Garden Grove at the Swan-TERRIBLE

[bayknox]

Hi everyone,
Just got back froma magical wonderful stay at BCV. While we were there we made ADR at the Garden Grove restaurant at the SWan for their character dinner. We decided to try it as we get a DVC discount. They were supposed to have a BBQ type buffet which really interested our entire party of 7.
We walk over to the Swan only to find out they have changed the menu to an Asian buffet which no one in our party is interested in at all.
We were all starving as we pretty much ate snacks all day because we were anticpating a large dinner.
My husband complained to the manager who really did not seem to care at all. We left without eating. The only character who were there was a very sad-looking generic Goofy and Pluto-maybe the rejects from the real Disney restaurants.
We went back to the concerige desk at BCV and they were able to get us a 750 ADR at Biergarten at Germany in Epcot.
This meal was so DELICIOUS I cannont say enough about it. I would highly recommend this meal to anyone. Everything was fresh and tasted wonderful. Our server was great as well. We will definitely go back here many times!!!!
By the way-the Swan was not very clean in the lobby or hallways as we were walking around-stained carpets and furniture. Garbage on the floor!
Disney should be ashamed to have their name on these hotels!!!

 

[DaisyD]

Wow! I don't know about the restaurant as we didn't try it. We did stay at the Swan in June though and was impressed with the hotel. The lobby was spotless, new looking, clean, and beautiful. The furniture, which we sat in was not stained at all. It all looked new! No garbage anywhere to be seen. I can't imagine it looking the way you describe it. It is an elegant resort and shows it to be a Westin through and through. Perhaps your view was clouded from the fact that the menu was changed and yo were hungry. Our favorite hotel is the Polynesian but must admit the Swan does a much better job at everything compared to the Poly or Disney.

 

[familyS]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Pirate Me]

Sorry about your bad experience. We came here for breakfast once and loved the character interaction.

 

[bayknox]

Maybe it was a bad time for the Swan-I'm not sure. We were very hungry and disappointed at the time. But I will say after staying at the BCV which were spotless and had the most awesome customer service-the Swan was a big disappointment. There was nothing magical about it for us! The restaurant was empty at 6:30- so that does not say much for it. There was one family dining in there.
Maybe the housekeeping crew was on strike the day we were there or something.

 

[mrzrich]

Maybe it was a bad time for the Swan-I'm not sure. We were very hungry and disappointed at the time. But I will say after staying at the BCV which were spotless and had the most awesome customer service-the Swan was a big disappointment. There was nothing magical about it for us! The restaurant was empty at 6:30- so that does not say much for it. There was one family dining in there.
Maybe the housekeeping crew was on strike the day we were there or something.

Hmmm...I really think it is misleading of you to title a the thread as if the restaurant was terrible when you didn't even eat the food.

I stayed at the Swan in June and the lobby and all other areas were spotless. The place was just refurbished.

As for the restaurants at the S/D being empty I think it has more to do with the DDP than the quality of the food. I at at some great eateries at the S/D such as Blue Zoo, the Fountain and Fresh. All were empty. It was a shame that mediocre Disney owned places are turning people away when some really nice places go unnoticed.

I didn't have a chance to eat at GG on my trip in June, but I did walk by on my way to the pool. The Goofy and Pluto costumes were authentic, they just were not in any "special outfits" Pluto wore his collar and Goofy his orange shirt and vest with his big Goofy hat. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[perla75]

Hi everyone,
Just got back froma magical wonderful stay at BCV. While we were there we made ADR at the Garden Grove restaurant at the SWan for their character dinner. We decided to try it as we get a DVC discount. They were supposed to have a BBQ type buffet which really interested our entire party of 7.
We walk over to the Swan only to find out they have changed the menu to an Asian buffet which no one in our party is interested in at all.
We were all starving as we pretty much ate snacks all day because we were anticpating a large dinner.
My husband complained to the manager who really did not seem to care at all. We left without eating. The only character who were there was a very sad-looking generic Goofy and Pluto-maybe the rejects from the real Disney restaurants.
We went back to the concerige desk at BCV and they were able to get us a 750 ADR at Biergarten at Germany in Epcot.
This meal was so DELICIOUS I cannont say enough about it. I would highly recommend this meal to anyone. Everything was fresh and tasted wonderful. Our server was great as well. We will definitely go back here many times!!!!
By the way-the Swan was not very clean in the lobby or hallways as we were walking around-stained carpets and furniture. Garbage on the floor!
Disney should be ashamed to have their name on these hotels!!!

