Same Restaurant Every Night!?!?!

[DisneyFamily123]

Ohana is great. And Kona is OK too.... but honestly I didn't think much of Kona and there were flies all over the dessert display.... BUT, a BIG advantage of being at the Polynesian (or any of the monorail resorts) is FAST access to the table service places at the other resorts. My DS is only 4... but when we went with a larger family group... everyone got to pick a restaurant.

And if his plans include counter service at the Poly, the selections are limited. I'd really encourage them to look at other places... especially when being in the parks...

On our next 9 day trip, our plans include 19 different restaurants. We do all table service with the exception of some breakfasts in our room (cereal, coffee, breakfast food from the resort quick service, etc.) We do all table service because the chefs more easily accomodate our DS's food allergy but also because dining out is a LOT of the fun at Disney-- so many good and fun places to eat.

We don't have any place at home where we can have breakfast with Mickey Mouse, or enjoy belly dancing and Moroccan music during dinner, etc.......


I just can't imagine being on the monorail and NOT eating at:

California Grill
Citrocos
Narcoosees
Ohana (breakfast and dinner)
Crystal Palace
....and by Gorsh....
all the places in Epcot!

And I think the Tusker House and Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom are superb....

 

[BuzzBiteyear]

I don't know, I really enjoy Germany. And I know I could eat every meal at the bakery in France. Now by the end of the week, I may actually be living in there, as I likely would no longer be able to get out the doors.

 

[unclescrooge_0707]

It's his vacation; wouldn't make a difference to me. I never give people advice on how they should vacation. My 20+ visits to WDW only makes me an expert on how I want to vacation there.

Best. Answer. Ever.

If people ask what I like, I tell them. But just because I think the Ice Cream Shoppe on Maine Street USA is great doesn't mean everyone will.

 

[Amy&Dan]

My husband and I have done this on other vacations, namely our beach vacations where we dine at the resort restaurant every night. But not at Disney.

I agree with others, if its Kona that might work out okay. If its O'Hana, he'll be so sick of meat and so sick of that singer he'll be bailing out on that idea by the second or third night!

We have done Olivia's as many as three or four times for a two week stay at OKW but that place serves all three meals and its not the same old thing. I don't think I ever got the same thing twice. Its definitely nice to eat at your resort but not if the restaurant is themed to the extent the Poly's two places are.

Disney vacations are so different and I think a lot of people have no idea how much more WDW dining is as far as the experience. And so many of the places are buffets or fixed price/offering meals that never change thier offerings.

He'll figure it out and still have fun and find a way to make it work.

But his TA needs to do her homework and get a clue!

 

[Lynne M]

I'm just not seeing the tragedy, or the mystery, here.

It's utterly common for people traveling to a strange city to do their touring during the day, and return to the hotel each night for dinner. There's nothing remotely unusual about that. Business travelers do it all the time. This fellow is approaching his WDW trip the same way, because he doesn't know WDW. He's going to tour the parks during the day, and come back to the hotel at night. It's what he's comfortable doing.

If you feel you must intercede, give him a copy of the Birnbaum Official Guide to WDW and point out the 407-WDW-DINE phone number. If he gets bored with whatever restaurant he's booked at, he can call and get some other ADRs. Or he can order room service. Or he can grab something at Captain Cook's. Or one of the other monorail CS's. He'll figure it out and he'll be fine.

Not everyone vacations the same way. His trip may not have the same variety of experiences as some of us "Disney pros", but that doesn't mean it's going to be an awful vacation. It's the right vacation for him.

 

[cglaura]

exactly.......i know people like this.........to them the vaca. is about the trip, not the food.........like.......well we had a nice day at the park now lets go down to the restaurant and have supper. whereas we, as in my family, make ADR's and build our touring plan around them. the first time we went down, many moons ago, we did not eat once (sit down) in the parks and did one character meal on the Empress Lily.

That is what is so great about wdw having so many options. We are exactly opposite. We make a few adr, anything else it is just what happens to be close when our stomachs start to growl....oh Yak & Yeti is right here, lets grab a few eggrolls. The one exception is funnel cakes. We do look forward to that treat b/c it is the only place we ever order them.

Our trip this year had many more adr since it was dd graduation gift and she wanted to try some places. It was not fun for us to time our day around food, but at least we tried it. The food and restaurants were good, glad we did them, but not a must do next time, mostly because we just don't get/enjoy the entertainment value of restaurants, and for me it is, I can't believe I just blew $80 - $100 on this food! (LeCellier, SciFi, Chef Mickey's). We are more a simple foods family, energy in, energy out.

OP: I think he will be just fine. If he gets tired of his food choices, he'll surely find other food. Nobody has ever starved at Disney!

