Poll about banning free dining (Inspired by Geezer)

[Brian Noble]

At one time Oliva's was not signature, but it was a pretty good restaurant, better than many TS places (so I understand, we never went there).

I've been there 2-3 times in the last few years, and I think that, for the most part, it still is both "pretty good" and "better than many." But, that's just one man's opinion, and it also has a bit to do with Tim's observation---it's rarely if ever super busy, and so that makes it a more pleasant experience in the midst of packed-to-the-gills restaurants elsewhere.

 

[smjj]

I'm sorry, but I can't imagine ever thinking of Olivia's as a "signature" dining location. It's a nice place, with a little bit of character, and decent food. It's never been much more than that, unless you were tasting all that pixie dust that they sprinkle on everything.

You may be right, I don't know the true definition of a signature restaurant. We think it was even if they did not use white table cloths. Restaurants are like the resorts, some like/love and some hate/loath, its all up to family tastes. They had their own special dishes and they were good, very good and great service and atmosphere. That to us is signature restaurant and we miss it...smjj

 

[BEASLYBOO]

The limited choices is what I object to most, and since the food is for the most part pre-prepared elsewhere for cost and time efficiency, the meals all resemble and taste the same! What I wouldn't give for "Specials" but there's no such thing at Disney!

 

[UConnJack]

I agree that FD (or rather the DDP in general) has limited the variety in food across WDW by "normalizing" the menus. That said, I don't think it has particularly reduced the quality of said food, its just all similar. True, every sit down restaurant seems to just have variations on a food theme (e.g., lamb shank, tenderloin, salmon, etc.), but I do enjoy those dishes and think they are of good quality. And I am not an Applebee’s/TGI Fridays kind of diner; I do enjoy quality meals at good restaurants.

Would I like to see more variety and more exotic dishes? Sure, but we frequent WDW visitors aren't the ones being catered to here. For the average person who goes to WDW maybe a few times in their life, there is PLENTY of variety to keep them happy. To boot, most people visiting WDW aren't particularly adventurous culinary aficionados. I can't tell you how many times I have eaten at Boma and found entire families (not just the kids) eating salad, pasta, and chicken nuggets (although they do eat the desserts....) While I don't like being the victim of catering to the lowest common denominator either, that's the truth in business.

 

[LisaS]

To boot, most people visiting WDW aren't particularly adventurous culinary aficionados. I can't tell you how many times I have eaten at Boma and found entire families (not just the kids) eating salad, pasta, and chicken nuggets (although they do eat the desserts....) While I don't like being the victim of catering to the lowest common denominator either, that's the truth in business.

If you looked at my plate when we eat at Boma you would see lots of salad but that's because 1) I like salad and 2) the salads at Boma are unique. They do offer one bowl of regular salad but everything else in the salad section of the buffet is African inspired and really interesting, different and delicious. For example they add curry-type spices to the pasta salad. Their potato salad was made with a similar dressing and was so good but unfortunately it hasn't been on the buffet for over a year now.

As a vegetarian, I still find that the food is very different from one restaurant to the next. At non-buffets, there is usually only one thing on the menu I can order but that one dish is unique to that restaurant. At buffets there are a variety of things I can eat but again, there isn't much overlap between buffets. Even Boma and Tusker House which both offer African and Indian inspired dishes, the items are different at each place, at least when it comes to the vegetarian-friendly dishes.

So I'm not seeing a decline in quality or lack of variety but rather more difficulty in booking ADRs at my favorite restaurants if I don't do it at least 4 months in advance.

 

[smjj]

You know, for all the post here by me and others about the decline in the food at certain signatures restaurants and in general around WDW, guess what. We are already planning our next trip to WDW after our Member's Cruise in Sept. We have decided to stay at our home resort OKW where Olivia's is located. We loved the way Olivia's once was but do not decided where to go or stay on food alone. So I guess you can say Disney wins but so do we, we love OKW....smjj

 

[BeesKnees]

We didn't eat at an official Disney restaraunt at all last time we went. We had our upscale meals at the Swan and Dolphin.

 

[patsal]

For me staying anywhere DVC does not mean I have to eat at WDW. I rarely eat at the resort I am staying at, most especially at OKW. I just can't keep paying insane prices for poor quality and very little variety. The Swan had a few wonderful choices that we enjoyed very much last year.

 

[smjj]

For me staying anywhere DVC does not mean I have to eat at WDW. I rarely eat at the resort I am staying at, most especially at OKW. I just can't keep paying insane prices for poor quality and very little variety. The Swan had a few wonderful choices that we enjoyed very much last year.

