Disappointed With San Angel Inn

[kidd_freeper]

We visited the San Angel Inn (Mexico at Epcot) on July 15 for dinner.

This was my favorite restaurant, not just at WDW, but anywhere. It is a 'must do' for us to eat here every trip to WDW.

I'm sad to say that the San Angel Inn has made changes since last year that have knocked it out of first place with me.

- The main selling point for this restaurant, the reason that set it apart, was its atmosphere. The volcano mural and the boat ride are still there, but several things were removed. The festive background music is gone - all that plays in the background is faint bird chirps and volcano rumbles. The live band stops playing before 5:30pm. The previously colorful chairs and solid tables were replaced with institutional chairs and somewhat shaky tables. Previously, the tables were randomly scattered in the seating area...while this made it less efficient, it felt more like a festival. Now the tables are in neat non-festive rows and columns.

- They have become very hard-nosed with the children's menu. A 10 year old is considered an adult there. They made it a point to ask the ages of the children before we sat down (I didn't lie) and they made it a point to ask their ages once we were seated (I guess to try and catch me in a lie). My DS10 and DS11 didn't like anything on the adult menu and wanted to order off the kids menu. Despite our protestations to the seater, the server and the manager, we were forced to pay double the kids meal price for a kids meal for each kid. They got a portion that was twice the kids meal size, which was too much food for them to eat.

- Adult beverages were previously served in elegant glassware. Fun. Now they are served in institutional glassware that looks like it might be less likely to break in a dishwasher.

- The food was good, but portion size was somewhat smaller for a larger price.

- Gratuity is automatically added in (18%) for our group of 6. I don't believe that it was last year.

- Our bill this year was $183 compared to last year's $129 for the same 6 people.

I will say that our service was quite good (despite the hard-nosed children's menu policy), the food is still good (a bit pricey) and I still like the atmosphere.

 

[TDC Nala]

Gratuity is automatically added in (18%) for our group of 6. I don't believe that it was last year.

This has been true at all restaurants within WDW for several years. You should have had it added last year if you had a party of six or more.

This is the second time I have seen reports of a restaurant cracking down on persons over 9 years old ordering from the children's menu. Not sure if it signals a coming trend. At least this one is allowing adult portions of children's meals, so it's not really surprising that they would charge extra for an adult portion.

 

[KeroKero]

On this board and a few others I've read through, people are saying that the quality of food is diminishing due to the free dining that happens. Obviously free dining, is giving a people the chance to eat at places they would normally not - making the amout of food they serve higher, meaning they would need to purchase cheaper supplies and charge guests more (the ones without the free dining).

Sad, but true ... that's what happens when the economy dwindles

 

[TDC Nala]

I also think a lot of complaints were being made about San Angel regarding the tables being too close together...wonder if the seating rearrangement was in response to that.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Would totally agree with those statements. The quality of almost ALL Disney rest. have gone down. 1900 PF was one of our favs years ago- now its total chaos and crazy in there, and the food isn't as good as it used to be. Same with a lot of changes we have been seeing everywhere. We go every year since 2002, and I can say- I see changes every year- not for the good. We had the SAME problem with my daughter being forced to order off the adult menu at 10- and she wanted a childs dinner. We just started doing all buffets. Also, We had a large party in Sept. and the tip was added to every dinner. Just waiting for them to start seperating counter service adult/child credits. At that point I'd bow out of the Dining plan. If things start going in the direction that they have, we are seriously considering staying offsite, and eating elsewhere.

 

[MikeOhio]

I ate there last week, and I actually liked the new look. The tables used to be so ridiculously close together; now there is a much larger gap. Also I didn't mind the old tables/chairs but there were kind of tacky. The new tables are much more elegant. The new look is also more authentic because it matches the original san angel inn. As far as not allowing people over 10 to order from the kids menu, I agree that kind of stinks but it is official policy that was noted when you made the reservation.

I also noticed great improvements in the service and the food quality/selection was improved. It's moved up my list of top restaurants.

 

[SouthJersey]

Do you guys think crowd size and time of year affects the quality of dining? I noticed when we went to San Angel Inn last December, the food was awesome. Portions were very filling, service was great, tables weren't uncomfortably close. However, earlier that year in the summer I was asked to tag along with family on their trip and we'd also gone to San Angel Inn on that trip. I remember the tables being nearly on top of eachother, the service felt rushed and the portions were significantly smaller.

I was just thinking maybe the surge in population of the parks leads to them cutting back on the portions and trying to add seats to the restaraunt?

 

[BeagleMom]

18% gratuity being added in automatically for parties of 6 or larger has been in effect for years, and yes when it comes to dining disney's child/adult age cut-off is a bit odd, imo a ten year old child is not an adult, but this policy has also been in effect for many years. I also agree with other posters that the free dining has affected over-all quality in many ways, offering free dining to some guests has to be made up somewhere in disney's bottom line....

 

[bgraham34]

My wife and I stopped going here a few years ago because we did not look the menu changes. We felt the food had become bland. Its a shame because we loved the atmosphere.

