King crab legs are gone from Coral Reef?

[n2mm]

I haven't actually had it yet...it just sounded so good when I read the menu online!

I had it already and it isn't anything to write home about. Actually the server told my SIL to make another selection as it's on the small side. It's sort like a scoop of tuna salad and you spread it on a thin toasted bagette. The soup is about 1/2 cup--pretty small. It's a nice meal if you're not really hungry.

 

[epcotbistro]

If you guys want crab legs, just go to Fultons in DD!

 

[lilyv]

I think its the DDP in general. And I have often defended the DDP and have also purchased it, the most recent being 15 nights for our June trip. But you cannot deny the correlation between when the DDP got so popular and when restaurants started stripping down the menus. I used to think, "well chefs change menus all the time". But often they haven't put something else in place of what they have taken away. We ate all around the World last month. It just seemed like that except for the 2TS places and the buffets, it was all sort of the same and in a very limited way.

Free Dining is just a small part of the puzzle. But I don't think its out of the ordinary for those of us who pay for the DDP or pay OOP to want something more than what is currently being offered.

And the servers at WDW hate the DDP, they hate what its done to their livlihood, their menus and how much time they have to spend explaining things, getting managers to put out fires from angry guests and other fallout from it.

I love WDW, we enjoy the dining and its certainly not so bad we won't vacation there and eat onsite for 99% of our meals. But I do have to agree with others (and I was a slow convert) that the DDP has changed a lot of things. And not for the better. They are supposedly going to tweak it for 2009, raise the prices to once again include the gratuity, bring back the appetizer and maybe they will also beef up the menu. With more than the strip steaks!

I agree with everything you've said. And as a non-DDPer, I can tell you that my experience with wait staff was different than tables around me that were DDP. Me? The servers could just visit, and take my order. DDP tables? Lots of discussion about what they could/couldn't have...not nearly as pleasant from my perspective.

 

[annie1995]

I was only going for the crab legs and baileys jack daniels mousse. Any other recommendation on what entree to order?

 

[secretpantssam]

I had it already and it isn't anything to write home about. Actually the server told my SIL to make another selection as it's on the small side. It's sort like a scoop of tuna salad and you spread it on a thin toasted bagette. The soup is about 1/2 cup--pretty small. It's a nice meal if you're not really hungry.

Oh no! Well I'll maybe I'll reconsider or just plan on eating another meal later. Thanks for the warning.

 

[LisaInNc]

They removed the filet after the first year of free dining. I don't blame it on that but that was when I noticed it. I am not a fish eater but the rest of the family likes it so I go. The next time since they didn't have the filet and that is the only steak I eat I ordered the chicken breast and it had a bone in it I happen to have a weird phobia about bones so I was horrified. No more Coral Reef for us until they fix that menu!

There are no scallops, lobster or shrimp entrees. It's a SEAFOOD restaurant!

It seems more and more if you want more choices and higher quality entrees you have to go to the Signature Restaurants.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Shoot, before WDW introduced the DDP all of the restaurants menu's had different specialties, wonderful food and overall a great dining experience.

They were even known for their worldclass dining but alas, no longer. Even the signature restaurants, which we loved, has changed IMO. Now the signature restaurants are what a lot of the 1TS restaurants use to be prior to the DDP.

 

[n2mm]

Oh no! Well I'll maybe I'll reconsider or just plan on eating another meal later. Thanks for the warning.

Just wanted to mention, it's very tasty, it's just not very filling. I guess the server knew it was not a fit meal for my son-in-law. I had it, however, and am glad I tried it. But won't ever order it again. Actually I loved whatever pasta dish they had the last time I was there (Oct 07). I've also tried the crab legs and wasn't really moved by them. It doesn't matter to me that they are gone, as I had no intention of ordering them again. However, the Jack Daniels Mousse was wonderful!!

 

[ransom]

My guess is that Disney doesn't see it as a problem as long as the $$$$ keeps rolling in. Any indicator that restaurant attendance is slipping?

I'm not saying it's a problem of volume. Clearly, the restaurants, busy as they are, are not profitable or Disney wouldn't be removing the high-cost menu items. What I'm saying is that doing so is only worsening the problem, because the cash customers (who are of course much more profitable for the restaurant division) are being driven away by the lack of good food options. So Disney's in a spiral, where they're going to end up with nothing but the most mediocre food possible, and 100% DDP diners. And if that's where they intend to go, they might as well close the restaurants and open up one big cafeteria in each park!

 

[Praying Colonel]

We're never going to see all cafeterias, just like we'll never see all V&A's. The discussion is over where in the middle the line is drawn. My guess is this is just another part of WDW's never-ending exercise of balancing quality vs. profit. Diners who like the crab legs (or the filets, or the fill-in-the-blank-of-the-thing-we-like-that-the-green-eyeshade-guys-got-rid-of here) see it as a problem, but WDW doesn't. They'll keep adjusting (or if you know the story of how to boil a frog, they'll keep adding heat a little at a time).

