Can I vent a little?

[starsinnight]

Why is it that when I read resteraunt reviews I always read some people's review saying how horrible it is? I always end up trying it myself and find it fabulous. I really have to say that I have NEVER had a terrible experience at WDW. How can you? It's Disney! And the way I think, if the resteraunt is at Disney - it has to be good. And if it's on the menu - it has to be atleast average to good! And maybe I'm just more understanding if things aren't FABULOUS because I know that sometimes cooks can mess up and sometimes resteraunts have their "off" nights where it's too busy/too slow and that that doesn't mean the place is horrible, atleast not ALWAYS.

So i try to always keep this in mind when I read reviews (not just on here) but that also doesn't mean every single place is the best. Some are going to be better and some choices on the menu are going to be better but it just hurts to read when someone reviews a place (for example the CRT) and says they would NEVER go back and it really was the worst. I know that I can't expect everyone to have the best experience ever (even though its Disney) but it just seems so often on here that people are so harsh and critical of their food/experiences. And it makes me wonder if people are just cranky during Disney and see things way differently. I mean i really LOVE food and i LOVE good food but i really am starting to be skeptical of all these bad reviews and wonder how can things be so terrible when your at the happiest place in the world? lol

 

[RMulieri]

Because reviews are entirely subjective, and people are allowed to have opinions.Plus, people are more apt to complain than praise pretty much anything.I have given some negative reviews about disney restaurants.BUT..I usually try a place at least 2 times before doing it to be fair.To each is own...

 

[starsinnight]

I suppose you are right. And it's always easier to remember the bad. My bf tells me that alot!

 

[RMulieri]

I can tell you that as an RN for 12 yrs and in retail before that, you always hear the negative and the complaints..hardly ever the good and the praise.I always try to give credit and praise where it is due, and give people and places a chance to redeem the negative before I complain.

 

[Poohbug]

Sometimes people have unrealistic expectations. Sometimes they just don't like the food. Sometimes the staff has a off day. Most of the time people only write about the bad and not the good.

This is why I like to try things myself and even give a restaurant a second chance if I didn't like it the first time.

 

[starsinnight]

Haha that does make sense... esp since i'm in studying to be a MHC (mental health counselor), i better get used to complaining! and i guess being an RN would be the same too.

 

[Tricia1972]

I agree with RMulieri.

Not too many weeks ago one poster started two threads. One was "Most Disappointing" and the other was something like "Most Pleasant"

Despite attempts from numerous posters (myself included) "Most Pleasant" didn't even hit two pages of replies (I believe)

Not surprisingly - "Most Disappointing" became a HUGE hit and I believe had pages and pages of replies. It lasted on the front page for at least a week.

I believe that part of the problem, in addition to human nature, is unrealistic expectations. So often you read here things like "50's PTC" "Kona" "Chef Mickey's" was the best (or yummiest) food ever!! Well the food is fine, but nothing more than what you'd expect from a regular chain restaurant. However, because you're at Disney, you're paying at least twice what you'd pay at the local chain restaurant. That may diminish the memory for some people.

 

[Bob NC]

It's Disney! And the way I think, if the resteraunt is at Disney - it has to be good.

If that is your stance, why do you even read reviews?????

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I think many reviews are based upon personal preference. My family is very meat and potatoes, chain restaurant, nothing fancy, plain old food kind of people. So for me, I wouldn't like a place like V&A or Ohana. That's why I don't go there. I like LTT and Casey's because that's just the type of food we like and eat regularly. I'm all for trying new things, but I won't be going too far outside my comfort zone at Disney for those prices, although this past trip we were on the dining plan, so we did try a few new things and were pleasantly surprised!

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I really have to say that I have NEVER had a terrible experience at WDW. How can you? It's Disney! And the way I think, if the resteraunt is at Disney - it has to be good.

My view of Disney dining is:

There is some excellent, some very good, a lot of good, some mediocre, some bad, and on rare occasions a little terrible dining.

I am glad to hear that you have never had a terrible experience - but being at the most magical place on earth doesn't preclude bad service / poorly cooked food / over cooked food / under cooked food / mistakes / bad choices, etc.

 

[worm761]

You wanna talk about the worst dining review ever? My boyfriend didn't like my favorite counter service! Can you believe it? That is just horrible. He will still eat there because DS and I have eaten there on every trip, it is a tradition. And he loves me so he does.

