Most Romantic Restaurant at Universal Studios? Huh?

[Rip]

I have never been bothered at IOA or Universal with photogrophers. We say yes please, or no thank you, and thats it.

This has always been our experience as well, and yes, it's exactly the same at the Magic Kingdom walking down Main Street.

 

[patster734]

This has always been our experience as well, and yes, it's exactly the same at the Magic Kingdom walking down Main Street.

Thank you!

 

[phamton]

Any restaurant in any themepark would not be what i would consider a romantic dinner. It's a themepark in a tourist town. Dining with young kids, not to mention characters roaming the area, is just not my idea of a romantic dinner. If you want delicious food, I think Universal does it well. Mythos, Emerils, and Latin Quarter at the the new Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse) have amazing food and I love the fun tropical atmosphere of Margaritaville. But for a quiet romantic place, I wouldn't choose a themepark even at Disney.

As far as your perception as an employee of Universal, some advice: Bloom where you are planted.

 

[TheRealDrDisney]

Personal experience only (but I guess that's true for all of us here...)

When I go through the turnstiles at Uni, I feel the first thing I have to do is avoid the photogs. I hate saying no to them, they are very polite. But I'd rather not be asked.

At WDW I queue up if I am interested in getting a picture made by one of their photogs. Have never been just walking by and been asked if I would like a picture.

I recognize this probably reflects more about my personality than the photogs - but that's my take on it. I just hate to start my day feeling a little bit "hounded"

 

[Senator Tressel]

This has always been our experience as well, and yes, it's exactly the same at the Magic Kingdom walking down Main Street.

What photographer at the Magic Kingdom has ever asked you if you wanted your picture taken? What one stands in the path you are walking and points a camera there?

The Universal photographers have a COMPLETELY different directive than Magic Kingdom photographers.

 

[jcc0621]

Here is a question....since we are talking about photographers. Does US/IOA have anything similar to photopass, or is it just purchase the individual pics? Are the photographers only at the entrances? What are the prices like? I ask, becasue this will be our last trip for a while and I would like a nice family picture at both WDW and US/IOA.

TIA

 

[phamton]

They do have something similar to photopass. If you go to the Kodak store after you take your first picture you can get a photocard. They don't automatically hand you one of those cards like at Disney.

 

[donaldduck352]

Back on subject please.

My pixs for a romantic dinner over the years have come down to this:
Studios-Lombards
IOA-Confisco or Mythos
CW-Emerils or Latin Quarter(hard choice)

Resorts,you are allowed to eat there but not poolside unless staying on-site:
RPR-Tchoup Chop
HardRock-The Kitchen
Portifino-poolside

This is my list only that DW and I enjoyed great dinners alone.There is alot of other choices we still want to try tho.

 

[bumbershoot]

What photographer at the Magic Kingdom has ever asked you if you wanted your picture taken? What one stands in the path you are walking and points a camera there?

The Universal photographers have a COMPLETELY different directive than Magic Kingdom photographers.

I don't think I've had that experience at Disney, but that's because they are already busy.

Having a camera, that isn't being looked through or even held to take a picture, pointed at me isn't a big deal. We simply walk with purpose and say "no thank you" and move on!



But next year if we have a trip, look out photographers, because we will be using your services! We joined weight watchers, and in a year we will WANT to have pictures taken of us. Poor DS, when looking back on pictures he'll wonder where we went after he turned 3 until he was 8...no pictures of us at all! Just him!

 

[SanFranciscan]

Senator Tressel and TheRealDrDisney and anyone else with the same views, I am truly so very, very sorry for your bad experiences with we photographers at Universal Studios. According to one of my supervisors, your experience at Disney has been different because the Disney Photopass photographers are not allowed to ask you whether you want your picture taken, although I was asked once while at California's Disneyland while in front of the castle.

I don't hate Universal, which I think has certain points in its favor and hate to see the bickering between the alleged loyal customers of Disney and the alleged loyal fans of Universal, which I have read on this message board since long before I started working at Universal. Can't someone who likes to vacation in the mountains also enjoy a trip to the beach? How are two different theme parks suddenly such a cause for battle? Hmmmm.... However, I do think that we should handle our photography more like Disney theme parks because I hate to be rude to people. It makes my stomach hurt. Yet I have to make my quota as people do get fired for not getting enough pictures. I think the real measure of success should be whether or not the pictures sell and have told management so repeatedly.

Making people upset with our aggression reflects poorly upon us and upon Universal while we are in Universal uniforms, even though we are not Universal employees. Yet other than continue to look for another job, which I have started doing with the tourist season about to start again, what can I do? I am still very sorry for what you have been through with my co-workers and I.

 

[SanFranciscan]

Thank you to those of you who answered my question. While I wrote my first post in a state of extreme frustation, which I am often in at work, my question was real. I get asked all kinds of questions about Universal and Islands of Adventure and even the area surrounding Universal Studios. I don't feel that I can possibly learn all of this on my own and appreciate any help that I can get from frequent visitors to Universal Studios.

