Place your bets! Going soon and haven't had a "horrendous meal" yet!

[SydneyFalco]

Well, I'm off in a couple of days to brave the crowds (by which I mean to say, weep uncontrollably in a corner of Main Street) and I have seven ADRS. Since it seems like everybody on these boards has had at least ONE horrible meal, and I've been three time in the last three years without incident, I would seem to be due.

Which of the following ADRs is likeliest to be the one?

Biergarten
Wolfgang Puck's Cafe
Crystal Palace breakfast
San Angel Inn (disclosuse: I've been before and found it fine)
Le Cellier
Ohana (disclosuse: I've been before and found it fine)
California Grill

 

[KatMark]

Well, I'm off in a couple of days to brave the crowds (by which I mean to say, weep uncontrollably in a corner of Main Street) and I have seven ADRS. Since it seems like everybody on these boards has had at least ONE horrible meal, and I've been three time in the last three years without incident, I would seem to be due.

Which of the following ADRs is likeliest to be the one?

Biergarten
Wolfgang Puck's Cafe
Crystal Palace breakfast
San Angel Inn (disclosuse: I've been before and found it fine)
Le Cellier
Ohana (disclosuse: I've been before and found it fine)
California Grill

From what I've read on the boards, I'm going to pick San Angel or Ohana. We've not done either (I don't eat Mexican food so that rules out us ever going to San Angel and Ohana is on the list next visit). We've also not done CG (we don't do signature restaurants) and we have always had excellent meals at Biergarten, CP (love the puffed french toast) and LeCellier.

Have a great time and say hi to Mickey for us.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I think you'll be fine. I've eaten at almost all WDW restaurants a few times (except for four) and have never had a "horrendous" meal. I never have very high expectations which I think some people on the DIS tend to get after reading reviews or experiences on here. My expectations are as follows: I may have to wait even with an ADR, I'll get to sit in air conditioning, be served food/drinks (and know that it isn't a fast food restaurant and it takes time), food will be good, some meals may take awhile but if I wanted to get in and out I should've gone to a CS place, and I'll get to chat with my family/friends. I've read a few times on here when someone gets a really great birthday/anniversary free dessert and another person goes expecting that too when they're celebrating something and don't get it they slam the restaurant. I've had annoyingly extremely slow service and I've had mediocre meals but nothing horrendous.

I've gone out to eat with a friend occassionally (not at WDW) and it seems no matter where we go it's always a disaster, she orders drinks that the server has to make (like iced tea and lemonade) and it's never done to her liking, she changes so much about her meal it doesn't even really qualify as a 'menu' item by the time she's done with it, and no matter WHAT it always comes out (in her eyes) overcooked, undercooked, cold, not EXACTLY what she was expecting, etc. I see a lot of that kind of stuff in the dining reviews I read when someone has had a "horrendous" meal at WDW.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

My fingers are crossed that your good luck continues.

If I had to place a guess though, I'd go with California Grill. Now, I enjoyed all the food I've eaten there, and love the view. But in May we, quite possibly, had the worst waiter I have ever encountered in WDW. It took us two hours to order and eat a ravioli appetizer and dessert. The man would give us our menus, then up and disappear for eons. He'd been gone about ten minutes after he gave us our menus, and when he finally came back to take our order, he said "Pardon me, do you mind if I go greet this other table?" We were taken aback and didn't know what to say, so I think one of us said "Umm, okay." Big mistake. He schmoozed with this other table (a large party) for quite awhile, then disappeared again. When he finally returned to us, once he figured out we were ordering appetizers as our entrees, poof, he was gone. When we finally got a dessert menu an hour later, it took him 20 minutes to meander back to take our order.

I wanted to complain to a manager, but by the time we actually finished eating, I was feeling awful and just wanted out of there (we had had plans to go shopping in DTD that night; didn't happen). I was going to write a complaint when I got home just about the problem in general (I couldn't remember the guy's name), but so much happened in my family health-wise after that, now that I think of it, I never did do that. Wish I had.

So basically, just hope you don't get our MIA waiter. Or if you do, order a full 3 course meal and he'll pay attention to you. Otherwise, you should be fine.

 

[Wild4Walt]

I'm gonna go with the positive - I've eatten at all of them except for Wolfgang Puck's and all were good.

You'll have to let us know how it went!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

We have had two pretty bad meals at San Angel and have vowed not to go back. You (and many other Disers) have had good experiences.

Sending much pixie dust that your good meal trend continues!

 

[Daisy&Max]

I'm another that has eaten many many meals at the sit down restaurants and have never had a horrendous meal. I might have less than stellar service or something might not have tasted like I wanted it to, but none of them have ever been horrendous.

OP have fun and enjoy. I can't wait until I can plan my next trip and all of my ADRs.