 

[undertheseas]

Well thanks for the scoop guys, I'm really disappointed. Now I have to decide if the atmosphere and the Jack Daniels Baileys dessert is worth eating there or find another ADR. Crud! First LTT took away my salmon and now this.....

 

[drumms2112]

I don't see it listed on the updated dinner menu showing on All Ears, is it really gone?

Don't get too upset about the crab legs because I ordered them in April and it was a joke. There was hardly any meat and the meat that was in the crab was dry. It was more like 1/2 lb of snow crab legs. The lobster bisque soup and bread was good though. Service and atmosphere was top notch.

 

[TDC Nala]

am I the only one who thinks that even if they scrap the DDP, the good stuff ain't coming back?

They won't scrap it, it fills up those restaurants and they don't have to spend as much on ingredients.

I didn't see anyone blaming free dining (which is limited to 4 weeks, basically) but the dining plan in general, which increased the popularity of the restaurants to such heights that it wasn't cost-effective to offer expensive ingredients at most of them.

 

[psu1978]

Is there anyone who has been there recently who can confirm that the crab legs are officially gone? I won't believe it until I hear it from someone who has actually been there. There are some other updates that have proven to be incorrect.

Anyone?????

 

[DougK]

I wish they would just offer the DDP patrons a separate menu.
For the rest of us, it would keep all the choices available.

This might be a good solution!

I too miss the choices we used to have before DDP was so prevalent. Remember folks it's not just the FREE dining plan that has ruined dining choices at WDW, it is the Dining Plan overall. They offer the plan and then make more money by eliminating the most expensive items on the menus. What a shame for those of us who enjoyed dining at Disney!

 

[HappyCamper87]

This might be a good solution!

I too miss the choices we used to have before DDP was so prevalent. Remember folks it's not just the FREE dining plan that has ruined dining choices at WDW, it is the Dining Plan overall. They offer the plan and then make more money by eliminating the most expensive items on the menus. What a shame for those of us who enjoyed dining at Disney!

HERE HERE!

I think they definitely need separate menus for DDP but I doubt they will do it, because then it is not as attractive an offer. I have not done the dining plan because it's just doesn't fit our situation. I would not do it now even if it made sense for us becuase I just would like it to go away.

It's a nice way to budget I guess, but they need to have the separate menus so they can make it work for everyone. The Deluxe DDP could use either menu and they could charge a little more for it.

 

[goodferry]

Restaurants are like any other business. You have certain items (like fillets, King Crab etc) that are loss leaders, you don't really make that much money off that item. However, not everyone orders those items, some people order a chicken dish, for example, where the profit margin is much higher. That works fine for most restaurants, because if choosing between $40 filet mignon and $20 a chicken dish, a lot of people are going to choose the less expensive meal, which more than makes up for the smaller profit margin, or in some case loss, the restaurant is taking on the filet when only a couple of people are ordering it.
That changed, though, for disney when the dining plan was added. Now all the sudded everyone has to "maximize their investment" and order the very most expensive item off the menu. So now they are selling a WHOLE lot more filet mignon and not so much chicken, which is where they were making the most money.
I am sure that what is happening is to remedy that situation, the higher end dishes are being removed in favor of some that are a little more profitable.
No matter how you feel about the dining plan (we love it!) that is almost certainly what is happening.

 

[DCDisney]

It has nothing to do with the dining plan because they added the crab legs only about a year ago about the same time as the Jack Daniel Mousse nothing has changed with the DDP since they added it. Every year many places change their menus seasonally usually once during the summer and then again right before the holidays. Coral Reef seems to change tons of dishes each time where other places may only change one or two items on each course. In general though yes the food isn't as good and servings are smaller every year that we go and certainly that does have some link to DDP but every little seasonal change isn't just DDP as they've had it for like 5 years now. The restaurants are all mostly fine not great in our experience. They all seem to have lost the indvidual specialness and seem to serve too much of the same foods.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

They had the crab legs in March. I've read two pages and don't see anyone actually talking about being there.

Incidentally, I've noticed the same thing at non-WDW restaurants locally in recent months. I've actually come away from sveral plces this summer still HUNGRY.

In addition to portion sizes going down, I've noticed the change from intersting veggies, like hericot vert or mini summer squash, to cheap ones like frozen corn niblets. This at places charging in the $20 rannge for entrees.

I don't think it's just DDP, I think it's the HUGE increase in food costs if they are making changes at WDW to menus.

 

[tavettava]

The crab legs were there in March, dd had them. When you think of Coral Reef you think of seafood right? My mom did when I told her we ate there (she knows I'm not a big fan but my family is) and I told her it was't really. I thought there would be more seafood choices, but there wasn't.