That would really disappoint me to expect one type of menu (BBQ) & get there to find out it's another (Asian). I am not a big fan of Asian food and would likely not find much to eat there either.

Love the Biergarten!! We had a great experience last time we were there!

 

[mrzrich]

My other question is this:

What would you have liked them to do. As we know restaurants often change their menus, I understand that the buffet did not have the BBQ you were expecting, but what did you want the staff to do about it?

When Le Cellier took the Maple Filet off the menu people were upset, too. The staff shrugged their shoulders and said "yeah, menus change"

 

[perla75]

My other question is this:

What would you have liked them to do. As we know restaurants often change their menus, I understand that the buffet did not have the BBQ you were expecting, but what did you want the staff to do about it?

When Le Cellier took the Maple Filet off the menu people were upset, too. The staff shrugged their shoulders and said "yeah, menus change"

If I were the PP, I would have just canceled my ADR or left as soon as I saw the menu change-changing from a BBQ buffet to an Asian buffet is way more drastic than a simple one item change from a menu. Your right, staff can't do much about it-only thing you can do at that point is just leave & spend your $$ elsewhere.

 

[mrzrich]

If I were the PP, I would have just canceled my ADR or left as soon as I saw the menu change-changing from a BBQ buffet to an Asian buffet is way more drastic than a simple one item change from a menu. Your right, staff can't do much about it-only thing you can do at that point is just leave & spend your $$ elsewhere.

I agree.
I guess my point is that if it were me rather than coming here and typing GARDEN GROVE TERRIBLE...

I would have typed BIERGARTEN WONDERFUL!!!!

Especially since I didn't actually eat the food or spend time with the characters at the GG.

 

[Robert P]

Gotta gree with you mrzrich. I read the title, and went to the thread b/c we are interested in opinions on the food at GG (possible upcoming visit). Since the OP didn't eat there, the OP may have been TERRIBLY disappointed in the menu change, but the thread title implies an opinion or review of the food at GG, which wasn't sampled by the OP. Complimenting the Biergarten would have been more accurate for the title.

 

[bumbershoot]

You should let wdwinfo know and maybe even allears. Would be helpful to future guests!

Then again, from the April '08 allears menu, it looks like the BBQ menu was only on two days of the week anyway, so that's not affecting everyone who eats there.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Bumbershoot - do you mean the buffet menu rotates on a regular/daily basis at the Garden Grove? If the OP had gone on a different night (one of the two you indicate in your research), they WOULD have experienced the BBQ buffet? Instead of showing up on a night when the buffet's theme was a different, but scheduled, cuisine?

 

[perla75]

I agree.
I guess my point is that if it were me rather than coming here and typing GARDEN GROVE TERRIBLE...

I would have typed BIERGARTEN WONDERFUL!!!!

Especially since I didn't actually eat the food or spend time with the characters at the GG.

Yes, I agree-it was a misleading thread title. "Terrible experience" might have been better.

Allears and WDWinfo should get an updated menu though. I am definately one who peruses the menus before I make an ADR because I'm a particular eater. The OP lucked out that the Biergarten was available-I wonder if they paid for their meals at GG or just walked out?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Allears and WDWinfo should get an updated menu though.

Good suggestion - but for the most part, these sites get the menus from US... from site users who visit the various restaurants and obtain (then send in) the menus, either by requesting one, or by taking clear/readable photographs of the menu or - at CS locations - the menu board...

I just checked the Garden Grove menu here on wdwinfo.com http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=206; Friday is Fisherman's Wharf, Wednesday and Sunday are Mediterranean, and Tuesday and Saturday are Southern Barbecue. Apparently either they're closed Monday, or Monday is "random" night. At any rate, this menu was posted some time in the last 16 days.