 

[kirstenb1]

We were there in June, and they did allow our 13 yr old to order from the kid's menu. We were prepared to order off the adult's menu, and just have them leave off certain items of the meal (she's so picky, it's crazy. Thank goodness our younger dd is not). But the server was very gracious when we asked, and said no problem. We enjoyed our meal.

 

[HJV]

We've never loved the food here, and have been going for over fifteen years. After ordering dinners a couple of times, we now just get drinks and a few apps* because we do love the atmosphere. We think the counter food is better in Mexico.

* a few years ago my son ordered a steak, I warned him, he wouldn't listen. It was thin, dry and not good. He sticks with the apps now.

 

[nytimez]

As long as they keep the mole poblano on the menu, I'll keep going back. I don't care what the glassware looks like, and I like the nature sounds better.

FWIW, the declining price/value ratio is a trend across WDW, not exclusive to San Angel Inn.

 

[Gina35]

As long as they keep the mole poblano on the menu, I'll keep going back. I don't care what the glassware looks like, and I like the nature sounds better.

FWIW, the declining price/value ratio is a trend across WDW, not exclusive to San Angel Inn.

One of our favorites b/c of the atmosphere & going again in August....but what is the mole poblano??

 

[nytimez]

One of our favorites b/c of the atmosphere & going again in August....but what is the mole poblano??

It's chicken in mole sauce. Mole sauce is basically cocoa and chili peppers with a bunch of other spices. It does not taste like chocolate... but I can't think of a way to describe it, other than awesome.

They also have a mole sauce dish at La Hacienda, I believe it's a pork dish and it's not really as good.

 

[Cafeen]

Do you guys think crowd size and time of year affects the quality of dining? I noticed when we went to San Angel Inn last December, the food was awesome. Portions were very filling, service was great, tables weren't uncomfortably close. However, earlier that year in the summer I was asked to tag along with family on their trip and we'd also gone to San Angel Inn on that trip. I remember the tables being nearly on top of eachother, the service felt rushed and the portions were significantly smaller.

I was just thinking maybe the surge in population of the parks leads to them cutting back on the portions and trying to add seats to the restaraunt?

(Disclaimer, I am theorizing here ).

It's a possibility, and in more ways than one.

When they know it's a low season, the servers schedules are lighter, so they can free up floor space for tables (since, if you only have enough servers to cover 80% of the tables, 20% is going to sit empty even if you have no room available). This would spread the remaining tables out just a bit.

Secondly, with fewer guests, the kitchen is not quite as crazy (restaurant kitchens are usually pretty crazy, even if no one is in the restaurant ), this leads to slightly higher quality food as they can give each dish more attention (note: "can" doesn't mean "will").

Lastly, with a lighter season, it's not as mobbed and the servers are in better moods. While their table count may be roughly the same, the attitudes of themselves and their guests are likely less stressed, making service overall be a bit better.

Of course, rereading your post, I went the opposite way that you did (taking peak as the norm instead of the exception, likely it's actually somewhere in between), but the possibilities still hold. Of course, if it's true or not, I have no idea , but it's a fun exercise to think about.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

This is the second time I have seen reports of a restaurant cracking down on persons over 9 years old ordering from the children's menu. Not sure if it signals a coming trend.

If you are not on a dining plan, free dining, or buffet, they can refuse someone wanting to order a kids meal?

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

If you are not on a dining plan, free dining, or buffet, they can refuse someone wanting to order a kids meal?

I would think definitely that they can refuse. The kids meals are specially priced as a help to parents, and typically, whenever a restaurant sells a kids meal, it is hopefully selling adult entree(s) to the parents as well.

If the restaurant allowed adults to purchase kids meals, then they would be taking a loss.

I do wish Disney considered ages 12 and under as kids. That would open up three more years for young ones to mature, before being pushed into the adult menu. But Disney doesn't do that, so it is what it is.

I would imagine a Disney restaurant would be more likely to allow an adult to order from the kids menu if he or she was on the dining plan, rather than paying OOP, because the restaurant could ring it up (the children's meal) as an adult meal. But many of the restaurants probably do not do that either. It seems like I have read of some exceptions here on the Disboards, but Disney restaurants seem to do these sorts of things on a case by case basis and there does not seem to be a policy that allows it.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I would think definitely that they can refuse. The kids meals are specially priced as a help to parents, and typically, whenever a restaurant sells a kids meal, it is hopefully selling adult entree(s) to the parents as well.

If the restaurant allowed adults to purchase kids meals, then they would be taking a loss.

I can understand it regarding adults, but honestly if a 10, 12, 13 year old picky/light eater wants a kids meal and it's paid out of pocket, I think DIsney should alllow it and probably will.

I've never had this problem, my son has always eaten what I've eaten!

 

[kidd_freeper]

I can understand it regarding adults, but honestly if a 10, 12, 13 year old picky/light eater wants a kids meal and it's paid out of pocket, I think DIsney should alllow it and probably will.

I've never had this problem, my son has always eaten what I've eaten!

My kids were allowed to order off the kids menu...
we just had to pay twice the listed kids menu price to get twice the portion (which was too much)

 

[MisWal]

In hindsight, could you have ordered one adult sized kids meal and split between the two? There's no rule against sharing plates, it would have been less expensive and a lot less wasted food. Something for others to consider if they run into the same situation you did.