Please change the menus

[clten]

I think this is the fault of their comment card system! We generally love our servers and want to give them high marks because we know how important it is to them. Unfortunately, rating the food in each of the restaurants goes to their rating so while we may not think the food is "excellent" in each of the restaurants, a lot of the time we will give them that rating just so our servers get top marks. (We do add comments both about what we really thought of the food in the restaurants and the fact that our servers shouldn't get penalized for menu or execution - they do their job and offer to bring something else out.) But because the restaurants get "excellent" ratings, I'm sure that's why they don't feel they need to change them up.

So I agree, I would like to see the menus change more frequently, but I also am wary because it is true that all changes aren't necessarily good.

 

[mousefan73]

I think DCL risks more a backlash if they were to change things than be new and innovative. If you look at most things Disney as soon as you change something more people complain. I think when it comes to Disney things people like traditions And no surprises. I can see of course if you travel 17 times things may get old. But I don’t think 17 DCL cruise this is the norm. I think DCL found what works and is sticking to it. I myself am looking forward to the same old Menus. I loved what I had and would love to have it again or try My second choice is that I didn’t get to trylast time and now have a chance to.

I just know that whenever WDW changes up their buffets or TS ,for example recently at Ohana’s, people flipped out. Imagine if escargot was removed from Royal palace or the Grand Marnier soufflé replaced with perhaps a dark chocolate chili soufflé people would have a crisis.

 

[ScooterScott44]

We were on the OP’s cruise and it as #13 for us and I stated something similar about dining menu changes in another thread. It seems that the pirate menu has changed more than others. It has a few decent choices. The Animators and Enchanted Garden menus seem like they are the most in need of even a small change. The French menu has too much “classic” feel to probably change much. I just branched out and got a few of the lighter and vegetarian options to try something new and paired them with some old favorites. We didn’t do it this time but a dinner in cabanas can really help break up the monotony.

It is probably harder for the cruise line to change the menu, especially while the shops are in North America as Disney probably sources all the supplies for months in advance. With the weekly schedule of the ships they have to use a distributor/supplier that can reproduce that order frequently. So the lack of changes are probably due mostly to logistics more than creativity.

 

[DisneYE]

I guess for those that cruise 3x or more a year I can see how the same menus can be a tad boring
We do one or 2 cruises max per year, so I don't remember the menus being the same each time. I also have bad memory.
Maybe its because I'm not a huge food connoiseuir or a gourmand (for those who speak French), so I really don't care as long as the food is half decent and is served in a timely and adequate way (right temperature, presentation, etc).
When ppl go to Texas Roadhouse, DelFrisco's etc, do they say "gee, I wish they changed their prime ribs and ribeyes for something else".
I don't think Olive Garden has had any major changes in their menus for years. Heck, I think their Fettuccini Alfredo is the same since they began operations.
I go to these places for the quality and not the variety of the food. Same applies to DCL (where, plus, you're vacationing ON A CRUISE). IMO.

 

[dclpluto]

Remember that nasty popcorn soup? That was terrible. They got rid of that.
Maybe a lot of people had it on their comment card. Or they could see that very few people ate it and decided they needed to do something.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

My point of view might be cynical, but here it is.

As long as the ships are full of guests paying top dollar, Disney has no incentive to make changes. As the saying goes, if it's not broke, don't fix it. A lot of their marketing targets first-time cruisers, who don't know that the menu hasn't changed in several years. We first-timers are wowed by everything. (I say this as someone who cruised DCL for the first time in 2017 and will gladly to back in the next year or so to eat the same stuff again!)

Here is another cynical thought: most cruise lines offer many, many more additional charge specialty dining venues than Disney. DCL is building three new ships. Perhaps they will offer interesting new menu choices on these ships... "in a new, exciting dining venue for a small, per-person fee."

 

[g_ppetto]

I'm also wondering what people ordered, that they didn't like and when they cruised, for the pirate night menu. We did the Fantasy last September and looking at the menus, we kinda liked that menu best.

For me, it was the Enchanted Garden. Nothing on the menu appealed to me, so I ordered the chicken found in the 'other stuff' area of the menu. It was ok, but once was enough. Another issue we had with the EG was the temperature. We froze, and I was wearing a jacket. It was enough of a disappointment that I don't need to go back. I'll get a grilled sandwich or a slice on the pool deck.