We have walked around the Swan and Dolphin a couple of times but not eaten there. Can you recommend a restaurant. We are the more blue collar but nicer restaurants types, just not too fancy...smjj

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Can you recommend a restaurant. We are the more blue collar but nicer restaurants types, just not too fancy...smjj

At the Dolphin, Todd English Blue Zoo, I wouldn't say fancy (but that's my enterpretation), check out the menu on Allears.com. I save up to eat there, I've found the menu choices to be more imaginative then what Disney is now putting out. The food is well prepared and really good (the parmesan garlic fries are sinfully good). My 14 year old son loves it as well. See if anything on the menu calls out to you, don't be put off by some of the descriptions, they sound complicated but taste really good!

At the Swan, Kimonos is good, if you like sushi and Il Mullino, probably has some of the best Italian food in the Disney area.

We keep it simple but once in a while we like to treat ourselves to these restaurants.

 

[smjj]

At the Dolphin, Todd English Blue Zoo, I wouldn't say fancy (but that's my enterpretation), check out the menu on Allears.com. I save up to eat there, I've found the menu choices to be more imaginative then what Disney is now putting out. The food is well prepared and really good. My 14 year old son loves it as well. See if anything on the menu calls out to you, don't be put off by some of the descriptions, they sound complicated but taste really good!

Thanks fellow OKW'er, we will give the menu a look over...smjj

 

[hakepb]

Blue Zoo instantly reminds me of Mrs DVC Mike's memorable review:

disboards.com/showpost.php?p=34117265&postcount=114

 

[UConnJack]

If you looked at my plate when we eat at Boma you would see lots of salad but that's because 1) I like salad and 2) the salads at Boma are unique. They do offer one bowl of regular salad but everything else in the salad section of the buffet is African inspired and really interesting, different and delicious. For example they add curry-type spices to the pasta salad. Their potato salad was made with a similar dressing and was so good but unfortunately it hasn't been on the buffet for over a year now.

Just so you know, I certainly wasn't knocking salad eaters. Your right, the pasta and vegetable salad's Boma has are unique and interesting. The people I am referring to aren't adventurous to eat anything but chicken nuggets, pizza, and ordinary green salad at Boma.

 

[hakepb]

Just so you know, I certainly wasn't knocking salad eaters. Your right, the pasta and vegetable salad's Boma has are unique and interesting. The people I am referring to aren't adventurous to eat anything but chicken nuggets, pizza, and ordinary green salad at Boma.

Well, now you're describing the sort of people that make up the rest of my family . Although Boma may be their most favorite breakfast.

In fact that reminds me about the ADR discussion. The family loved Boma so much on out AKL stay that we "needed" another visit but getting an ADR was next to impossible. We finally booked a split table ADR and asked at checkin if 1 table was possible. No problem. As we were seated, we realized there were at least a dozen of those large tables for 8+ open.
I think Disney purposely limits system availability in slower periods so they can staff lower, yet it appears "busier" to a person trying to get ADR's.

 

[BeesKnees]

For me staying anywhere DVC does not mean I have to eat at WDW. I rarely eat at the resort I am staying at, most especially at OKW. I just can't keep paying insane prices for poor quality and very little variety. The Swan had a few wonderful choices that we enjoyed very much last year.

Agreed. We are certainly not penny pinchers but I can't enjoy myself knowing I am basically getting ripped off at every turn and the selection is non-existant. We fly in but now we rent a car so we can eat off property and at the Swan and Dolphin.

Even though they are over-priced I don't mind the occasional quick/counter service meal/snack for convenience sake but even those we try to avoid.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

We used to love to dine @ WDW up to about 2005. Now we just came back from a 6-day trip, and we had made only 1 ADR -- Victoria and Albert's. The rest of the reservations we winged -- either walk up or same day reservation. We didn't really care where we went...though we would have liked to get to Raglan Road. We did try Earl of Sandwich, and while I have to say I enjoyed it, it wasn't to write home about.

Dining at Disney is now about eating food...not having memorable meals.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We used to love to dine @ WDW up to about 2005. Now we just came back from a 6-day trip, and we had made only 1 ADR -- Victoria and Albert's. The rest of the reservations we winged -- either walk up or same day reservation. We didn't really care where we went...though we would have liked to get to Raglan Road. We did try Earl of Sandwich, and while I have to say I enjoyed it, it wasn't to write home about.

Dining at Disney is now about eating food...not having memorable meals.

That highlighted line is one Disney needs to read!!!

 

[Geezer]

Looks like the poll results are agreeing with me.