Latest Artist Point and Whispering Canyon Rumors

[DaisyDuck001]

Good grief, it looks like I chose the wrong year to have Christmas dinner at Artist Point. I'd even be up for trying a new version of the restaurant if anything on the new menu looks good to me, but as of now it's questionable if they will be open at all this Christmas.

 

[Dean Marino]

Good grief, it looks like I chose the wrong year to have Christmas dinner at Artist Point. I'd even be up for trying a new version of the restaurant if anything on the new menu looks good to me, but as of now it's questionable if they will be open at all this Christmas.

Not sure how many you have in your party.... but if you want to go hog wild? Consider...

SHULA'S STEAK HOUSE, Dolphin .... (TIW, no DDP)
CA GRILL - Contemporary... (TIW and DDP)
CITRICO'S - GF....(TIW and DDP)
NARCOOSSEE'S - GF.....(TIW and DDP)

As it's a tough season to book? SHULA'S is both the BEST, more expensive, and EASIEST to book. No one seems to think about this stunning place.
Transportation by WDW systems, or a $27 cab ride from the WL . Tell us later if you somehow manage to leave Shula's Hungry, or unhappy .

 

[Dean Marino]

Now - gotta comment on the current situation at WL.... We are DVC owners there.
There are FOUR Restaurants... AP, WC, RF, and GP.

EVERY ONE OF THEM is in disarray. And it STARTED when the new GM, Thea Sargent, was appointed as General Manager, Disney's Wilderness Lodge at The Walt Disney Company.

"New" Managers often try to change EVERYTHING, in order to establish territory, and set themselves up for the next promotion. I suspect that this is what we are seeing.

So - please join me in wishing that WDW FIRES Thea Sargent, immediately. The new GM is systematically DESTROYING WL excellence, in an effort to "mark" WL as hers. THIS is a very BAD GM. Advancing her career at the expense of the Wilderness Lodge, with no care for the WL.

GET RID OF THIS GM! We do not have bad Restaurants... we have a VERY Bad GM.

This link will not work, if you do not have a LINKEDIN account . It's where most folks TRACK Management level people.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thea-sargent-60967241
"All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong."

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Not sure how many you have in your party.... but if you want to go hog wild? Consider...

SHULA'S STEAK HOUSE, Dolphin .... (TIW, no DDP)
CA GRILL - Contemporary... (TIW and DDP)
CITRICO'S - GF....(TIW and DDP)
NARCOOSSEE'S - GF.....(TIW and DDP)

As it's a tough season to book? SHULA'S is both the BEST, more expensive, and EASIEST to book. No one seems to think about this stunning place.
Transportation by WDW systems, or a $27 cab ride from the WL . Tell us later if you somehow manage to leave Shula's Hungry, or unhappy .

Thanks... I've had dinner at #2, #3, #4 already, and not a big fan of these places. Have never tried #1. I have more affinity for Artist Point than for most other signatures. If Artist Point doesn't re-open, then I'll probably look at House of Blues or some other non-signature restaurant. Not especially looking to go hog wild, but thanks anyway for the thought.

 

[sking5844]

Now - gotta comment on the current situation at WL.... We are DVC owners there.
There are FOUR Restaurants... AP, WC, RF, and GP.

EVERY ONE OF THEM is in disarray. And it STARTED when the new GM, Thea Sargent, was appointed as General Manager, Disney's Wilderness Lodge at The Walt Disney Company.

"New" Managers often try to change EVERYTHING, in order to establish territory, and set themselves up for the next promotion. I suspect that this is what we are seeing.

So - please join me in wishing that WDW FIRES Thea Sargent, immediately. The new GM is systematically DESTROYING WL excellence, in an effort to "mark" WL as hers. THIS is a very BAD GM. Advancing her career at the expense of the Wilderness Lodge, with no care for the WL.

GET RID OF THIS GM! We do not have bad Restaurants... we have a VERY Bad GM.

This link will not work, if you do not have a LINKEDIN account . It's where most folks TRACK Management level people.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thea-sargent-60967241
"All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong."

Funny, it looks like she left the Contemporary as GM right before Cali Grill and the wave really stepped their game up from a quality and consistency standpoint. That could be a coincidence, but if what everyone is saying about WL is true, probably not.

 

[Runnsally]

Not sure how many you have in your party.... but if you want to go hog wild? Consider...

SHULA'S STEAK HOUSE, Dolphin .... (TIW, no DDP)
CA GRILL - Contemporary... (TIW and DDP)
CITRICO'S - GF....(TIW and DDP)
NARCOOSSEE'S - GF.....(TIW and DDP)

As it's a tough season to book? SHULA'S is both the BEST, more expensive, and EASIEST to book. No one seems to think about this stunning place.
Transportation by WDW systems, or a $27 cab ride from the WL . Tell us later if you somehow manage to leave Shula's Hungry, or unhappy .

Are you sure you’re not Dan Marino?

 

[Mickeynutty]

Isn’t Thea Sergent also responsible for Reunion Station? That has been a FAIL!

 

[Nancyg56]

Now - gotta comment on the current situation at WL.... We are DVC owners there.
There are FOUR Restaurants... AP, WC, RF, and GP.

EVERY ONE OF THEM is in disarray. And it STARTED when the new GM, Thea Sargent, was appointed as General Manager, Disney's Wilderness Lodge at The Walt Disney Company.

"New" Managers often try to change EVERYTHING, in order to establish territory, and set themselves up for the next promotion. I suspect that this is what we are seeing.

So - please join me in wishing that WDW FIRES Thea Sargent, immediately. The new GM is systematically DESTROYING WL excellence, in an effort to "mark" WL as hers. THIS is a very BAD GM. Advancing her career at the expense of the Wilderness Lodge, with no care for the WL.