 

[DWillowBay]

I surely LOVE the food, but also wouldn't mind some new options. I wish I DIDN'T like the food so much...

 

[ktate82]

We loved the pirate menu when we first started cruising (2014), but after the changes, we skip it. We either eat at Palo or Cabanas that night. Wish they would bring back the pineapple appetizer. That was my favorite!

 

[lwilliam]

We loved the pirate menu when we first started cruising (2014), but after the changes, we skip it. We either eat at Palo or Cabanas that night. Wish they would bring back the pineapple appetizer. That was my favorite!

Mine was the barbecued short ribs...this time they had them on Cabanas buffet the next day, sooooo good.

 

[ktate82]

Mine was the barbecued short ribs...this time they had them on Cabanas buffet the next day, sooooo good.

Thats my second wish!

 

[KrisV]

I guess I'm the oddball out, I loved the food! However it was also my first Disney cruise.

 

[cadien]

Looking forward to Tiana’s since it will be our first time, but not at all jazzed about the rest.

I see what you did there.

 

[cadien]

We are doing the pirate menu for the first time and I don't get the issue. It looks great to me. I've asked the same question: do you not like the options or do you think they're prepared poorly and it seems to be the options. Maybe too exotic?

I'm all about exotic, and thought the pirate menu looked great. But the preparation didn't live up to it.

“Boucanier” Smoked Saucisson, Baked Brie, Brioche and Honey with sliced Figs and Caramelized Orange
Instead of this appetizer being a sort of charcuterie plate, it's all mushed up together in a sort of casserole. Strata, really. And the figs overpower it all.

Entree-wise, I had the grouper, and it was the only night that the fish was dry. Super dry to boot. Like chewy around the edges.

 

[MrsDuck]

Have you tried the food on OTHER cruise lines? I'll take the repeat menus, please and thank you...

 

[Bonnie1222]

The one that needs to change the most imo. Is the one where you draw the pictures and you have no choice of appetizers. Only one to choose from that has three different things and it’s not good imo.

We went the weekend after Thanksgiving and they changed the Animation night menu on the Fantasy - you got to choose now and they had much better offerings. I was actually pleased with the change because that was always my least favorite night for food.

The Pirate menu seemed like it was updated too with a few new offerings.

I agree they need to change something. I have done 5 cruises in 2 years and I end up choosing almost the exact sames things every time. The food is wonderful - but as a repeat cruiser I agree a little more variety would be nice.

 

[noahsketomom]

I am also with the minority in that I enjoy the pirate night menu. Animator's menu (the rotational one), IMHO, is BLAH.... At least there's always extra options under vegetarian or lighter options....if I ever find a menu I'm not thrilled with, I try one of those and am usually pleasantly surprised.

 

[lovewdwfun]

We did our first cruise on the Fantasy in November and are doing Wonder in May. We were surprised how similar the menus are. We love trying new foods and restaurants- it’s a big part of our vacation. Between the same menus and the same shows, I am not that excited to go back to the Fantasy. We’d originally planned to do Fantasy again in a year or two, but it feels like it will be the same exact vacation. At Disney World, we make it a point to always try a new restaurant each trip and like to switch up the hotels.

 

[Dug720]

We did our first cruise on the Fantasy in November and are doing Wonder in May. We were surprised how similar the menus are. We love trying new foods and restaurants- it’s a big part of our vacation. Between the same menus and the same shows, I am not that excited to go back to the Fantasy. We’d originally planned to do Fantasy again in a year or two, but it feels like it will be the same exact vacation. At Disney World, we make it a point to always try a new restaurant each trip and like to switch up the hotels.

That is pretty much the way of cruising - lines have the same MDR menu across their fleet. I know RCCL does. Makes ordering MUCH easier for them.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Have you tried the food on OTHER cruise lines? I'll take the repeat menus, please and thank you...

I have! I've cruised Carnival, Norwegian and Princess as well as DCL - and I'll be really honest - DCL's MDRs do NOT rank on top for me. It's still fine on DCL, I'll eat pretty much whatever, but I'm not one to say "Wow, that food was amazing" - it's a cruise ship, they are cooking for thousands - my expectations are fairly low.