Do you find reviews useful?

[ntsammy5]

I've just been on DIS for about a month, but have been to WDW a lot and eaten at most if not all of the restaurants that have been reviewed. I find reviews interesting, but not always reflective of the experience I had. Some are more critical, some less. Of course everyone has an opinion, and no group of people will EVER agree on anything, but my advice is that if you want to eat at a restaurant and find only bad reviews, try it anyway. Your experience will probably not be the same as those people who didn't like it! ENJOY.

BTW one of the restaurants I haven't eaten at is le Cellier and I'm eating there, for free, in September. I'm really looking forward to it!

 

[sandys]

The reviews are fun to read-I especially like the photo thread. I take everything with a grain of salt! I look forward to forming my own impressions in October. I haven't changed any of my ADR's from things I've read.
Sandy

 

[llqool]

you are right, and reviews are always subjective. in fact, there is a particular reviewer in a FL newspaper that my mom gets and I disagree w/this person's tastes so much that if he likes a place, it is a flag to me that i will *hate* it! So if i am reading a DIS reviewer's thread, and he or she likes the same places i like, then i generally will think that they have the same tastes as i do (and vice versa)!

but subjectivity aside, i like to read reviews b/c I find out what people ate (the menus online are not always accurate) and what they were able to get on the DDP. i also find out about atmosphere, view, etc. Until i read a bunch of reviews, i had never wanted to try CG, for example.

and i get to vicariously sample fine dining without the weight gain!

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

Useful? Hmmm, not sure. My family had our list of must-eat places two years ago, so reviews weren't going to make a difference, I guess. At the same time, I've been keeping a close eye on WCC reviews because we did not care for it in 2002 and are going to try it again, so I wanted to be as informed as possible to avoid another disappointment. It seems that the most useful reviews are the ones that answer specific questions people have - I've learned a lot that way.

I love to read the reviews because I love food, love talking about food, so this forum is quite addictive. That and the fact that it's food at WDW - reading the reviews can almost put me back there for a little while.

In my experience then, the review are far more entertaining than useful - which does not diminish their value at all!

 

[bluejasmine]

My family always seems to enjoy the restaurants that are given the bad reviews but I LOVE reading these reviews... I especially love the pics..

 

[Viki]

I love reading the reviews - especially when accompanied by photos - and they do influence me to the extent of making me think about restaurants we haven't visited, which is getting to be fewer and fewer!

For example, after reading a few this evening, I just said to DP that we'll have to try Kona Cafe some day.

 

[jarestel]

I appreciate the folks who take the time to share their views on WDW restaurants with the rest of us. I can't say it changes the way we make ADRs, but it can be useful to read about the "issues" a certain establishment may be having prior to my trip. Fore-warned is fore-armed!

 

[Disney owl]

As someone who's only visited a couple of times, I find them very useful.


I appriciate people taking time to write them & share their experiences.

 

[jpolak]

I do not know if they are as useful as they are fun to read. I have found reviews for the same place on the same day that were complete opposites . I would not rely on them totally as my basis for making ADRs. Instead we check out the menus on try to use that instead. Doesn't everyone know what they want to order for dinner 180 days from now?

 

[dclwdwlover]

I definitely find them useful. Of course, in every review you will see responses that agree & responses that completely disagree. That doesn't make me not want to try someplace, it actually works in reverse. I take into consideration everyone's comments regarding service, taste of the food, best dishes, etc. & it helps in my planning. I have found some really great new places because of the reviews given. I

If someone's opinions of a variety of restaurants appear to mirror mine, then I am more apt to try some of the other places that they have mentioned that they enjoyed. On the contrary, if they dislike certain places, although I probably will try that restaurant at some point, I may shy away from it for a special occasion.

 

[aubriee]

I too appreciate the people that take the time to share their experiences, and especially their food pictures. People's taste varies, but if everyone is having bad/rude service or the food is reported to be cold/lukewarm by several posters then yes I may avoid that restaraunt. I also like hearing about the atmosphere and what is allowed on the DDP.

 

[BrerMama]

I don't know if I find them useful -- I have a good grasp for what my family will/won't eat and already know that we'll do mostly buffets next trip because they work for us. But I definitely find them entertaining. I love to live vicariously though the reviewer and imagine trying some more exciting food.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I do! I never would have tried School Bread or Tangerine Cafe if not for these reviews

 

[MissMagnolia]

I do enjoy the reviews. I especially like it when they include photos.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Yep, I love the reviews and they are very helpful. I also like it when they add pics..

 

[Stacerita]

I do find them useful. Do I base everything on the reviews I read? No, but they sure do help me steer the right direction. We have some faves that aren't main stream. But we find it helpful to hear other's opinions of places.

 

[tndisneyfan]

I love the reviews and have found them helpful. I think the most important thing is not to make a decision on a restaraunt based on one or two reviews. When I was planning our ADR's for our last trip, I looked at alot of reviews and looked for trends. If a restaruant had way more bad reviews than good ones, I would mark it off the list.

I also just love reading different opinions on places I've ate.

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

I agree with TNDisneyfan - I look for trends in the reviews to see if something is worth trying or not. We had considered Alfredo's in Epcot but I was reading reviews on another Disney site and of all the restaurants in Epcot (including counter service), Alfredo's had the worst review, not only for food but also that it was loud and crowded which wouldn't sit well with our son. I think you also need to take others opinions with a grain of salt and try to read between the lines.

 

[cdtommie]

I find them useful if I think the reviewer's food/drink choices are aligned with my dining preferences.

 

[MScott1851]

Sometimes they are more helpful than others. Some reviews are: "Me and my mother ate at XYZ on June 16. We loved it, it's a must-do for us now!" and that's it. Not so helpful.

I like the more detailed ones with pictures. Disney makes their food descriptions on the menus so freaking hard to imagine, that what I order is almost NEVER what I expect. They can take a chicken breast with a mushroom sauce and turn it into a thirty line menu description.