GET RID OF THIS GM! We do not have bad Restaurants... we have a VERY Bad GM.

This link will not work, if you do not have a LINKEDIN account . It's where most folks TRACK Management level people.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thea-sargent-60967241
"All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong."

I saw that GP has removed breakfast now. I think the dining situation at WL is a mess, and for this reason alone I woudl choose to stay elsewhere.

 

[sleepydog25]

Isn’t Thea Sergent also responsible for Reunion Station? That has been a FAIL!

According to her LinkedIn bio, she absolutely was the driving force behind RS. Now, as we all know, business bios are usually inflated--if you write one small section of a new ops procedure, it's easy enough to claim you were one of the leading proponents and architects of said procedure. That being said, it is prominently mentioned in her bio.

 

[ksromack]

I saw that GP has removed breakfast now. I think the dining situation at WL is a mess, and for this reason alone I woudl choose to stay elsewhere.

This is so sad! I had reservations for a WL December stay but when I moved our vacation dates, I couldn't get WL at all. Now I'm sort of happy it didn't work out to stay there although it is so beautiful for the holidays. We are staying 2 nights at AKL and 4 nights at Contemporary TPV now and I'm very happy about that as we've never stayed at either in the past.

 

[Dean Marino]

Yes, all of this IS Sad... . Right now? ALL of the WL Restaurants are in disarray, and a total mess...

So what to do?

1) Whispering Canyon - STILL GREAT breakfast, just no antics. But GREAT food.
2) Lunch/Dinner - GRAB A CAB, or BUS. CAB to Grand Floridian is $10 with 20% tip. Same for Contemporary. No need to deal with Thea's issues.
3) Please - ASK WDW to eliminate Thea Sergent as the GM. Just me - suggesting Audio Visual .

Unfair if I do not say what WE are already booked for, Nov 2018....

1) Arrival Nov 8 - cab to Citrico's - GF. REAL SIG. NO BOOKING AVAILABLE at AP. AP DEAD.
2) Nov 8- Nov 16: BREKFAST reservations at WC.
3) All other evenings? TRUE SIGS. Il Mulino, Shula's, Narcoosees's, V&A - No AP.

As we are DVC owners at the WL? This saddens us. However, we will STAY there, and go elsewhere for most dining.

Thea? You have done poorly.

 

[goofy78]

Has anyone eaten at AP recently? I have a reservation for October 7. I've never been and also never been to WL so I was really looking forward to seeing the lodge for the first time and having a nice dinner. There's really no reason for me to head to WL without a dinner reservation. Any input would be great about recent dining experiences.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Has anyone eaten at AP recently? I have a reservation for October 7. I've never been and also never been to WL so I was really looking forward to seeing the lodge for the first time and having a nice dinner. There's really no reason for me to head to WL without a dinner reservation. Any input would be great about recent dining experiences.

Most recently dined there this April, and really enjoyed it.

 

[goofy78]

Most recently dined there this April, and really enjoyed it.

Great! Glad to hear it. I'd really like to see WL and DH and I are having a kid free weekend trip so dining at AP would be perfect!

 

[sleepydog25]

Has anyone eaten at AP recently? I have a reservation for October 7. I've never been and also never been to WL so I was really looking forward to seeing the lodge for the first time and having a nice dinner. There's really no reason for me to head to WL without a dinner reservation. Any input would be great about recent dining experiences.

Truly, any restaurant can have off nights, and AP isn't immune. But, we've eaten there at least once a year for a decade or more, usually twice a year, and it's almost always excellent including our latest trip. As you may have seen from reading earlier posts, you should go ahead and eat there to say you experienced it as come some time next year, chances are it will no longer be a Signature.

 

[4Ds4Diz]

Has anyone eaten at AP recently? I have a reservation for October 7. I've never been and also never been to WL so I was really looking forward to seeing the lodge for the first time and having a nice dinner. There's really no reason for me to head to WL without a dinner reservation. Any input would be great about recent dining experiences.

Just had dinner there in mid June. Had a wonderful dinner with great service. Thanks Donnie! So happy we got to enjoy one more time. So sorry to hear one of my favorites might be closing. Such a shame!

 

[gillep]

Most recently dined there this April, and really enjoyed it.

Us too. It would have been our favorite meal of the entire trip but CA brunch edged it out of that top spot. Our meal and drinks were excellent at AP.

 

[Masonmj84]

1) Whispering Canyon - STILL GREAT breakfast, just no antics. But GREAT food.

Agree about WCC breakfast. It's second only to dinner at AP as the resort's best dining experience. But I definitely don't get the sense that current management appreciates this.

Disney can be such a chaotic place that relaxed, order off the menu places (with food that appeals to adults) need to be preserved. Particularly at any resort designated as "deluxe." And the WL provides such an otherwise relaxed vibe that to remove dining expriences that are most consistent with that vibe would be such a terrible, terrible shame.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I posted this on another AP thread, thought ya'll would want to check it out. I received an email reply from Disney. I've been "assured" that AP wont be changing. Not sure who to believe!

Check out their reply email to me here (post #49 of this thread):
https://www.disboards.com/threads/artist-point.3680989/page-3#post-59482220

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I posted this on another AP thread, thought ya'll would want to check it out. I received an email reply from Disney. I've been "assured" that AP wont be changing. Not sure who to believe!

Check out their reply email to me here (post #49 of this thread):
https://www.disboards.com/threads/artist-point.3680989/page-3#post-59482220

Thanks. So it looks like they failed to explain why AP is not open for reservations beyond late October.