How to Have a Happy Disney Dining Experience

[Sammie]

In reading several threads lately about disappointment with dining experiences I thought it might help if we discuss some facts about the food and beverage business.

Due to the nature of liability, health codes, management decisions etc. there are some thing you simply can not do at restaurants.

1. you can not bring food from outside the restaurant and expect them to store it for you. That is simply not allowed, as they have no way to know where it has been, or what has happened to it while in your possession. If you want a cake you need to either buy it there at the restaurant or have it delivered by Disney to the location. That way Disney can be sure it is safe. This even includes purchases made at other Disney locations. Once it leaves with you, it is considered nonsafe.

2. if you dine very late especially with a large group you are not going to get the same service you will get with an earlier ADR. Simply a case of everyone is tired, and food is not as fresh. Sorry but true.

3. please do not give the wait staff a hard time because you disagree with a Disney made policy decision or price. They did not have any say in that and really should not be on the receiving end of complaints. If you have a problem with their personal service that is different. They are simply doing the job they are told to do concerning prices and policy.

4. If you book an ADR for a large group, you are not going to be seated until that size table becomes available. Even if there are other tables open, you did not book two tables of 4, you booked one table for 8. Again you would have to work in a restaurant to understand the logistics of changing this. So when you make your ADR for a large group, decide what is most important to you. Getting seated quicker or staying together at one table. Decide before you book, not after you get to the restaurant and want the host or hostess to change policy.

5. I agree that prices are really high at Disney, but many times you are paying for the experience not the quality of food or even service. Decide before you go, whether the cost is worth it. You will save yourself and the staff a lot of grief if you do. This is includes the price for child and adult meals and the cut off, know what it is before you go and decide if it is worth the cost.

6. Romantic dinners for two: only one place at Disney truly qualifies, Victoria and Albert. Anything else is going to be a family experience with tired, hyper, excited kids and you should not be disappointed you did not get your quiet romantic dinner.

7. Disney decides the prices and ages for meals, again if you don't agree write a letter to Disney but please do not come to the restaurant knowing the price and expect the wait staff to change policy for you.

8. Birthday celebrations, anniversary, etc.: Disney is in the business to make these type events magical, but it costs to do this. If you don't want to pay them for a party, don't expect them to give you one free. Also just because someone else has posted on a forum they were given special treatment, does not mean it will happen for everyone, be prepared for that.

9. sometimes changes to policy can be made, simply ask. However if you are told no, please accept that graciously.

This thread is for the sharing of facts. If anyone has worked in restaurants before especially at Disney and would like to share other suggestions, please do.

I only ask that this not turn into an arguement as to whether you think these policies are right or wrong, in the restaurant business they simply are.

I always feel we will be less disappointed if we know ahead of time what to expect.

 

[iwrbnd]

Good things to remember!

 

[Jennasis]

Words to live by!

I especially like the idea of going in expecting NOTHING extra. If something extra special happens, consider it a magical moment...NOT "de riguer".

No matter how tired, crabby or hungry you are, go in with a smile and a super sweet and gracious attitude and chances are you will charm even the most tired and persnickety server into being pleasant. This has NEVER failed me.

Be prepared to wait...with a smile. I have had to wait well past my ADR time (once even close to an hour). But I did it with a smile and was rewarded for my patience with an enthusiastic server, an apologetic manager and some pixie dust on top!

INTERACT. If you go to WCC or 50's Primetime or the HDDR you KNOW you are usually going to have a server who will try to engage you in zaniness. Play along. GET INTO IT. Or for heaven's sake don't go there. My ex was such an embarassing stick in the mud at the HDDR on our honeymoon that he ruined the experience totally. Such a sour puss.

 

[katepass72]

Words to live by!

I especially like the idea of going in expecting NOTHING extra. If something extra special happens, consider it a magical moment...NOT "de riguer".

No matter how tired, crabby or hungry you are, go in with a smile and a super sweet and gracious attitude and chances are you will charm even the most tired and persnickety server into being pleasant. This has NEVER failed me.

Be prepared to wait...with a smile. I have had to wait well past my ADR time (once even close to an hour). But I did it with a smile and was rewarded for my patience with an enthusiastic server, an apologetic manager and some pixie dust on top!

INTERACT. If you go to WCC or 50's Primetime or the HDDR you KNOW you are usually going to have a server who will try to engage you in zaniness. Play along. GET INTO IT. Or for heaven's sake don't go there. My ex was such an embarassing stick in the mud at the HDDR on our honeymoon that he ruined the experience totally. Such a sour puss.

I could not agree with you more. We've always found that if you find a way to smile and be friendly at Disney, it comes back to reward you. It's not expected, but I just consider it good karma.

 

[Sammie]

I think something else to remember is that Dining at Disney is not dining at your local Chili's or other nonDisney restaurants.

Disney truly is a World in itself and policies and such that a local restuarant is willing to adapt for a local customer is not necessarily going to happen at a Disney restaurant, where they serve millions of customers year round and their occupany level is very high and the manager and staff sometime have to go by policies they had no hand in making.

You can always ask nicely if they can make some changes but be ready to accept a no if given to you.

 

[CanadianPaco]

I think something else to remember is that Dining at Disney is not dining at your local Chili's or other nonDisney restaurants.

Exactly. I think this is why some people are so disappointed and frustrated. They aren't used to the way Disney does dining!

 

[ElizabethB]

Just curious. Has Disney published the rule about not bringing in food from the outside? If so, I'd be interested to know where on the web or elsewhere I can find that rule. Or were you just making the point that you can bring in a cake, but Disney employees are not permitted to store it for you? It's not clear from other threads what the rule really is. On the Chef Mickey thread it seemed the manager wouldn't store the cake (in the kitchen or elsewhere), but other CMs would happily assist by storing the cake until the group was ready for it. Some clarity would be helpful. Thanks.

Also, I think late dining never used to be a problem at WDW. We've done it many times. I think the staff exhaustion comes from the fact that the restaurants, due to DDP, are now jam-packed from the moment they open until 1 1/2 to 2 hours past the time of the last ADR. My view is that if the staff are not up to the task of providing the best of food and service to every party, no matter their ADR time, then Disney needs to stop taking late ADRs. I should think the service unions could take this up at the next bargaining session.

Lastly, I don't understand why Disney dining is different than dining at any other chain restaurant outlet? A restaurant manager knows how many seats he has, what the average table turnover time is, what the latest reservation (ADR) time is, etc. A manager then needs to calculate from there how many chefs, waiters, food runners and bus boys are needed. I'd be interested in why running a Disney restaurant is different than running an Olive Garden.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Not serving or handling outside food(this would include storage) would generally be a health department rule(even Disney must follow state and local heath dept regs). The CM in the previous thread may not have been a food service employee(therefore unaware of health dept food safety guidelines) and was probably not putting the cake in a restaurant fridge but perhaps a break room fridge. Had this cake been put in a food service fridge and a surprise inspection was done a violation(not sure if it would be "critical" or not in FL)would have been issued and the score of that rest. would be lowered.

 

[Pumbaa_]

This thread is restarting a thread that has been closed. While it is appearing to be 'helpful', it is just rehashing a closed thread

Say goodnight Gracie