Has Whispering Canyon lost its "fun?"

[theatermouse]

I took my son to WDW last week for his birthday & we have always loved the fun of Whispering Canyon so I booked us a lunch ADR on the 23rd. I reminded my son of the fun we'd had with ketchup & told him we'd have to ask for blue crayons, etc.

Well, we get there a few minutes early & check in. We're immediately led to our table & as the hostess is taking us back, she grabs 1 green & 1 blue crayon out of a box at the hostess stand. Um...what?? Ok, maybe I remembered the wrong color. THEN, when my son asked for other colors, she told him she didn't have anymore. I remember buckets on the tables full of crayons in the past. Heck, even the 50's Prime Time had other colors the day before. Just no orange for Tigger.

We sit down & our waitress comes over. She's no fun. I'm use to straws being thrown on the table, all kinds of excitement & hoopla and we got nothin'.

As we were waiting for our food to come, the waitress brought us a bottle of ketchup for the table. Seriously??? Where's the fun in that?

There was a stick pony ride that occurred, but that wasn't even as enthusiastic as I remembered.

By this point, I'm irked. I talk this place up to everyone I know that is going to Disney & here I'm getting a shoddy end of the deal & feel terrible for ever telling my friends about it. The food comes & it grossed me out. Of course we do normally eat at dinnertime there, but I thought things would still be comparable. I struggled to eat what I ordered & even my son wasn't all that into it. The waitress got on him for not eating & even for sharing his burger with me *and not in a fun way.* The only props I can give her is that she did bring him a birthday cupcake & "sang" to him. It was terrible & off-pitch, but she did that on purpose.

I almost thought maybe WCC didn't do fun anymore for lunch, but there was 1 waitress who was TOTALLY into her role. ONE out of all of them working that day.

It's been 2 years since we last ate at WCC so maybe things have totally changed? The ketchup gimmick was a favorite of ours & I couldn't wait to play with it again.

 

[Windsor Princesses]

We went to WCC for dinner at the beginning of January and had a great time. All of the staff seemed to be having fun with their tables, and the ketchup was moving around the room more than it was stationary at a table. Our waitress was Sassy Sara and she was great! For a table with no kids she still played her part and we had a great time (straws and all). The only thing we did not try was the crayons because we did not have anything to colour, but other than that everything lived up to its reputation.

 

[jmkrat]

I took my family there 4 years ago and it wasn't much fun then either. I had read so many things about how "fun" it was and couldn't wait to try it. My waiter was nice and funny( but nothing like so many people described) happened while we were there. We were there for dinner. Perhaps, it just depends on cast members that are there at that particular there. I still liked it and plan to go back. We did enjoy ourselves, I just didn't see any of the antics that had been described. We did ask for ketchup and got ketchup.

 

[ready to relax]

same experience 3 years ago, and it was our first time, and I thought I had it all figured out...got the kids pumped and sooo disappointed...in the food, atmosphere...not that this makes a difference but we were paying customers and not on the dining plan, so when the bill came out, needless to say I had to talk myself into paying it and chalking it up to experience. As we were walking out after paying, I did turn around and ask to speak to a manager to share my experience, but have made the decision to mark WCC off my list.

 

[SaberJ]

When we went in 2010, the general consensus was that the Lunch was way toned down from the dinner. That's why we chose to do lunch, honestly. And I can't really think of any hijinks that we witnessed. But we did have a pretty funny waiter. I think if you are really into that sort of thing, the suggestion is usually to go for dinner instead.

 

[Callymum]

We stay in the WL Villas every year and we are there a good few weeks each time. In that time I have noticed that it is Dinner time in the evening when most of the chenanigans goes on. The lunches always tend to be quieter to an extreme so if you want loud fun please go in the Evening. Much higher Decibels at Dinner..

Another idea is to ask the Table Concierge at Desk to place your family with a really loud interactive server.

