New eatery @ Saratoga Springs?

[mstec]

...a quality full service restaurant and food service facility @ SSR could do a healthy business with weddings, private parties, meetings, conventions, etc. The setting and location, at that corner of The World, would be unique.

That's a great idea! It would make a perfect place for them to really encourage weddings, conventions, etc. I can't help but wonder why Disney hasn't picked up on that, or had it in their long term plans...It seems the perfect place - with the beautiful romantic view, the relaxing atmosphere, proximity to DD and Pleasure Island, etc and plenty of room to hold large functions, etc...

 

[Doug7856]

We've tried the place once and enjoyed the food when we eventually received it from the rude CM. We were the only family in line and the CM acted as if we were putting her out by placing an order.

We'll try it again but with service like that I'm not looking forward to it.

We've eaten at AP twice. The first we had a rude CM. The second was painfully slow. We didn't eat there again. The food was o.k. both times, our only complaints were the lack of selection and the poor service.

 

[pbharris4]

My 2 cents worth : and it's only my opinion: I loved the decor of AP, but the food was just not good. We ate there 2 times. I'd rather eat at MCDonalds and I HATE McD's. If AP doesn't get much traffic..it's because the food isn't worth the hike from the farther sections. If it were like Beaches n Cream or Earl of Sandwich, I'd be there in a heatbeat...no matter where I was staying. I also think they do need a sit down restaurant. It would be more convenient for families with small children. We stayed at SSR a few weeks ago and we were put in The Paddock section. Which is away from pretty much everything. It was a hike to AP, and a hike to DTD, and a hike to the boat launch. We pretty much drove everywhere as it was easier with my 25 month old DD. I just don't think it works for the munchkins. I actually picked to stay there because of it's closeness to DTD, but didn't realize how far DTD was.

 

[CarolA]

Reading this is very interesting. Someone is going to be unhappy. We have one group that seems to want a top drawer resturant doing fancy events and others who want a family oriented resturant..... Disney is in a no win situation no matter what LOL!

 

[NMW]

Reading this is very interesting. Someone is going to be unhappy. We have one group that seems to want a top drawer resturant doing fancy events and others who want a family oriented resturant..... Disney is in a no win situation no matter what LOL!

I really think that the final size of SSR could support both. The BC/YC/BCV have Yachtsman steakhouse, Cape May Cafe, Yacht Club Galley, and Beaches and Cream. They are all really different and appeal to us at different times. Couldn't SSR have a fun family place open for B,L,D, maybe with a character breakfast and also a nice more upscale place too? This place is going to be huge when it's done. It would make the resort very appealing to our family, as we don't cook on vacation. And yes, we have styed in lots of places with full kitchens (Myrtle Beach, Outer Banks) and we don't cook, ever.

 

[aDVCguy]

Yes, there will be a full sit down restaurant...it's location according to a cast member working at the Artist's Palette, will be located down at the end of a hallway heading outside to the patio area behind the Artist's Palette. This will
include said patio. I don't have a time though when it'll happen...I too wouldn't mind a sit down eatery there...I'm not always wanting to go to
DTD for dinner.

 

[tjkraz]

Yes, there will be a full sit down restaurant...it's location according to a cast member working at the Artist's Palette...

So, did he/she have anything to say about DVC at the Contemporary, the monorail expansion or the 5th theme park?

C'mon, DVC, make it official!!!

 

[murcor]

Put it right on the water to take advantage of that gorgeous view across the lake.

I agree

 

[CarolA]

I really think that the final size of SSR could support both. The BC/YC/BCV have Yachtsman steakhouse, Cape May Cafe, Yacht Club Galley, and Beaches and Cream. They are all really different and appeal to us at different times. Couldn't SSR have a fun family place open for B,L,D, maybe with a character breakfast and also a nice more upscale place too? This place is going to be huge when it's done. It would make the resort very appealing to our family, as we don't cook on vacation. And yes, we have styed in lots of places with full kitchens (Myrtle Beach, Outer Banks) and we don't cook, ever.

Now we want TWO resturants.

I don't see that at all. BC/YC/BCV actually draw folks from the Epcot and are considered more of a destination then SSR ever will be.

Also, keep in mind that the owners are going to pay for this.... So once the resturant is built if it loses money... we pay!

 

[dtsaos]

Just wanted to add that SSR is the only place on WDW property that I could find that has my favorite sandwich- Turkey and Brie! I think it looks like a nice menu, but they could use a sit down place as well. Why not do a horse racing theme restaurant or "copy" one of the more upscale restaurants that exists in the real NY Saratoga area. I think it would do very well. Also, I don't think it will cost SSR owners anything extra-it will pay for itself and then some if done properly and will attract people from all over and make SSR a more appealing place to stay at which will help to fill up empty rooms during slow times as well as busy times which will in turn help keep maintenance fees down.

