Can I vent a little?

[angelmav]

The thing is, Disney dining has gotten SOOOO expensive that people have an elevated expectation that is often not met. I think thats why the big swing towards negative review's, you gotta bring your 'A' game when your charging those prices, a 'C' game garners a negative reaction based on price alone.

 

[Tricia1972]

The thing is, Disney dining has gotten SOOOO expensive that people have an elevated expectation that is often not met. I think thats why the big swing towards negative review's, you gotta bring your 'A' game when your charging those prices, a 'C' game garners a negative reaction based on price alone.

Well stated - perfect 1,000th post!

 

[GailT]

I just cant figure out when people complain about the server. I have had the good and bad as far as servers but that does not ruin my experience where I am eating. If I dont like the food maybe it will be someone elses taste. In 2005 I was skeptical of trying TTS before Mickets halloween party, well I tried it and loved it, go figure, I am trying all new places this year except 2, 1900 park fare and LeCellier I'll either like them or not and decide if i would go back, simple as that

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Expectations I think are a big part of it and like anything with Disney, you pay a premium and get average. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney, we own at AKV, etc, but for the most part, things are average.

When I travel (outside of Disney), I try to find the best of the best, which rarely is a chain restaurant, includes the freshest and often local ingredients. So when I step onto Disney, there are only a very few places that even come close to this level.

There are still some really good dishes at places, theming is almost always top notch and I do really enjoy a specific few restaurants (which have sometimes received bad reviews).

 

[Allison]

Well, I have to disagree that just because it's at Disney it must be good and if it's on the menu it must be good. There are lots and lots of restaurants at Disney, not all will be good for diners on a particular day.

It's not a bad thing for people to express their opinions and certainly shouldn't be hurtful to anyone. Reviews are opinions and the sharing of specific experiences. I certainly don't expect all of them to be good. My last trip to Hollywood and Vine was not a good food experience. We had a bad experience at Tutto Italia. We have had very nice experiences at other restaurants. That's the way it is and I wouldn't take it personally if I were you.

 

[TDC Nala]

with Disney, you pay a premium and get average. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney, we own at AKV, etc, but for the most part, things are average.

It seems to have been established that Disney caters to its majority, and its majority is generally happy with average. I see so many posts asking where to find food that would be comparable to what one can find in chain restaurants at home, and how to avoid anything "different."

 

[fla4fun]

Sometimes a restaurant just has a bad day too. For example, during a trip about a year ago, I had two lunch ADR's at Le Cellier, about a week apart, at which I ordered the same meal (can't get away from my favorite). Both meals were right when they opened for the day, so they weren't full or backed up in any way. The first one, everything went perfect. I had a great server, my food was cooked just the way I like it, drinks refilled before I could ask, you couldn't have asked for a better meal in any way. The second trip, my server was all but non-existant, I only had one glass of soda, the food was so overdone as to be inedible (but since I couldn't find my server, I ate it anyway) and it was the worst meal experience I've ever had at Disney, bar none (well, except for the Jolly Holiday Dinner show fiasco, but that's another story). Now, if I'd only had one meal or the other, I might have posted a very slanted review - either positive or negative. But since both meals were during the same trip, I saw the restaurant at their very best and very worst.

As far as the poster who asked why people comment about the server, my two experiences at Le Cellier bring that right to the forefront. A good server makes a good meal better, by bringing your food out the way your ordered it, by topping off your drink without you having to ask, and basically anticipating any need you might have. They are at your fingertips without hovering over your table. A bad server makes you wait 45 minutes to place a drink order, even when you are their first table, makes you order your food with your drink order so they don't have to come back, doesn't check the food before it comes out to make sure it's the way the order was placed, doesn't ask if the food was OK, doesn't top off your drink or even ask if you want dessert, and makes you wait another 45 minutes after you finished eating (I timed it) for the bill. A good server can save a bad meal. A bad server can leave you not wanting to go back even if the food was OK (which mine wasn't).

So I read all the reviews and try to read between the lines. What is just the opinion of the guest, what is a fact, what could have been a one time thing, do I see the same complaints over and over from different guests . . .all of these play into whether or not I may try a new restaurant or stick with my favorites.

 

[maggieb9975]

As far as the poster who asked why people comment about the server, my two experiences at Le Cellier bring that right to the forefront. A good server makes a good meal better, by bringing your food out the way your ordered it, by topping off your drink without you having to ask, and basically anticipating any need you might have. They are at your fingertips without hovering over your table. A bad server makes you wait 45 minutes to place a drink order, even when you are their first table, makes you order your food with your drink order so they don't have to come back, doesn't check the food before it comes out to make sure it's the way the order was placed, doesn't ask if the food was OK, doesn't top off your drink or even ask if you want dessert, and makes you wait another 45 minutes after you finished eating (I timed it) for the bill. A good server can save a bad meal. A bad server can leave you not wanting to go back even if the food was OK (which mine wasn't).

