Dress Code during 1/3-8 - what a joke!

[MamaQuack]

ds14 and I ate nothing but table service meals during our visit - with each ADR I was told about the "dress code" which we did observe - however . . . . let me just say in no restaurant did we see it enforced or greatly observed. We saw jean shorts and t-shirts at CaGrille; sweatsuits at Flying Fish; flip flops and shorts at Bistro de Paris and ALL of the above at the YSH. We always do table service meals and have been advised of the "dress codes" in the past and we try to oblige but this trip was a real shocker for us!!

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

You are correct. However, the dress codes are a suggestion, not a requirement. Disney tries to get people to dress for their finer restaurants but you will always find exceptions, particularly in the summer.

I think the only thing they are trying to accomplish is to keep swimsuits out of the better restaurants.

Bob

 

[curiouser]

I agree.. we were at Yatchsman on 1/1 and I was surprised how many youths they let in old ratty torn jeans. Now, I'm all for torn jeans, but not to a nice restaurant. The one kid walked in looking like he'd just been a part of a bad skateboarding accident!

 

[ducklite]

We dined at Citrico's last Saturday around 7:00, and I was pleased to see that while there were a few people in nice jeans with either nice sweaters or even sports coats over them, almost everyone was in slacks and collared shirts and appropriate similar dress for the ladies. It really adds to the ambience to the restaurant.

Citrico's tends to draw a different crowd than the people who want a place to watch fireworks or grub it with stab and slab like some of the other restaurants mentioned. Perhaps that's why it's our favorite WDW restaurant.

We had a perfect meal with perfect service (kudo's to Gwen!). The only thing that marred it was the parents of the squirmy fussy 14 month or so old who weren't smart enough to realize their children had had enough for the day and leave. Instead they let their cranky child cry and fuss for a good twenty minutes while they got their act together. Total lack of class and consideration.

Anne

 

[Philly81]

Citrico's tends to draw a different crowd than the people who want a place to watch fireworks or grub it with stab and slab like some of the other restaurants mentioned. Perhaps that's why it's our favorite WDW restaurant

Anne

Just curious, what restaurant did the OP mention that you consider grubbin' it with stab and slab? I'm not being sarcastic or argumentative - honestly (I know how posts can sound that way sometimes), but I have AR's at a couple of those places.

 

[ducklite]

Just curious, what restaurant did the OP mention that you consider grubbin' it with stab and slab? I'm not being sarcastic or argumentative - honestly (I know how posts can sound that way sometimes), but I have AR's at a couple of those places.

I feel that for everyone who wants a nice higher end meal at the YSH, there is another person who's been slogging around Epcot in their sweat stained wife beater and cut offs, beer in hand who suddenly has the urge for a steak and heads to the YSH.

I don't know why, but the CG and YSH seem to draw the most diverse crowds, everything from ladies in their little black dress accompanied by jacket and tie clad dates celebrating a special event, to families with maw in her bright purple bike shorts on her ample derriere, paw in his sweat stained tank and cut offs, and the four yungins in their chocolate ice cream stained play clothes and flip flops throwing bread at each other across the table. (And unfortunately I saw that family at the YSH once, and it wasn't pretty.)

Of all the "Signature" restaurants at WDW, only at those two have I seen people playing cards at a window seat for over an hour after they were done eating, ordering coffee and nothing else, and holding a table for over an hour in the middle of dinner rush, and so many other really obnoxious behaviours. I can figure that the ability to view WISHES from the CG brings in a crowd who normally would rather be attacked by rabid wildebeasts than spend that type of cash on a meal. I just don't know what the draw is for the YSH.

Anne

 

[d4est]

When I made my ADR's (no signature restaurants) nothing was ever mentioned about dress codes (suggested or otherwise).

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

there is no real dress code cause disney knows your on vacation. i've been on the cruise ship and it wasn't really enforced there either. just remember your at disneyworld not a 5 star resturant. relax and enjoy.

 

[Philly81]

Thanks for your candid response Ducklite. We've never encountered that at YSH in the past but I guess that we've just been lucky. Now I'm reconsidering since it's going to be my birthday dinner and I know our whole party will like a good meat and potatoes meal. I'd go to Shula's in a heartbeat, but I'm not sure our friends will go for it. It may not BE more expensive than YSH but the menu gives that impression IMO and even though my friends make plenty of money I've found they are a little tight on the food budget at WDW.

 

[bicker]

Disney relies on the integrity of its guests to comply with many of its policies (including this new dress code), rather than on heavy-handed enforcement. As time goes on, I believe more and more guests will comply with the dress code.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Oh well----
I'd read on the board that a few months after inauguration of the business casual code at Signature restaurants, Disney would start getting tough.

 

[ducklite]

Thanks for your candid response Ducklite. We've never encountered that at YSH in the past but I guess that we've just been lucky. Now I'm reconsidering since it's going to be my birthday dinner and I know our whole party will like a good meat and potatoes meal. I'd go to Shula's in a heartbeat, but I'm not sure our friends will go for it. It may not BE more expensive than YSH but the menu gives that impression IMO and even though my friends make plenty of money I've found they are a little tight on the food budget at WDW.

We've dined at both, and unfortunately Shula's will cost more than the YSH. The food was very good, but the atmosphere was a bit too testosterone laden for us. How about Jiko? Or Citrico's, which when we dined there a few nights ago offered pork, lamb, NY strip, a couple pasta entrees, and a couple seafood entrees.

Anne

 

[bicker]

Shula's will cost more than the YSH. The food was very good, but the atmosphere was a bit too testosterone laden for us.