 

[Burnt Toast]

I really think he just didn't do any research at all. Actually I know he didn't, since he didn't even realize there were two restaurants at his resort.

If I had a nickel for everytime I spoke with a Guest that didn't know that the Disneyland Resort had two Parks or Walt Disney World is actually consists of four Parks... after spending thousands of dollars for their vacation, I'd be a millionaire.

Also, this is just one of the many reasons why I'd never book with a travel agent (and yes, I used to be one myself) and will suggest to others not to do as well for trips to the DLR or WDW.

 

[Flossbolna]

It's utterly common for people traveling to a strange city to do their touring during the day, and return to the hotel each night for dinner. There's nothing remotely unusual about that. Business travelers do it all the time. This fellow is approaching his WDW trip the same way, because he doesn't know WDW. He's going to tour the parks during the day, and come back to the hotel at night. It's what he's comfortable doing.

I absoutely agree that it might be a very sensible choice at most other places. The problem at WDW is though, that the menus are so limited. I am always amazed at the small number of entrees at most WDW TS restaurants. I think this person might expect a much larger menu than Kona has, or even worse Ohana, which does not have any options at all. Since his ADRs don't force him to eat there, he is still free to go and eat somewhere else. So in the end he is just a variation of the many people who travel to WDW without any ADRs. I had friends who did that and still had a wonderful trip and are planning to return in 2011.

 

[amyy]

At least he can always cancel once he gets there if he gets sick of it.

My first thought is I couldn't eat at the same place for dinner everyday but we do usually eat one meal at the POR food court almost everday of our vist.

 

[disney_princess_85]

As others have said, it's up to him. It seems such a shame though, when there are so many wonderful options.

If I had a nickel for everytime I spoke with a Guest that didn't know that the Disneyland Resort had two Parks or Walt Disney World is actually consists of four Parks... after spending thousands of dollars for their vacation, I'd be a millionaire.

Seriously? That's crazy!

 

[winterman]

I actually think it makes more sense to eat at the same restaurant in your resort every night then the opposite. I frequently read on these boards about people having breakfast one place, then moving to a different park to spend the day, then going to a third place for dinner - and all these places are at opposite ends of WDW. I agree that the happy medium is the way to go.

 

[disney_princess_85]

I actually think it makes more sense to eat at the same restaurant in your resort every night then the opposite. I frequently read on these boards about people having breakfast one place, then moving to a different park to spend the day, then going to a third place for dinner - and all these places are at opposite ends of WDW. I agree that the happy medium is the way to go.

Yeah, that's a bit silly too. I agree that a happy medium is the best option.

 

[Mrsjvb]

hey if it were V& A I would SO be there...

and yeah I actually can see being back at a resort in time for dinner every day.. I am as I poop out about 5 ish anyway.

besides, like has been said.. once he gets there he may go ahead and cancel a few anyway.

 

[grace&philipsmom]

I can't imagine doing it for dinner. We have eaten breakfast at 'Ohana up to 3 times on a trip when staying at the Poly because we love it and it is breakfast food.

 

[poohfriend]

but it's not unheard of!

mention the other restaurants and how convienent they are...then let him make the decision.

His vacation. his choice.

 

[dalt01]

the happy medium is the way to go.

Yeah. I agree that a happy medium is the best option.

i met a happy medium on the boardwalk in Atlantic City once..................................just sayin..................

 

[christinec68]

I can see where eating at the resort every evening is convenient. I don't know how many times I read where guests go to the parks in the morning/early afternoon then return to the resort for a nap/swim. By the time you do all that and get ready to head out again it could be close to dinner time.

I know I could do it with a restaurant that has more variety then most Disney places. But I wouldn't do it with a place I never tried before.

I hope he likes his pick and let him know he can always change his ADRs when he gets there.

 

[dzorn]

I think I would print out the menu or e-mail the link to allearnet and mention that there are many convient restaurant close to his resort. Hopefully he is not on the dining plan and going at a busy time. If he does not like it it would be hard to find other options.

Denise in MI

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I think I would print out the menu or e-mail the link to allearnet and mention that there are many convient restaurant close to his resort. Hopefully he is not on the dining plan and going at a busy time. If he does not like it it would be hard to find other options.

Denise in MI

He is on the DDP, and he'll be there Easter week. I'm worried he won't be able to change anything.

 

[eddiemcgarrigle]

As people have already said, it's not unusual (insert Tom Jones joke here) for holiday makers to eat at their resort every night but with so much choice at the various parks and the inconvenience of leaving parks to return to the resort, I don't think your friend has been properly advised by his TA at all.

I have a varied choice of restaurants picked for my trip with Le Cellier being the only on that is booked twice and only because I couldn't decide what one dish from two I would eat if only visiting once.