I have even told Universal Studios employees that going to Universal orientation was counter-productive for my co-workers and I because the facilitators talked mostly about themselves and benefits that we would not be eligible for as "third party team members." We should not go to orientation to learn that we are third-class citizens because the resulting resentment is a bad deal all the way around. I will teach my co-workers whatever you frequent guests of Universal Studios teach me about Universal Studios because that information is the kind that is of use to us instead of just making new photography employees mad.

On that note, another question I get asked a lot is which of the places on City Walk provide the best nighttime entertainment after the parks close. In your opinion, who puts on the best show for Universal customers at City Walk?

 

[patster734]

Thank you to those of you who answered my question. While I wrote my first post in a state of extreme frustation, which I am often in at work, my question was real. I get asked all kinds of questions about Universal and Islands of Adventure and even the area surrounding Universal Studios. I don't feel that I can possibly learn all of this on my own and appreciate any help that I can get from frequent visitors to Universal Studios.

I have even told Universal Studios employees that going to Universal orientation was counter-productive for my co-workers and I because the facilitators talked mostly about themselves and benefits that we would not be eligible for as "third party team members." We should not go to orientation to learn that we are third-class citizens because the resulting resentment is a bad deal all the way around. I will teach my co-workers whatever you frequent guests of Universal Studios teach me about Universal Studios because that information is the kind that is of use to us instead of just making new photography employees mad.

On that note, another question I get asked a lot is which of the places on City Walk provide the best nighttime entertainment after the parks close. In your opinion, who puts on the best show for Universal customers at City Walk?

Do you mean adult only or kid friendly?

For adults-only, I'd say the Piano Bar at Pat O'Briens. It's very fun! They also have a few other adult nightclubs but I haven't tried them.

For kid-friendly environment, I'd go with Margaritaville. They usually have stilt walkers making balloon animals in the evenings, in addition to the fun music.

If you're looking for a show, I suspect that The Blue Man Group would be an excellent suggestion for the whole family, although I have not experienced it for myself.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

On that note, another question I get asked a lot is which of the places on City Walk provide the best nighttime entertainment after the parks close. In your opinion, who puts on the best show for Universal customers at City Walk?

Rising Star can be very entertaining. It's 18+ on Thursdays; 21+ all other days. There are some very talented people that sing...

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

PhotoPass photographers are not allowed to ask you to have your picture taken? So then who asked me to do three different poses in front of the MK castle and AK's Tree of Life, including putting our hands out to hold baby simba or Tinkerbell? A rogue?

 

[Planogirl]

I have heard that being a photographer at Universal can be quite frustrating because you are pressured to get people to pose plus you aren't really team members so you don't have those advantages. From my own perspective, I don't mind being approached. We're asked if we are interested in a picture and I simply smile and say no thanks. It's really that simple.

We are also asked at the Disney parks but it is true that they are often busy. They have that amazing castle backdrop and it's harder to resist posing in front of that. We always just say no thanks though.

Romantic restaurants? I would go with the two Emeril locations and maybe the outdoor bar at Margaritaville.

 

[Rip]

What photographer at the Magic Kingdom has ever asked you if you wanted your picture taken? What one stands in the path you are walking and points a camera there?

The Universal photographers have a COMPLETELY different directive than Magic Kingdom photographers.

Um, lots of them actually.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I have heard that being a photographer at Universal can be quite frustrating because you are pressured to get people to pose plus you aren't really team members so you don't have those advantages. From my own perspective, I don't mind being approached. We're asked if we are interested in a picture and I simply smile and say no thanks. It's really that simple.

We are also asked at the Disney parks but it is true that they are often busy. They have that amazing castle backdrop and it's harder to resist posing in front of that. We always just say no thanks though.

Romantic restaurants? I would go with the two Emeril locations and maybe the outdoor bar at Margaritaville.

Thank you for understanding. My supervisor said that I have been the exception in that I have been a front-gate photographer for nearly a year because it is rare for women to "make it" (her words) in my position. I still feel sorry for the customers though because we ask and ask and ask every time that they come through the gate. If anyone gets past us, we can get into trouble because the managers watch out the windows. The lack of Universal benefits does further enrage many photographers, including a few who have told me not to be such a sucker in my quest to help Universal customers since I shall never see a penny or even an umbrella for sun protection from Universal while Universal gets half the money from our picture sells. That is not the customers fault though so making my co-workers think I am an idiot makes me as sad as not helping the customers who are not at fault for our situation.

I am grateful to the people who have answered my questions here though. I just bought a computer two days ago and hope to have home Internet back at home within a week, which I have not had in a year now. Using the computer at the public library,which has a one-hour limit, makes it hard to do any research online because I get around on the bus so I can only go to the public library on a day off from work. The people here who have answered my questions have saved me a lot of time seeking this information on my own.

I generally send people with children to Bubba Gump's on City Walk for their night-time entertainment because it is a company which I almost took a manager's job with in San Francisco so I know a little bit about the menu. Plus the jumping rope contests which I have seen outside look entertaining to children. Since I don't drink at all, I am more stumped for advice about the bars.

 

[BuddyThomas]

It's incredible how condescending certain people on the board can be. The original
Poster had a legitimate question and it was immediately met with the usual garbage. Sigh.

 

[lpearl]

Lol, you posted to a 1.5 yr old thread to say that? Awesome

 

[Metro West]

I think this thread has run it's course.