Has the overall food quality diminished by a smidgen?

[Dana49]

We have visited WDW several times over the past 20+ years. Following our November visit, for the first time, I felt like the food quality had decreased a bit, not a lot, but a bit. I asked friends of ours, who went in December, what they thought, and they agreed. Please don't get me wrong, we did have some very good meals (Jiko, Flying Fish and Cape May's Character Breakfast), but the rest of our meals were just okay. Even the House of Blues was mediocre (I still can't believe that they took their red beans and rice off the menu).
Now I'm interested in hearing from you. What are your thoughts? Do you think that the food quality has diminished a little or did you notice no change at all? Thanks.

 

[hercamore]

DD and were saying duirng our Dec trip that the food quality wasn't quite as good as other vacations, and we noticed the prices had gone up since our trip a year ago.

Primetime 50's is an example. We always get the chicken plate and split it. Not quite as good as usual, and price was up a couple $$.

herc.

 

[Disney Ella]

You are not alone. The decline in food quality/choice has been discussed here several times. While I understand food is going to be more expensive at a resort, I would like to feel I get a little more value for what I am paying. I am thinking of going to off-site restaurants next time because many of the on-site restaurants have nothing special food at great food prices. I also don't like the way Disney has standardized the offerings at restaurants, leaving fewer unique items at each restaurant.

 

[OKW Lover]

I don't think I'd generalize on this. I expect some restaurants to be up and some to be down over time, I don't know if the overall experience is any worse (or better) than what it has been.

Yes, I know that the conventional wisdom here is the "free dining" has resulted in the diminishing of the dining experience. I guess because we usually go to the more up-scale places we haven't noticed a systematic change.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Actually it is not so much the "free dining" which has caused diminishment, but the Disney Dining Plan itself. This is for two reasons.

One is that it has so many more people than before wanting table service (including buffet) meals that not only has it made reservations harder to get, but has led to "pushing" diners to be able to turn the tables more often. Related to this pushing, there is less interest in preparing meals that take a longer time to cook.

The other reason is that, no matter what was ordered, the restaurant would only receive a fixed credit amount. This also led to dumbed-down meals as the restaurants are unwilling to buy higher priced ingredients, as well as investing the time in preparation.

This fixed credit amount has, to an extent, let to the changing of tipping rules on DDP. As the restaurants were receiving a fixed amount for the meal, the servers were receiving their gratuity based on that amount and not what the guests wrote on the receipt. Under the 2008 plan, not only will the gratuity be automatic, but it will be apid by the guest separately and not as part of DDP.

My personal hopes are twofold. One is that the DDP go away. The other is that they go back to an older reservations policy, where Resort Guests could make their reservations 60 days out and everyone else only 30 days out. But that's another thread in itself.

 

[Booyakasha]

This has been discussed many times but I think the DDP is at least partly if not mainly to blame. You have the whole credit/payment to the restaurant issue. You also have people using TS credits instead of actual "money" I think a lot of people tend to expect less when they are really not pulling a credit card out of their pocket. Yes you are paying for it but it is not the same so people tend to be more leniant and complain less. Also they are more people than ever in the Restaurants so people are less critical because they are having many "special" meals during their trip instead of maybe 1 or 2. The DDP is allowing them to do this.
Also, you have people eating in these restaurants that may normally not with out the DDP so I think some restaurants have realized this and slacked off. Especially some of the higher end single credit restaurants.

B.

 

[mickey mouse lover]

You are not alone. The decline in food quality/choice has been discussed here several times. While I understand food is going to be more expensive at a resort, I would like to feel I get a little more value for what I am paying. I am thinking of going to off-site restaurants next time because many of the on-site restaurants have nothing special food at great food prices. I also don't like the way Disney has standardized the offerings at restaurants, leaving fewer unique items at each restaurant.

I so agree with everything you're saying.

 

[TDC Nala]

Overall? Far more than a smidgen.

That's what overpopularity does.

I too would prefer for the DDP to depart this earthly plain. But it won't, it's too popular.

Under the 2008 plan, not only will the gratuity be automatic, but it will be apid by the guest separately and not as part of DDP.

The gratuity will NOT be automatic for DDP users unless they have a party of 6 or more.

 

[Hopefully]

I too think the quality has decreased more than a Smidgen over many years. TS dining is an important part of vacation experience. We have used the DDP 5 time now (not free) and I enjoyed the freedom it offered us. I personally don't mind planning and making ADR's way in advance. However we would make an ADR and pay OOP for a TS each evening, without the DDP. We are willing to pay for a fine dining experience.
But I agree with Cheshire Figments thoughts completely. I believe, based on fixed reimbursements, that higher quality ingredients (costlier) and enhanced preparation methods are a thing of the past. I think the increased demand for TS has led to rushing of a meal. And I think the DDP is responsible for these changes.
I too would not mind to see the DDP go away. I do think that given the changes for 2008 more and more folks will not choose the DDP. I don't think we would. So this may result is some changes ahead.