Disney Dining - Menu changes during free dining?

[DVC Tina]

I feel like I remember there being some discussion on this board last year that in the past Disney may have changed what is available on their restuarants menu's during the free dining promo. Basically reducing the available options and removing some of the more expensive entrees (certain steaks / seafood / etc).

I really hope this is incorrect --> my family will be going during the free dining promotion but because we are using are DVC membership so we are paying in full for the dining plan.

In any case, does anyone know what's true regarding this?

 

[TDC Nala]

There has been some observations that some restaurants (not all) appear to remove a few of the more expensive menu items (again not all) for the length of the free dining period, after which some of the items reappear.

WDW changes restaurant menus quite often and there isn't a foolproof way to anticipate what's going to be on any restaurant menu at any given time.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

I am going this time frame also w/o the free dining plan. I have a 30% bounceback for DD and I, so it is a little cheaper since I do deluxe dining. I feel like I am not as happy with the food quality during free dining periods then no free dining time frames. it might be my imagination, but I really feel that way. I have also noticed that LeCelliar's menu changes.

 

[RMulieri]

It is possible that they do this, but some of the entrees that were in question were taken off before free dining last year and still aren't back. I will say that the food quality during free dining definitely is not as good as non free dining times, but I am not too shocked considering how many guests flood the restaurants during free dining.

 

[Mom of 2 Wife of 1]

Would anyone say the menus change during the Free Dining extensions for Visa and pin code recipients for October, November and December of 2008? It makes sense that they might scale back menus during the big FD of August-October, but what about those other weeks? We didn't go at that time last year, so I'm wondering if anyone who did go might know?

 

[landshark]

I am going this time frame also w/o the free dining plan. I have a 30% bounceback for DD and I, so it is a little cheaper since I do deluxe dining. I feel like I am not as happy with the food quality during free dining periods then no free dining time frames. it might be my imagination, but I really feel that way. I have also noticed that LeCelliar's menu changes.

Do remember the specific changes to Le Cellier's menu during FD periods?

 

[catne]

we were in Disney World in May 2007 (cash for meals), May 2008 (DDP, but not free dining), September (DDP with free dining) and January 2009 (Deluxe DDP but not free dining)

In 4 trips there was no difference in the food prep, service or anything else. We had good food & good service all four trips. Filets were removed from some menus last year, but that does not mean there are no beef steaks on the menus. We found high-end beef cuts like tenderloins and New York strip steaks remained on menus all over Disney world. (Just an FYI to those of you from non-cow areas - "tenderloin" is essentially the same cut of beef as a filet.)

As for what was different on Le Cellier's menu...they used to have a maple-glazed filet that was very popular. Now they have a mushroom filet. Still a filet...just different flavor on the sauce. They have also added the Chef's choice option for people who really want to get appetizer with their basic DDP.

 

[TooBoyz4us]

They have also added the Chef's choice option for people who really want to get appetizer with their basic DDP.

How does this work if the appetizer is not included on the basic DP?

 

[catne]

How does this work if the appetizer is not included on the basic DP?

The "chef's choice" is a designated three-some, for example Appetizer-cheese soup, entree-salmon, dessert-maple creme brulee. You can get it for either a set price (I think it was $36.99, but can't remember for sure) or you can get it for 1 TS credit on the DDP.

The catch is you cannot substitute anything on the Chef's choice...you have to take exactly what's on the listed menu for it. One of the reasons they're doing this is to keep people happy who really want the cheese soup...but another trade-off you're making is that you cannot get the most expensive entrees with the Chef's Choice (no mushroom filet on chef's choice!) or the most expensive dessert (the chocolate whiskey cake)

Found it on the menu...it's called Le Cellier Experience:Le Cellier Experience - Choose one from each category: Appetizers: Mixed Field Green Salad, Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, Spicy Chicken and Chipotle Sausage. Entrees: Pan-seared King Salmon, Herb-crusted Prime Rib, Porcini Mushroom, Ravioli, Mustard-basted All Natural Chicken. Desserts: Maple Creme Brulee, Canadian Chocolate Moose, Seasonal Sorbet. No substitutions. - $36.99

These are the less expensive entrees and the less expensive desserts. For ex, the ones that are not available on the "experience" are the mushroom filet which is $34.99 by itself, as is the NY Strip steak. The chocolate whiskey cake is $1 more than the creme brulee and $2 more than the sorbet.

 

[RMulieri]

Do remember the specific changes to Le Cellier's menu during FD periods?

They pulled the maple bbq filet before free dining last year, but that was a permanent pull it hasn't been back and the chef there says it won't be

 

[kaytieeldr]

As for what was different on Le Cellier's menu...they used to have a maple-glazed filet that was very popular. Now they have a mushroom filet. Still a filet...just different flavor on the sauce. They have also added the Chef's choice option for people who really want to get appetizer with their basic DDP.

Not applicable. Before the current Executive Chef moved to Le Cellier, there were - for a very long time - TWO filet options on the Le Cellier menu. BOTH the Mushroom Filet AND the Maple Barbecue Filet appeared on the menu, together, for ages - as far back as September 2006 (reports the woman who got the wrong one!).
The maple filet's removal had ZERO to do with Free Dining.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

we were in Disney World in May 2007 (cash for meals), May 2008 (DDP, but not free dining), September (DDP with free dining) and January 2009 (Deluxe DDP but not free dining)

In 4 trips there was no difference in the food prep, service or anything else. We had good food & good service all four trips. Filets were removed from some menus last year, but that does not mean there are no beef steaks on the menus. We found high-end beef cuts like tenderloins and New York strip steaks remained on menus all over Disney world. (Just an FYI to those of you from non-cow areas - "tenderloin" is essentially the same cut of beef as a filet.)

As for what was different on Le Cellier's menu...they used to have a maple-glazed filet that was very popular. Now they have a mushroom filet. Still a filet...just different flavor on the sauce. They have also added the Chef's choice option for people who really want to get appetizer with their basic DDP.

I agree, we've been to WDW many times and have had great food each time - before the dining plan, after the dining plan and during free dining.

 

[JerseyJanice]

We went to WDW last February and paid OOP for all our meals. We went back in August and had Free Dining.

I was worried that the food wouldn't be as good during FD, but it was actually better than it was in February. We had a couple of not-so-great meals in February, but loved every single meal we had in August.

 

[landshark]

They pulled the maple bbq filet before free dining last year, but that was a permanent pull it hasn't been back and the chef there says it won't be

Thanks for the info! ^^