Happens Rare -- But disappointed tonight -- at R&C

[Luv2Roam]

Tonight was our first meal at Rose & CRown. Don't know why we never tried it.
The food was good. No complaints there. The remainder fell very short.
This is not so much a vent as it is a lesson I hope to pass on to others. It was not THAT big of a deal to us, as we can try it again some other time. But anyone vacationing here would have been upset much more, I suspect.

Just as any guest, I made PS' for tonight almost two months ago. I wanted to time it so we could watch Illuminations around our meal. (DH LOVES Illuminations.) All of what I thought were good time frames were taken until tonight.

I booked for 8 p.m. (First mistake)

We arrived at Epcot around 7:15, and killed time here and there, knowing we were early.
Epcot was not busy at all, from what little we saw. It reminded me of a typical Sunday evening. (Which is unusual for a SATURDAY evening.)

I should have seen the bad will omen. DH pointed out there was a dead heron (large bird) laying on top of the water midway over the bridge leading into WS. Thanks dear. Nice to catch a glimpse of that right before a MEAL!

We checked in at 7:45, and not in any hurry. I explained we were hoping for seats for Illuminations.

We waited, and waited. Still not upset by any means. At 8:20 I wa wondering though. I inquired and was told our assignor was looking for a table for us now.

At 8:30 it was not crowded by us at all. I mentioned to DH that we could just watch Illuminations from where we were and eat at Bob Evans afterwards. We were discussing that when we were beeped to be seated.

The usual chit chat as we are being led to a table, in the corner. I mentioned that we would not be able to see Illuminations from there.
Oh not to worry.... We will order our food, our server will bring our drinks, show us to the VIP viewing area when Illuminations begins, and then bring our food to us when Illuminations is over.
Sounded good to us!

A few minutes later our server arrives. She knows we want to see Illuminations. (As does most everyone there I suspect. Hence their popularity.)

After chit chat we order. (Me - Fish and Chips. DH - a variety of meat type pies.) Ice teas to drink.

I always get out my DDE card right away, so I won't forget it, and the server knows we have it before they ring up the bill.
She mentioned that the DDE card was not good that day. ??? She explained it was due to the holiday, being a black out day.
I mentioned I thought that odd as we had even used the DDE card on Christmas Day and yesterday, NYE Day at Kona Cafe AND LTT in MK. (Now if it would have black out days anywhere and anytime -- you would think it would be Christmas Day OR NYE Day in MK.)
We figured Oh well. I told DH I would check on it later and if she was incorrect I would just ask for my 20% discount from Guest Services. We just both thought it odd.

We get our ice teas and some bread right away. The bread was not warm, but is was very fresh. And the room was very cozy. I had a good feeling about this.

6 minutes before Illuminations begins -- our hot food is brought out.
We ate what we could much faster than we like as we wanted hot food AND to watch Illuminations.
Illuminations begins. We go to what we assume (correctly) is the "VIP area".
Yeah -- VIP treatment if it is YOU sitting out there already.
There looked to be very little space for standing intruders, like ourselves.
I finally sat on the stairs, behind a guy standing. People standing on the other side of these narrow, dark, stone steps.
We had tried standing on the top level, but could not see anything, except the activity directly on the water. So half of the show would be missed -- and the better half, IOHO.
After a few minutes we were all ordered off the steps. (Which I do not blame them for that. They don't look safe except for good lighting.)
No where to go, so back we went in for at least a still hot meal.

Then our server arrives and asks if we would like to have our food kept warm in the kitchen. We shrugged and said yes and for some foolish reason thought we would try to see Illuminations still.

I again gave up and went inside. DH followed in too soon afterwards I sat hoping the server would return. Illuminations was even over and we were still food waiting... Not long, but long enough that we were wondering....

Then the server also mentions she was incorrect on the discount. She had AP discount mixed up with the DDE card and we were allowed the 20% discount.

She asked how was Illuminations. DH lied and said Fine. I told the truth.
Finished our meal. I was wanting more ice tea, but was never offered or brought more. By the time we saw her again DH had decided against dessert too as the process was starting to take longer and make us wonder.

To our surprise she gave us the ticket and stated yet a different story about the DDE 20%. Seems we should not have it after all, but since Illuminations was a disappointment, we got it anyway.
We have eaten at WDW probably for every major holiday and this was the first I have heard of blackout dates for the 20% discount.
She maybe right -- but it would be a first I have ever been told this. I will have to look into it just to satisfy my passing interest.

Lesson learned for us -- and anyone else.

IF Illuminations is your reason to eat at Rose & Crown -- INSIST on eating outside. Or forget it and eat elsewhere as long as a PS is not necessary.

I would also make PS' for 7:00 - 7:30, make sure you sit outside and just camp out there. Which is what I am sure happened tonight.

Food = A
Everything else, well sorry.... Failed. Which does not happen often at any WDW restaurant for us.
R&C is just not set up well to have hardly any guests from inside to go outside for good viewing.
And don't believe what you are told. Sure food AFTER Illuminations... right.....