Just a little, eh?!?!? Gosh, I was wondering where the stuffed buffalo heads were.

 

[ashresiren]

Here's a question that I am asking in all seriousness, so please don't be too offended by it. I guess I'm just wondering why anyone, Disney or otherwise, cares what patrons choose to wear to a restaurant while on vacation. If indeed these are just suggestions, then that is one issue. However, if it is, as one poster suggested, a case of lax enforcement, I can't help but wonder what the big deal is. My husband HATES to wear anything, but tshirts and jeans--especially on vacation. So I guess my question is, why should he have a less enjoyable time on his vacation to please others? I mean, why do people rely so much on the conduct of others to make or break their vacation? It seems to me that as long as someone is clean and not exposing too much, they should be allowed to do what they want to do on vacation. After all, this is still a theme park!

 

[bicker]

It's a fair question, ashresiren.

Dress codes help establish a certain minimum atmosphere for a restaurant, an atmosphere than many diners prefer over the alternative. Generally, clientele that prefer such dress codes tend to also prefer things like "wine flights", excess appetizers (so everyone can try anything on the menu), and other high-margin menu choices, so there is a profit impact for the restaurant. Furthermore, since Disney also offers restaurants without a more formal dress code, by offering a small set of restaurants with a more formal dress code they can potentially expand their market, since there will be at least some choices for each group of diners.

There is a balance, though, between how much more of the high-margin traffic the restaurant can attract versus how much normal traffic the restaurant would lose. That's why the dress code is limited to a certain, small set of restaurants.

If you really want the full picture of the nature of dress codes, surf over to Cruise Critic, and check out their dress code threads. They get extremely long, passionate, and detailed about the differences between dining with and without dress codes.

 

[DisneyMomOfThree]

There is a lot they don't enforce. The dress code and the smoking only in designated areas for example. Good luck on getting people to do either. You can dress jeans up however even with a t-shirt. A crisp white t-shirt with a sports coat or under a dress shirt untucked can look good.

 

[Bob NC]

Ya know, most people just up and go to Disney. They don't slog endlessly thru message boards or make the internet their life while planning a visit to a theme park.

Lets think about what "theme park" dress is. It's shorts and T-shirts, right? Well, isn't it? Folks that don't make the DIS their life don't know that this particular theme park has areas with different dress codes than ANY theme park they've ever been to in their life.

If someone shows up at a theme park in appropriate "theme park" apparel, should they be turned away from the list of dining spots that requires different dress? I think not.

Look, no matter what anyone thinks, these restaurants are by no means "fine dining" in the traditional sense of the word, (V & A excluded). They are the upper end of Disney Theme Park Dining.

Oh, and by the way, when I'm eating at any of these restaurants, I don't care or notice what anyone else is wearing. I haven't been in a situation yet at a Disney restaurant where I found a strangers clothes choices more interesting than the company I'm with.

 

[vatmark]

We ate at Artist Point back in Nov. My husband and son wore khaki shorts with a polo type shirt and sneakers. My daughter wore a skort/shirt and sandals and I wore khaki shorts, a short sleeve sweater and sandals. I thought this was fine. There was no way we were going to drag along dress pants and shoes. There were people who came in that were in tee shirts and shorts and it really didn't bother me in the least. It's vacation. As long as they act appropriately in the resturant who cares if they are wearing a tee shirt?

Annie

 

[gingermommy94]

Ya know, most people just up and go to Disney. They don't slog endlessly thru message boards or make the internet their life while planning a visit to a theme park.

Lets think about what "theme park" dress is. It's shorts and T-shirts, right? Well, isn't it? Folks that don't make the DIS their life don't know that this particular theme park has areas with different dress codes than ANY theme park they've ever been to in their life.

If someone shows up at a theme park in appropriate "theme park" apparel, should they be turned away from the list of dining spots that requires different dress? I think not.

Look, no matter what anyone thinks, these restaurants are by no means "fine dining" in the traditional sense of the word, (V & A excluded). They are the upper end of Disney Theme Park Dining.

Oh, and by the way, when I'm eating at any of these restaurants, I don't care or notice what anyone else is wearing. I haven't been in a situation yet at a Disney restaurant where I found a strangers clothes choices more interesting than the company I'm with.

AMEN! I couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[ducklite]

Here's a question that I am asking in all seriousness, so please don't be too offended by it. I guess I'm just wondering why anyone, Disney or otherwise, cares what patrons choose to wear to a restaurant while on vacation. If indeed these are just suggestions, then that is one issue. However, if it is, as one poster suggested, a case of lax enforcement, I can't help but wonder what the big deal is. My husband HATES to wear anything, but tshirts and jeans--especially on vacation. So I guess my question is, why should he have a less enjoyable time on his vacation to please others? I mean, why do people rely so much on the conduct of others to make or break their vacation? It seems to me that as long as someone is clean and not exposing too much, they should be allowed to do what they want to do on vacation. After all, this is still a theme park!

Keep in mind that a fair number of diners at the Signature restaurants each evening are people attending conferences and locals looking to celebrate a special occasion or just a good meal. Some people ont hese boards tell you that Walt built WDW for kids. Thats NOT the case. He built it as a place that everyone could enjoy. Part of the enjoyment of a nice meal is the ambience of the restaurant. Having someone in a sweat stained t-shirt and cut offs at the table next to you definitely affects the ambiance. Disney isn't asking for suits and ties.

Is it really that difficult for your husband to wear chino's and a polo shirt? No tie, no jacket, and frankly the fit and feel of those two different types of outfits is identical, so I just don't see what the problem is...

Anne