Daisy

 

[Pakey]

We've eaten at almost every TS at WDW, including all of those on your list, and I'm going to have to go with San Angel Inn.

 

[TillyMarigold]

I've never had a horrendous meal either, and only once had bad service (but the food was still very good). Biergarten and Le Cellier are the only two on your list I've eaten at, though.

I think if you expect that you may have to wait a bit, the restaurants will be fairly loud and crowded and have a fair number of kids, and the food and service will both be between decent and very good, then you'll never be disappointed and frequently be pleasantly surprised.

Edit: I should add that on our last trip, the restaurants were only a little loud and moderately full, had a fair number of almost universally well-behaved kids, and the worst food we had was good and the best was outstanding. And the service was good to excellent at every place but one. Which is why I said it was all about expectations ... we went in with those expectations (which were reasonable) and Disney exceeded them every time.

 

[Hoopfamily]

I've gone out to eat with a friend occassionally (not at WDW) and it seems no matter where we go it's always a disaster, she orders drinks that the server has to make (like iced tea and lemonade) and it's never done to her liking, she changes so much about her meal it doesn't even really qualify as a 'menu' item by the time she's done with it, and no matter WHAT it always comes out (in her eyes) overcooked, undercooked, cold, not EXACTLY what she was expecting, etc. I see a lot of that kind of stuff in the dining reviews I read when someone has had a "horrendous" meal at WDW.[/quote]


I have a relative who is like your friend. Every time you eat out, she has some gripe about the food or the waiter or the temperature of the establishment. None of which are ever a big deal. Last year she joined us for her first trip to Disney World. I told her she could dine with us any time she wanted but, she would not be able to send dishes back, She would not complain about trivial things to her server and not over alter her order.

I agree that people set expectations way to high. I've always found the food at least good if not better than average. Sometimes service is slow, but they are moving a huge number of people, and some make ridiculous changes to their orders.

 

[tbee407]

My money is on the San Angel Inn. It used to be one of our favorites but the quality has really slipped over the last few years. On our last trip they had replaced the chips with Frito Lay Tostito round chips. Our local Mexican restaurant is much better.

 

[kmk1180]

Most likely you'll only have a horrible meal if you go looking for a horrible meal.

It's a resturant and ya mistakes can happen or get a really bad server but no more than anywhere else.

 

[Micca]

I'm with NeverlandClub--I've never had a horrible meal at WDW. Some have been great, some good, and a few "meh", nothing horrible. I stay away from San Angel because I like Tex-Mex style food and that isn't what they serve(the atmoshpere there is fantastic).
We're taking a break from Ohana because we think it isn't as good as it was a few years ago, but it's a long way from "horrible" or "inedible".

 

[DisFan10]

I would say the San Angel Inn because it's so inconsistent...

 

[SuzieN]

I think your list looks pretty good and doubt that you'll have a bad meal!!! I wonder how many of the people who picked San Angel Inn have been there recently? We had a fantastic meal there in October. Everything was delicious - from the appetizers to dessert. They served us warm, homemade chips and zesty, homemade salsa. If you read reviews, most of the ones of SAI from the last few months have been very favorable!!! Have a fantastic trip!!!!

 

[jdisnut]

A quick search of this board will prove that people have had both wonderful and awful experiences at every restaurant you listed. I agree with the posters who mentioned the notion of attitude. You're much more likely to have a disappointing meal if you go looking for one. I have never had a truly horrendous meal at a Disney restaurant. Some have been better than others, of course, but I have never been to a restaurant and left planning to never return.

But since you asked, I suspect San Angel Inn is the most inconsistent place of your choices. I am still trying to believe 'Ohana is as wonderful as I remember, and I am eating there in a couple weeks.

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[TDC Nala]

I've eaten at a ton of Disney restaurants and I recall two horrible meals - one at the Concourse Steakhouse (which doesn't exist anymore) and the other at the Tomorrowland Noodle Station (which barely exists anymore). There's been others that I didn't like so much, or the food was cold, or the preparation wasn't to my taste. That doesn't count as horrible.

I like San Angel and Ohana is okay but not horrible. Not even bad. But I do not expect Ohana to be wonderful. I'm just talking food now. Bad service can make a horrible meal out of anything and you can never tell if you are going to get that.

Since Cava del Tequila opened they are not using bagged chips. My vegan friend asked once (in September) and was told the chips are fried in oil containing lard so they are certainly not Tostitos. She could have eaten Tostitos and would have preferred those.

 

[arielmomma]

You list looks pretty good to me. I'm with you in that I have eaten at most WDW restaurants and I have yet to have a horrendous meal. As a matter of fact, most we have really enjoyed.

I'm going to say that none will be horrendous!