Sorry for the long post. I hope it helped someone.

 

[kathmzh]

I appreciate your posting about your experience. I think, with so many good spots to view Illuminations readily available, we will eat earlier, without worrying about trying to time it correctly. Plus, I don't like having to "camp out" at a table.
I hope you get your discount information straightened out! It sounds like the staff was clueless.

 

[Luv2Roam]

And to give the server credit. She mentioned she had worked 14 hours New Years Eve Day. I don't know what she had worked New Years Day. And I am sure she had her fill of crabby, unhappy people. (Judging by what I witnessed in MK Friday.)
I was not going to be angry. It certainly was not worth it. This was just a lesson learned.
Had this been a special occasion, or a vacation I would have been more upset. I remember how important small details are, and how tiring a WDW vacation is.
I told DH last night I would have enjoyed the evening more had we just brought home a pizza and watched a movie. I can't say I have ever said that about any WDW meal or visit.
It was not a horrible experience. But I would not want a repeat either.

 

[Chuck S]

I wouldn't book any WDW restaurant with the intent of being able to view fireworks or special events. Chances are LOTS of other people have the same idea. Depending on the breeze, I have seen the sulphurous smoke from Illumination gently drift right into the R & C area, doesn't sound appetizing.

While R & C isn't one of our favorite spots, we do eat there occasionally for something different, and the food has always been tasty...just typically "heavy". I couldn't imagine trying to enjoy a meal if those smoke fumes drifted into the outdoor dining area. IMO, it is best to keep dining and fireworks shows separate points on the itinerary.

 

[crisi]

I agree with you Chuck, particularly R&C.

We like "fireworks" dining at Narcoosees - but we have a reservation such that we are on the patio to see it between entree and dessert or after dessert....we'd rather hang around to see fireworks from the GF beach than leave a $30 steak on the table getting cold! And I know others do the same for California Grill. But R&C has half its seating inside the restaurant, and all the people wanting to dine want a good patio seat for Illuminations. This makes the place a nightmare of late seating as people take two hours to eat dinner, a nightmare as the chef and waitstaff try (and I think they do try) to time meals, and, when the wind is blowing the wrong direction, a smoke & soot filled meal. I'm not sure patio seating is any better, as I don't like eating with people standing over me trying to watch fireworks - it really doesn't sound any more pleasant on the patio.

 

[Cinderelli]

We had a similar experience with our DDE discount at Narcoosee's a couple of years ago. It was in May and our waitress was unfamiliar with the discount. The manager on duty was an intern and was also unfamiliar. We were given a 10% discount on food only, instead of the 20% on everything. The Manager eventually called us and promised to rectify the situation but after numerous follow-up calls to him we gave up.

It's a shame that you had to deal with several different problems all during one meal. I hope your next dinner will turn out much more pleasantly.

Lissa

 

[MarkLem]

We had an awful experience last NYE at Rose & Crown. Granted that is one busy night everywhere. We had a PS for 8:00 (Illuminations were at 9 I believe, if not , our PS was for an hour before start of Ill.) I arrived 1/2 hour before PS to check in. Huge line of people checking in, took 1/2 hour just to get to the podium, which was mass pandemoniium. They didn't even have a beeper to give me (had overbooked so bad they had run out). Actually asked me to get back in line again!! Well, I did as we had no other option that night for eating. Another 1/2 hour goes by till I get to the podium, and this time I get a beeper. Illuminations came and went and we still had no table. I had kids ages 8, 6, 2 1/2, we finally got beeped for a table. an n hour after Ill ended, 2 hours after our PS. We were by far not the only ones this happened to. I would say there were at least 15-20 groups in our situation, some ready to literally tear the place apart if they didn't get sat.

People who had earlier PS's just sat at the tables. But come on, they had to know that was going to happen, so take all those PS's for that time slot.

I learned several lessons about sit-down dining, especially on crowded evenings. Also R&C will never get any of my business again due to their total ineptness and mismanagement. I was in the restaurant business for 5 years so I know how it can be when you get slammed, but this was utterly ridiculous.

 

[vicb]

We also had a R&C disappointment but not related to Illum. We had decided to eat prior to Illum and watch from around the WS. It was very cold and windy the night we were there last Feb. We requested an indoor seat and were taken to an outdoor seat right by the swinging server's door. I asked very politely if we could be moved indoors and was told "no" by the host. I said we would go back out front and wait until an indoor table was available. Again he said "no". I told him we were not comfortabel sitting at the outdoor table right under one of those heaters and with that swinging door, just as I said that a server came out with a full tray of food and slammed the door into the chair my DD had sat down in. Well that solved that and we were immediatedly taken inside to a nice table. I don't understand why they put people thru that crap if they have tables that were requested??
Anyway we went on to have a lovely dinner with a nice server but probably won't hurry back there.