 

[KatMark]

It is the same with resorts. We've had some really great meals at Disney (LeCellier, Biergarten, Plaza, Crystal Palace, etc.) and we've had some where, yes, we will not go back (H&V, WCC, Boatwright's). It comes down to a matter of personal opinion, taste, etc. I am always thrilled to be at Disney. But I also know that Disney is NOT perfect and there are going to be some things I do not care for...but I don't let those things ruin my trip.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

The reviews are people's opinions. I don't think it's fair to say that a restaurant should be good just because it's in Disney.

I always try to give my honest opinion when I write my review, and I would hope that in turn the reviews I read are honest as well. I don't want to read an, "it was great," review, if it was in fact, not that great.

 

[inkkognito]

So much of it has to with a person's personal tastes. Before we went to V&A, I read every review I could get my hands on. It seemed like they were either totally great or totally awful. The more I read, the more I realized that the people panning it were meat and potatoes people to whom Logan's Steakhouse is fine dining (not that there's anything wrong with Logan's!). They don't get the fact that you get really small courses in a dinner that runs for seven courses and they have no desire to try things like quail or sweetbreads. Hubby and I are foodies so we loved V&A, but it's not for everyone.

Really, at WDW it's rare that I have a truly awful meal. My negative experiences have been caused more often by hell kids, people screaming into cell phones about their friends who piss like a racehorse, or bad service. Fortunately, even those things aren't common enough to chase me off.

 

[EpcotBeauty]

If that is your stance, why do you even read reviews?????

LOL, my thoughts as well. Someone is complaining about complaining!

 

[feline figaro]

Everyones entitled to their own opinion!!!A negative review does nt mean the person writing it is being Harsh they re just being honest at expressing how they ve experienced something.

I love Disney as much as the next person hence why we re getting married there, when we visited in Oct for our Wedding Planning Session we both had a truely magical time. But neither one of us could say everywhere we ate was amazing, the character meals were nt great foodwise but then again you go for the character interaction not for amazing food. It does nt matter where you eat, you can have a bad meal anywhere as well as bad service. In general we received first class customer service during our stay in Disney, there was a couple of occasions which lacked the famous "Disney Magic". This does nt make me think bad of Disney, nor would it put me off going back anywhere.

Like someone else said, before we ate anywhere i read as many reviews as possible. A good example of this was Chef Mickeys which most people seemed to love. We had the worst time there, food was terrible, Character interaction was poor & service was pretty much non existance. These things happen, just because you re in Disney does nt mean you re exempt from having a bad experience ( i wish it did but hey we re all human & we all make mistakes).

Thats the good thing a bout discussion boards, people are open to give their opinion regardless of whether others agree. Reviews are always mixed, could nt do for us all to like the same thing!!

 

[skater]

I like to hear the good, the bad and the just plain ugly. These boards wouldn't be any fun if it was all goodness and sunshine - talk about high expectations! Can you imagine going to WDW and thinking every restaurant experience would be superb? I think my expectations are very realistic - partly based on honest reviews I've read here.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't do opinion reviews on restaurants because opinions of the restaurants vary so widely. What I think is good, someone else think tastes like asphalt with creosote sauce. And vice versa.

 

[oybolshoi]

I don't do opinion reviews on restaurants because opinions of the restaurants vary so widely. What I think is good, someone else think tastes like asphalt with creosote sauce. And vice versa.

Is it possible to get the creosote sauce on the side? I might be more tempted to try it that way.

I would say that the majority of our Disney restaurant experiences have been pretty good, but we've also had a few disappointments along the way. We don't expect above and beyond while dining at WDW, but we certainly do expect good value for the money we spend. And I'm not shy about making my opinion known when Disney falls short - they hold (or held ... not sure what they're doing lately) themsleves to a high standard and if we as consumers want them to maintain that then we have to hold them accountable.

My reviews are usually pretty positive on the whole but I also touch on things that are less than satisfactory. I try to be fair, but as others have pointed out: reviews are subjective. Take 'em with a grain of salt and move on.

 

[Tricia1972]

... but as others have pointed out: reviews are subjective. Take 'em with a grain of salt and move on.

I agree with this and I think it's important to note that it works both ways - positive and negative. I didn't think something sounded good to me, but went against my better judgment trusting that everyone here was smarter than me when it came to this item. To me it became the ONE thing I must try on vacation.

Ate it - hated it - got sick.

From that I learned to trust myself in reading menus and knowing what would appeal to me. I read reviews more for service, quality issues with the food.