New Disney World Restaurant to Feature Beauty of a Concept

[WDWKOOK]

New Disney World Restaurant to Feature Beauty of a Concept
Saturday April 24, 2010 By Arthur Levine:

It's a tale as old as time: restaurant patrons generally want lighter, more casual fare and a less formal presentation for lunch. So what's a restaurateur to do with an upscale eatery that does great business for dinner, but is underutilized during the day? Disney has an intriguing solution.

Not unlike its magical transformation of a frog into a princess or a beast into a prince, the Disney wizards plan to conduct a daily metamorphosis of its planned 552-seat Be Our Guest restaurant from a casual, quick-service lunch spot into an elegant, full-service dinner experience. The multi-purpose establishment will be themed to the film, Beauty and the Beast, and will be located in the Beast's Castle, part of the Fantasyland expansion at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. The new Fantasyland attractions are scheduled to open in 2012 and 2013.

Disney will test the quick-change, dual-purpose restaurant concept with the expanded Cantina de San Angel, now under construction at the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot.

 

[PoohsFan1]

Hmmmm very interesting.....I like the sound of the concept. I am really excited to see this new B&B restaurant and also to see how they are going to play this out.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well--unless an elegant and full service dinner experience means beer and wine will be served--it ISN'T elegant or full service!!

 

[Chopair1]

Who says "elegant" and "full service" has to include alcohol?

 

[Uncleromulus]

I do.
If you are unable to get a glass (or bottle) of good wine at any restaurant, that restaurant is neither elegant, nor does it offer full service. It might have good food, but that's not the whole ball game.

 

[Golf4food]

I do.
If you are unable to get a glass (or bottle) of good wine at any restaurant, that restaurant is neither elegant, nor does it offer full service. It might have good food, but that's not the whole ball game.

It is if you don't drink. Not everyone drinks. Not everyone can for health or religious reasons. Those people are not excluded from having an elegant experience by default. It is a preference, not a necessity. You won't die if there is no alcohol available.

Air is a necessity. Water is a necessity. Food is a necessity. If alcohol is a necessity you are an alcoholic...

 

[CanadianGuy]

I think we can all accept there are differing opinions on this..

In any event, that the likelihood of alcohol being served in that restaurant is very low to none.

It would be a first for the MK pretty much when it is open to the general public at least...

K

 

[Maistre Gracey]

It is if you don't drink. Not everyone drinks. Not everyone can for health or religious reasons. Those people are not excluded from having an elegant experience by default. It is a preference, not a necessity. You won't die if there is no alcohol available.

Air is a necessity. Water is a necessity. Food is a necessity. If alcohol is a necessity you are an alcoholic...

I agree with the Uncle on this.
Look at it this way:

If your car needs brakes and you bring it to a brake & muffler shop, the shop will be able to handle your entire needs.
That still does not make the brake & muffler shop a full service auto repair facility.

MG

 

[OldsDr]

It is if you don't drink. Not everyone drinks. Not everyone can for health or religious reasons. Those people are not excluded from having an elegant experience by default. It is a preference, not a necessity. You won't die if there is no alcohol available.

Air is a necessity. Water is a necessity. Food is a necessity. If alcohol is a necessity you are an alcoholic...

Alcohol is not a necessity, but we are not talking necesity of life we are talking a necesity to call yourself a "Full Service" restaurant. I hope they never change the acholhol in MK rule, but unless they do they can not have a "full service" restaurant. If they Sold just Bologna Sandwhiches and water served by a waiter they could call themselves a sit down restaurant, but not full service

 

[highlander]

Do you have something against bologna sandwiches?

 

[Disco]

I guess no restaurant is full service than. I can't think of anything that serves rocky mountain oysters, haggis, ginger beer, Tai ice tea, bird nest soup along with all the standards in one place.
Just because they don’t offer an item that you want doesn’t mean they are not full service. No place can offer everything.
They have food? Check. They have water? Check. Both are necessary for life and they provide it. Do they offer the above in different courses (i.e. appetizer, entrée, and dessert)? Check. It is a full service restaurant, period.
This makes the car shop argument moot as well. If a shop offers everything your car needs to stay on the road, it is full service. If it doesn’t provide luxuries like Italian leather or fluffy steering wheel covers…?, it is still full service as those are not needed.
I might understand the idea of them “not being elegant” but that comes down to personal opinion. They have a nice relaxing and comfortable interior with good food and nice music playing in the background, that is elegant to me. I don’t require alcohol to feel like I’m living the high life. A good restaurant is more about the food to me as a good bar is more about the alcohol.