Very well said ! I agree 100%

 

[jenjersnap]

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.

What a boring place the reviews forum would be if it were all pixie dust and light. How I wish you'd walk into a black hole of perfection when you enter Disney property, but it simply isn't true. (Their R&D needs to get crackin'! )

I consciously make an effort to praise restaurants I like in equal measure to those I criticize, actually more because I can count our bad Disney experiences on one hand (and we've had only one horrific one). But I am glad I have a place to share my experiences and read others.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

It seems to have been established that Disney caters to its majority, and its majority is generally happy with average. I see so many posts asking where to find food that would be comparable to what one can find in chain restaurants at home, and how to avoid anything "different."

BINGO! I avoid chains at almost all costs because although there are some good dishes, there is no excitement, not much in originality, etc.

This is why most of the restaurants, outside of V&A don't offer daily specials, everything has been test, tried, true and done, over and over and over again. It's great for producing consistent results, but leaves little for the "wow" factor.

I love to try new foods, life is too short not to and I would never want to miss an opportunity to try something or do something.

(getting off my soap box now)

 

[simonkodousek]

To me, restaurant reviews are simply the opinion of someone and may or, most likely, may not be my opinion after dining there. I always try the restaurants that I want to and in 9 out of 10 times, I'll have a great overall experience.

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

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

I also live in Miami!

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Well, what good is a review if it isn't critical or fair? A dining review is, in essence, a way to help people decide which restaurants they would like to visit. If the reviewer described everything as buttercups and rainbows even when it wasn't, what would be the point of writing the review in the first place?

Also, to say that the food must be wonderful because "Disney" made it is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[WhenYouWishUponAStar]

I just want to say that I try not to be overly critical of meals when dining at WDW. When I stop and think about the amount of food that is prepared daily at all of the resort and park restaurants -- it is just mind boggling!!! How could every single plate of food be absolutely perfect? It can't. How could every single waiter/waitress be perfect? They can't. Maybe I am too easy to please but in all the times I've been to WDW, I can't say I've every had a meal that was a disaster.

 

[Lynn5700]

The only place where I think the food is not that great is H&V. It was just blah. Other than that I love the food everywhere and we have eaten at a lot of the restaurants.

 

[Lynn5700]

I just want to say that I try not to be overly critical of meals when dining at WDW. When I stop and think about the amount of food that is prepared daily at all of the resort and park restaurants -- it is just mind boggling!!! How could every single plate of food be absolutely perfect? It can't. How could every single waiter/waitress be perfect? They can't. Maybe I am too easy to please but in all the times I've been to WDW, I can't say I've every had a meal that was a disaster.

I'm very easy to pleas too.

 

[BriarRosie]

The majority of my experiences are positive ones, but I've definitely made a note of things that just weren't good....in my opinion. I agree that when you go out to eat, the server is a component of a meal and can add or detract to your enjoyment.

Fla4fun's post clearly gave a great example of how a server can make or break your experience, as well as show how even eating the same exact meal, same place...it's a "snapshot" of how the place is at that given moment in time. I think that can attribute to a place getting an "awful, never again" from a few people, while a strong majority can say "loved it, will return".

It is subjective, but I put in reviews to entertain, not to use as a guideline. I know that my palate is going to like things like mushrooms, while oybolshoi (Brenda) will hide under a napkin if a mushroom falls on her plate.

 

[bavaria]

BINGO! I avoid chains at almost all costs because although there are some good dishes, there is no excitement, not much in originality, etc.

This is why most of the restaurants, outside of V&A don't offer daily specials, everything has been test, tried, true and done, over and over and over again. It's great for producing consistent results, but leaves little for the "wow" factor.

Look at the drama here every time a restaurant at WDW changes a menu item. In the 'real' world, good restaurants change menus frequently. WDW does so rarely, and it creates an uproar when they do.

I agree with Tricia that most WDW restaurants are average, on par with American chains. With a captive audience, little competition, and a focus on low food cost/high turnover, the reality is that the food simply cannot be better than average anymore.

There are a few gems, but for the most part the food has to appeal to the 'average' American palate, restricting the amount of creativity on menus and reducing the authenticity of the various World Showcase restaurants.

 

[miprender]

The only place where I think the food is not that great is H&V. It was just blah. Other than that I love the food everywhere and we have eaten at a lot of the restaurants.

Ditto for me. We have always had great experiences too at other Disney dining places, but H&V is off our list for numerous reasons. Just because it is Disney I don't automatically assume I will like it. At least there are many more to try.

And I have read many bad reviews on Norway, which I liked so you just have to keep an open mind when reading the reviews.

 

[Fantasmiss]

I agree some people are always negative and complaining about everything... But we've had ONE bad, and I mean BAD dining experience at WDW. It was at Garden Grill, and there is no way I'll just keep quiet about that. If a restaurant experience is as horrible as this, people need to be warned.

Liberty Tree wasn't great either, but other than that we LOVE dining at WDW! They are fantastic when it comes to food allergies!