 

[KLEONARD]

Now we want TWO resturants.

I don't see that at all. BC/YC/BCV actually draw folks from the Epcot and are considered more of a destination then SSR ever will be.

Also, keep in mind that the owners are going to pay for this.... So once the resturant is built if it loses money... we pay!

CarolA, can SSR attract the guests staying at the DTD hotels with a sit down restaraunt? Not nearly the population that BC/YC/BCV get from epcot, but it might be enough to justify the eatery. I thought I read that Olivia's at OKW has a local following. Maybe SSR could enjoy the same success.

My grandmother always said, "a restaraunt that bakes its own bread will always make plenty of dough".

 

[JimFitz]

CarolA, can SSR attract the guests staying at the DTD hotels with a sit down restaraunt? Not nearly the population that BC/YC/BCV get from epcot, but it might be enough to justify the eatery. I thought I read that Olivia's at OKW has a local following. Maybe SSR could enjoy the same success.

My grandmother always said, "a restaraunt that bakes its own bread will always make plenty of dough".

My thoughts exactly.

 

[tjkraz]

CarolA, can SSR attract the guests staying at the DTD hotels with a sit down restaraunt? Not nearly the population that BC/YC/BCV get from epcot, but it might be enough to justify the eatery.

Seems like sound reasoning...my fear is that data accumulated while "Seasons" was at the DI proves otherwise. If "Seasons" drew that business and was a money maker for Disney, then why wasn't a replacement part of the original SSR design?

The arguments for character meals make some sense, but if "build it and they will come" were the only consideration, we'd see character meals at just about every resort location. Pop Century has 3500 rooms. Even with economic differences between the two resorts, I'm not inclined to think that 800 room SSR would support a character meal any better than 3500 room POP.

Olivia's used to host a character meal, but it was eliminated after 9/11. If that venture had once been considered a success, it would have been resurrected when tourism began to climb again. Instead, it looks like 9/11 was a convenient excuse to eliminate the meal.

 

[lllovell]

Seems like sound reasoning...my fear is that data accumulated while "Seasons" was at the DI proves otherwise. If "Seasons" drew that business and was a money maker for Disney, then why wasn't a replacement part of the original SSR design?

The arguments for character meals make some sense, but if "build it and they will come" were the only consideration, we'd see character meals at just about every resort location. Pop Century has 3500 rooms. Even with economic differences between the two resorts, I'm not inclined to think that 800 room SSR would support a character meal any better than 3500 room POP.

Olivia's used to host a character meal, but it was eliminated after 9/11. If that venture had once been considered a success, it would have been resurrected when tourism began to climb again. Instead, it looks like 9/11 was a convenient excuse to eliminate the meal.

I am not disagreeing with your logic, but my observations have been that Disney is trying to get people into the parks. Most of the character meals are now inside the parks (thus getting a day's ticket out of the guests as well). The rest (with the exception of Cape May and a few odds and ends ones like at the Swan or the Grosvenor - which just has 2 characters) are in the 3 hotels that are on the monorail, thus I feel like the push is still to get people headed towards the parks. Anything other than a Character Breakfast would pull people away from the parks for entertainment in the middle of the day or evening. I just wonder if this push to get people inside isn't more of the reason for NOT having character meals outside the monorail loop.

Has there ever been any verifiable data relieased about DI and the number of guests, income, etc? I wonder if there would be any real way to compare Seasons because of the difference in number of guests, etc. I see a sit down being a reality here because of feedback, but maybe Seasons truly was underused. I, like the rest of you, don't want to get left holding the bag for an under utilized restaurant.

 

[Dean]

Reading this is very interesting. Someone is going to be unhappy. We have one group that seems to want a top drawer resturant doing fancy events and others who want a family oriented resturant..... Disney is in a no win situation no matter what LOL!

Carol, I'd think the only way people would truly be unhappy is if nothing were added or any addition was a drain on the resort maint fees. I suspect we'd all be happier with a nice restaurant whether a casual family style, upscale family style or more gourmet restaurant. Something is definitely needed. I think a truly gourmet restaurant by itself would be hard to justify

 

[ishouldbegolfing]

This is really an interesting thread. When we looked at SSR the end of May that lack of on site dinning was a real turn off for us. One of the best parts about vacation for us is eating out. Convenient (read close!), quality dinning was a must have. All that being said - we're purchasing our first contract at BWV. Maybe by the time we are ready to do an add-on they'll have better restaurants at SSR.