 

[Rafikifan]

Hmmm...I really think it is misleading of you to title a the thread as if the restaurant was terrible when you didn't even eat the food.

I agree. I DO understand the O.P.'s frustration but menus can change without notice. The buffet theme at Garden Grove does change depending what day it is. On their website it says that Mon. & Thurs. are bbq nights, Wed. Italian night, Fisherman's Wharf Fri. & Sun. etc. But it is dated 1/08 so they may have switched the schedule. As helpful as online menus are, I have found recently that they are often outdated. Not their fault but lots of menus are changing at WDW.

 

[bayknox]

Wow-sorry if I upset anyone with the title of the thread-I guess I should have put terrible experience. I did not look on allears for the menu for the GG.
It was on the Swan and Dolphin website so you would think this would be accurate!
We specifically picked Thursday nite as this was the nite that had the BBQ buffet on the menu. And to answer previous posters questions-no we did not walk out without paying. We never even sat down at a table-we went into the restaurant and looked at the food and it looked very disgusting.
We were paying OOP for all our meals-we were not on the dining plan.
Why do you think the restaurant was empty at 630 at nite if the food was so good?
The manager and the other people that worked there were not very friendly at all- at every Disney restaurant and hotel I have been at I have always had wonderful customer service so I guess I am spoiled.
Sorry for the negative opinions on Swan and GG-sorry to offend anyone. This was just our family's very disappointing experience!
Maybe it is not good to share negative experiences on these board as people seem to get upset by this-I will only share positive experiences from now on.

 

[mrzrich]

No, no, you aren't understanding what I am saying about the restaurant being empty. Because so many people buy the DDP, those places not on the DDP good or otherwise sit empty. I personally ate at Blue Zoo and Fresh while at the Dolphin both places were empty, and both places blow most Disney establishments out of the water when it comes to food quality.

Other establishments at DTD like Portabello Yacht club are also easy to find tables at, and again their food is great.

I totally understand that you were upset, and why, I just questioned what the employees could have done to make up to you the fact that the menu had changed.

I guess I was just disappointed because I clicked on your thread expecting to find a review of the food. We rarely hear about the restaurants at the S/D and after my positive experiences at Blue Zoo, Fresh and the Fountain, I was interested in hearing about the food at GG.

I too loved the Biergarten, and would have preferred to see your great dining experience there spotlighted rather than your non-dining experience elsewhere.

I mean truly you have no idea what the food quality was like at GG so to call it terrible is a bit unfair. I do know from walking by that the chefs cook behind a big glass window so you could see them cooking everything fresh.

 

[perla75]

And to answer previous posters questions-no we did not walk out without paying. We never even sat down at a table-we went into the restaurant and looked at the food and it looked very disgusting.

No, I just meant did you make it as far as trying the food & paying or did you leave right away? i certainly wasnt insinuating that you ate & then walked out without paying (just in case you thought that-my apologies!!) If I had been you, I would have left as soon as I saw the buffet food.

You should of course feel free to post negative experiences-they are just as helpful as people posting positive ones. I think, from the title, people were just expecting a negative review about the food, not the experience.

 

[NatalieMT]

I stayed at the Swan last year (the Swan is a lovely lovely hotel, we had a great stay so I disagree on that point) and we went to Garden Grove for breakfast and dinner. The breakfast was very nice good food, good service. But the dinner was terrible!

The food selection at dinner was very poor, especially with me being vegetarian it was even harder to find anything to eat. I asked someone to perhaps show me what was suitable and what was not, as nothing was really marked and I swear they made the biggest deal over it ever. Like it was such a chore. Every other restaurant was very accomodating, just not Garden Grove.

They brought a salad over to the table, I guess they were trying to be helpful, but it was vile. Everyone from our party tried it and agreed it wasn't nice, honestly the amount of salt was almost mouth burning. I'm not surprised the place was dead. I wouldn't go again, it wasn't worth the money!