 

[OldsDr]

I don’t require alcohol to feel like I’m living the high life. .

No body is claiming this is the???

It is just that "Full Service" implies certain products will be provided. Which will include different things in different parts of the world. In the North America, Europe, and Asia Alchohol is one of those things expected at a "Full Service" restaurant.

 

[Disco]

No body is claiming this is the???

It is just that "Full Service" implies certain products will be provided. Which will include different things in different parts of the world. In the North America, Europe, and Asia Alchohol is one of those things expected at a "Full Service" restaurant.

LOL I clearly pointed out that part was personal opinion.
I'm also American and as long as a waiter brings me my meal, that isn't self service, so it must be full. There are many cities/counties that are "dry" in America. I would never expect lack of alcohol to mean that they are not full much less inelegant.

 

[Uncleromulus]

The really neat point is that in any restaurant that serves alcohol, no one MAKES you drink. You can order all the ice water your heart desires.
For me, a glass of wine or a beer is a part of any enjoyable dinner at an elegant restaurant. Without it, the restaurant becomes less than elegant.
I'm sure it'll pack 'em in otherwise but in my case, this new spot will hold no attraction whatsoever. It may be a step above the restaurants already in the MK--but that's not really hard to do.

 

[Jason71]

So...off the subject of whether or not there will be booze in a MK restaurant (hint: there won't)...

Is this really workable? How well can they hide the registers/switchbacks/service windows/etc.? While I can live with the idea of a full service restaurant not having wine, I'm not sure I could accept one with condiment islands in the middle of the floor.

Also, and I think this is more of a concern in the new Mexican restaurant--are people really going to pay a premium for the food they could get at 1/3 the price at lunch? Again, the B&tB theme should help here, but I think Mexico will be dependent on the fireworks to get bookings.

 

[Disco]

So...off the subject of whether or not there will be booze in a MK restaurant (hint: there won't)...

Is this really workable? How well can they hide the registers/switchbacks/service windows/etc.? While I can live with the idea of a full service restaurant not having wine, I'm not sure I could accept one with condiment islands in the middle of the floor.

Also, and I think this is more of a concern in the new Mexican restaurant--are people really going to pay a premium for the food they could get at 1/3 the price at lunch? Again, the B&tB theme should help here, but I think Mexico will be dependent on the fireworks to get bookings.

It would put me off to be in a "fine" dining establishment to see boarded up CS stalls. Maybe the animatronics pop up out of the counters at dinner and do a show? They’d be like little stages for the clock or candle opera.
Or maybe it will be the basis of the new Transformers 3 movie, transformable buildings. Stealing from Big here, "I don't get it".

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Two things...

First, the idea is VERY intriguing and while it is financially motivated, as is the way of current Disney, it also shows out of the box thinking to solve a dilemma in a creative way. I can't wait to see how it works out.

As to the elegant dining theme, I'm with Uncle on this one. Sure it's just personal opinion or preference (as are most things) but fine dining 'generally speaking' includes proper wine pairings. The dining can be done without but it just will not be the pinnacle.

 

[OldsDr]

LOL I clearly pointed out that part was personal opinion.
I'm also American and as long as a waiter brings me my meal, that isn't self service, so it must be full. There are many cities/counties that are "dry" in America. I would never expect lack of alcohol to mean that they are not full much less inelegant.

I would go one step further and say that you can have a very elegant meal at a restaurant that does not serve alchohol. But I still maintain if that is the case it is not full service. In a dry county or town i would be willing to alter my opinion becaus eit is a matter of law, but if it is allowed then I say it is not full service.

 

[Jason71]

As to the elegant dining theme, I'm with Uncle on this one. Sure it's just personal opinion or preference (as are most things) but fine dining 'generally speaking' includes proper wine pairings. The dining can be done without but it just will not be the pinnacle.

But, generally speaking, does it also include robot candlesticks and girls doing cosplay? It's Magic Kingdom, this will be "elegant dining" like the Jungle Cruise is an "adventure."

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

But, generally speaking, does it also include robot candlesticks and girls doing cosplay? It's Magic Kingdom, this will be "elegant dining" like the Jungle Cruise is an "adventure."

I agree to be sure. It is the MK and it will be a Disney representation of 'fine dining' (without the alcohol), LOL.

But still the idea of a remarkably different venue for lunch and dinner is interesting and I can't wait to see how they'll pull it off.