 

[guarn3md]

We were there over Thanksgiving and had 20 people for dinner. It was one of the best times I have ever had there and we been quite a few times. We had two excellent servers who played their part well. Our reservations were for 5:00 and the restaurant wasn't all that crowded but it was fun from beginning to end. Of course while we were there it filled up. Our group had 12 Adults and 8 kids and everyone had a great time. The ketchup fun was happening all over the restaurant. We had a few seperate tables to fit our group and one had all the tween boys - our waitress put them in jail for some reason and they brought this wooden jail over to their table. The funniest part was one of the "kids" was celebrating her 17th birthday and our server brought over a HUGE cupcake and had passed out forks to maybe 6 people in our party. She started singing Happy Birthday and then half way through started eating the cupcake with a fork while singing! She then passed the cupcake along to everyone who had a fork. So funny and completely impulsive! She waited a few minutes and then brought back another HUGE cupcake just for the birthday girl. My Dad was so impressed with both servers that on top of the 18% tip that we had to pay - he gave each server and extra $50.
So much fun! I would keep recommending it. Maybe it was lunch and maybe it was just the server.
So many people have raved about the fun at 50's Prime Time and we went a few years ago. What a dud! Our server was awful, no fun and the worst part was watching all the tables around you laughing and having fun. We have never gone back there.
Debbie

 

[theatermouse]

I think if you are really into that sort of thing, the suggestion is usually to go for dinner instead.

Yes, lesson learned! Hate it was such a rough lesson to learn as I'd heard lunch was pretty much on the same "fun level" as dinner (through reviews & Disney Dining) but hey, we did have a good cupcake!

Also a note to remember...if they try to seat you on the back patio of the restaurant, don't let them!! Happened to us one trip & we lost all the fun. I took the blame for that though, since we ran late to our reservation due to watching the closing program at AK.

 

[disnut8]

I talk this place up to everyone I know that is going to Disney

I know you won't like this but maybe that's why you had such a bad time. It was your expectations. No matter what has changed, if something doesn't have the same feel as before, you will hate it ("you" being everyone, not the OP). I've had many experiences where I've gone back to somewhere and expected "magic" but it didn't happen simply because the first time was so perfect. I've learned to just accept what I get and move on.

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

Whispering Canyons but several menu changes and toning down the CM interraction has pretty much taken this off our must do list. I've been on a few chuckwagon cookouts and none of them had gourmet chefs preparing the foods. they need to get back to what worked well before!

 

[byeo]

I have only been once for a lunch sitting and was expecting fun and games. Nothing ott but at least something. Our server did NOTHING, looking at other tables, we saw loads of ketchup bottles on one table while someone else on another had a "jar/jug" filled with soda.

After my 3rd soda i asked for a large coke (hoping the server would take the hint) and came back with a standard jar filled with coke. She evan said, "there you go my thirsty friend" so she knew i wanted lots to drink.

I guess we were unlucky and got someone who didn't want to have fun or didn't think we wanted fun (no kids etc...) Im thinking about giving it one last try when we go back in September and we're trying dinner this time. Fingers crossed.

 

[Hobbes]

I know you won't like this but maybe that's why you had such a bad time. It was your expectations. No matter what has changed, if something doesn't have the same feel as before, you will hate it ("you" being everyone, not the OP). I've had many experiences where I've gone back to somewhere and expected "magic" but it didn't happen simply because the first time was so perfect. I've learned to just accept what I get and move on.

I had a wonderful lunch at LTT 6 years ago and had talked it up to DH ever since-we went last time and it was so disappointing, just not as good as I remember. Probably the same thing in you that means winter is never as snowy as when you were a child and summers never as hot...

 

[g3pak]

We went to WCC in 2007 because some friends said it was a lot of fun. It sure was! The ketchup, straws, etc. My wife and I went back without our kids a year later. Before that meal I heard they toned it down because some people (unprepared for the fun) complained and apparently Disney would rather tone it down instead of facing complaints. While it wasn't boring, that second meal was a lot calmer than our first. It was then that we realized the food is not good enough to stand on its own without the entertainment. We have not been back and my kids have not asked to go back, either.

