to the mood they're reading from their guests.

- We love Le Cellier, overall, and have booked an ADR for this upcoming trip, but our last experience there 2 years ago was definitely downhill from previous times there. I hope it's coming back.

- For us, Sci Fi always showed film trailers (ads) for B-movie films of the past. Not sure if this is what you mean by ads.

 

[jmpellet]

Wow, I'm surpised about Kona -- we loved it. The service was awesome too. Almost as much as Le Cellier.

 

[buzz2400]

with the free dining going on, most every place you had to have an adr. we did have the adr for 50's but we still had to wait a very long time.

We ate at wcc late lunch. it wasn't that we didn't want to participate. they did have the pony ride for the litte kids. one father got reprimanded for hitting his child, someone was having a birthday and the parents had to run around singing happy birthday but it seemed like it was just one waiter that was doing all this. Our waitress did throw the napkins and straws onto the table. my son who just turned 16 was coloring the papers and we hung them up.

yes I meant the trailers at sci for were ads, like it is time to go to concession stand now to get something to eat.

 

[n2mm]

Thanks for your posting. It was short and sweet, but got the point across. That is too bad about Kona Cafe as it is one of our favorites. We were there 2 weeks ago and ate at alot of the same places. Agreed about the 50sPT, we also had an ADR but had to wait at least 30 minutes for our 5:30 ADR. We didn't have any outstanding meals that trip, but we were not doing the free ddp. We were there before it began so paid for our ddp. While we often have good meals there, everything we had was just average. I'm hoping when we get there next month, we will have a better experience.

 

[grimley1968]

with the free dining going on, most every place you had to have an adr. we did have the adr for 50's but we still had to wait a very long time.

I thought you probably had made an ADR, but didn't want to assume it.

That's my biggest problem with the dining at WDW: the ADR system. It just does not work, as it seems to be abused. They need to switch to an ADR system that guarantees an actual table for the time you arrive, not just a place in line waiting for the next table. In return, they should put a credit card hold on ALL ADR's, not just those for Hoop De Doo and some of the most popular restaurants, with a penalty if people do not show up for ADR's without proper cancellation notice. When a cancellation occurs or someone does not show up, that table would open up for walk-up guests.

This would take care of the waiting problems with ADR's very quickly.

 

[LoriZH]

Ugh...Sci Fi, we just can't get into H&V so we're having dinner there, I'm not too worried about the trailers, it's just the food that I'm bummed out about. I am starting to think that I would rather do lunch somewhere before we get to MGM and just eat at Pizza Planet for dinner........

Come on, anyone want to give up a H&V for lunch or dinner for 5 people on the 24th of Sept?

Glad you enjoyed most of your meals!!!

 

[MickeyNicki]

What meal did you have at kona? We have always loved the breakfast there but have not tried another meal yet.

I totally agree about the food at CM...gross!

 

[bob6sims]

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy Chef Mickeys , we have had several meals here and they have all been great....

Did you ask for a different table ?

 

[deelovesdis]

lori ZH why would you want to eat at Hollywood and Vine? Ate there last night, the food was HORRIBLE !! YUCK!! I tried a little bit of mostly everything, and even the pasta, way too sticky, salty. The mashed potatoes were good but DD wouldnt touch them, they had parsley and ham in them. most kids dont like "stuff" in their food. the prime rib was all fat.

I have eaten there in the past and enjoyed the food, its not as good as Crystal Palace, but good enough. I hated my meal yesterday. Even the desserts were not good. I will never go back. now I know why 50's was PACKED and H& V was empty!!
now you know why its hard to get an APR at 50's. I will spend more money for Brown Derby or go to Mama Melrose.

 

[Minniespal]

Thanx for your comments.