 

[sherreis]

DS16 and I had dinner at WCC this past Sunday night and had a great server -- Nikki. Our reservation was at 5:30 and when we checked in we had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated. Plenty of seats in the main dining room but they took us out to the back area so you felt like you almost sitting in the lobby. And as PP stated, I should have asked to be relocated. I could hear laughing in the main room. I had not warned DS16 about the interactive servers here but he had fun with Nikki who did a great job despite our location. She made him and another teenage boy get up for the pony thing. Priceless look on DS16's face for that one. When she took our drink orders I asked for a big glass of water cause I was really thirsty and wanted to drink some water instead of chugging down the beer too fast. She brought me this huge (beyond huge) glass of water with a 3 foot straw. DS16 loved his meal here and has asked to go back. I learned for next time -- ask for an interactive server and ask to sit in the main seating area when checking in.

 

[PrincessAurora]

When I say at The Lodge, the one thing that makes me cringe is all the noise going on at WC. Then one day we were back around lunch time, it was quiet so I stopped by for lunch. I wasn't against interaction but I don't like to be bombarded with it.

I found lunch VERY quiet. There was still some interaction (the waiters making funny hats for people at the next table out of straws or my waitress calling my "youngin" funny lookin'). Understand that my "youngin'" was a backpack/purse that looked like a leopard.

Waitress: Iz that yur youngin?
Me: Yes it is.
Waitress: Sure iz funny lookin'.
Me: I guess he is but we love him.

Later...

Watress: "Can I gets yur youngin' anything?"
Me: How about that screaming kid over there?

I was perfectly cool with that level of interaction. No horse races, no napkin wavin and the food was really good.

I would suggest asking the hostess to be in the station of a server who is really good at interaction because that is what you are in the mood for. They know who is better and should be able to seat you accordingly.

Hope the trip was great otherwise.

 

[dburg30]

I have only been once for a lunch sitting and was expecting fun and games. Nothing ott but at least something. Our server did NOTHING, looking at other tables, we saw loads of ketchup bottles on one table while someone else on another had a "jar/jug" filled with soda.

After my 3rd soda i asked for a large coke (hoping the server would take the hint) and came back with a standard jar filled with coke. She evan said, "there you go my thirsty friend" so she knew i wanted lots to drink.

I guess we were unlucky and got someone who didn't want to have fun or didn't think we wanted fun (no kids etc...) Im thinking about giving it one last try when we go back in September and we're trying dinner this time. Fingers crossed.

You know, I wonder if they KNEW that's what you wanted and it was more fun for them NOT to get you a jug lol.. I know, not really nice, but still, from looking at it from this side, kinda funny

 

[SaberJ]

In 2010 we loved the food. Honestly. There was very little interaction, though we did have a horse race, and a few other things. When we started making our "To-Do" list for this year's trip, Whispering Canyon was the first place that went on. Along with 'Ohanas for Breakfast, Teppan Edo, and Wolfgang Puck Express.

The lunch skillet is just phenomenal. We had 3 people, and we all almost made ourselves sick between the food and the all-you-can drink shakes. Honestly, the shakes were the reason we came. We don't drink drinks, so it was nice to swap one of those in for our drink on the dining plan.

 

[byeo]

You know, I wonder if they KNEW that's what you wanted and it was more fun for them NOT to get you a jug lol.. I know, not really nice, but still, from looking at it from this side, kinda funny

Looking at it like that it is funny. But i wanted my picture with a huge jar of coke

 

[theatermouse]

Hope the trip was great otherwise.

It was awesome otherwise!! When we go back, we'll just book a dinner & hope for the best! My husband LOVES the skillet, so I know he won't let us cross it off the list.

 

[Keegansmommy]

We went there for lunch in June and it wasn't wild and crazy at all. It was our first time there so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. It was fun and the food was good.

I know what you mean though about not meeting expectations...we have that feeling with 50's Prime Time Cafe. The first time we were there we had a BLAST! The next few times we had servers that weren't so great and not much fun. It is disappointing when you see other CM that are much more engaging.