Poll: Akershus Princesses

[Wes]

In a separate thread, MarkC raised this issue:

I've been reading several topics on here where a lot of people have mentioned that they liked the restaurant before it became the princesses character breakfast/lunch/dinner. What are everybody's thoughts here, do you wish they brought it back as just a regular restaurant and not with the characters?

It appears to be that most people wish it was a regular restaurant again, but it is really hard to tell just how strong the split is. So here is a poll on the topic: Do you wish that the Akershus (the Norway restaurant at EPCOT) would go back to being a regular restaurant and not have the princess luncheons and dinners? or do you prefer it the way it is now (with all meals being princess events)?

 

[Wes]

I was very disappointed to find out that the Akershus is now using the princess-only format for all meals. This used to be the best restaurant in all of EPCOT. Now anyone who is not interested in the princesses is forced to pay very high prices (for 2 adults and 2 children, we paid about $30 per person for lunch, after the tip) or else skip the place altogether. The extremely high level of noise in the room made it nearly impossible even to talk with the waiter, which led to several mis-communications and frustrations. I think it also wears on the waiters.

We tried it once in the new princess format, and we will most definitely NOT be going back again.

 

[erikthewise]

I voted for the first option, but of course I have no problem with the Princess breakfast continuing. Just give us back lunch and/or dinner.

 

[Chuck S]

If they want the Princesses at breakfast and lunch, fine...that way they have one "shift" to pay for...dinner should be characterless.

 

[Eeyore2003]

I posted "other".

Akershus was not our favorite restaurant as a "regular" meal, except for the "rice cream" so we really didn't care for it to begin with. Nice astmosphere though.

We went last week to the Princess meal though and it was a MESS!!! Of the 5 "characters", only 2 came to our table. When we left for the buffet, there wasn't a character in site and then when we came back, two had apparently been by already. One of the characters was Alice in Wonderland, who I really don't consider a princess. And the food was still awful. On the "other" hand, a lady at the pool that afternoon said it was their favorite character experience!!! I give up trying to analyze character meals. We planned 4 "princessy" meals and never saw Snow White!!!

 

[Thumper's Tara]

My "Other" response...

I wish it was princesses for breakfast and regular for lunch and dinner. That way it is the best of both worlds! Just me though

 

[GoofyDad869]

I prefer princesses at every meal. It's added incentive to try to get my daughter into eating 'weird' food, if she knows the princesses will be there for dinner.

 

[robinb]

I voted to keep the Princesses. I'm not wild about Norweigan food and the only way you could get me into the place was for the princesses. My DD loved eating there on her birthday.

 

[fizz13]

I think keep the princesses for breakfast, maybe lunch, but leave the dinner alone and restore it to how it was. A lot of people will not try the Norweigan food because they don't want a character meal, which seems a shame as the food is really good.

Claire xx

 

[daannzzz]

I voted "other". I loved dining at Akershus before the princesses were added. I enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and semi rustic decore and loved the food, and even though I generally do not eat fish or seafood, there was plenty of other stuff to pick from.
I understand that Akershus was not making the most money it could and as a business they wanted to increase the income here. Making a restaurant a character affair and increasing the price by $10 seems to have done the trick but it seems there are lots of complaints about the food not being well recieved. They should add a room onto the restaurant with it's own entrance with a small dining area and buffet for those who wish to experience the Norwegian food and then they can change the main Princess filled dining hall into a burger, hot dog and pizza buffet.

 

[CheshireVal]

WHen threads like this come up, it seems that the only people who like the change are those with daughters. Not all of us have daughters, and I don't think that a restaurant like this should change to cater only to those who do. It annoys me.

I think they should at least have one meal princess-free.

 

[Laura]

I voted for dropping the princesses completely, but I would be happy if they just did it for one meal, like lunch.

 

[TiggerandBelleFanMom]

You know, I'm willing to wager Disney has done their market research on this one, and that either
A) more people like the Princess meals than do not, OR
B) the people who do like the Princess meals are willing to pay enough of a premium that Disney does not have to worry about the naysayers.

As for me, I'm pro-characters in general. Let Disney do what Disney does best!

 

[erikthewise]

You know, I'm willing to wager Disney has done their market research on this one, and that either
A) more people like the Princess meals than do not, OR
B) the people who do like the Princess meals are willing to pay enough of a premium that Disney does not have to worry about the naysayers.

As for me, I'm pro-characters in general. Let Disney do what Disney does best!

Good points, but they apply to nearly any restaurant at WDW. The question is not whether to have princess meals but where to put them.

Why ruin a unique restaurant with cuisine unavailable anywhere else in Orlando, especially when the princess meal guests generally do not appreciate that cuisine? Why chase off the loyal customers who do appreciate it? If you want to have a Princess dinner, why not have it at CRT!?! Is that too easy? If so, why not have Princess meals at Tony's (generally unappreciated, one of 5 Italian places at WDW), or at Hollywood & Vine (unused for breakfast and lunch)?

 

[Rella Bella]

My other is:
I wish either lunch or dinner was not a princess meal... there are those of us who appreciate the cuisine for what it is, and you really can't find it anywhere else in our out of Disney.

 

[TiggerandBelleFanMom]

Good points, but they apply to nearly any restaurant at WDW. The question is not whether to have princess meals but where to put them.

Why ruin a unique restaurant with cuisine unavailable anywhere else in Orlando, especially when the princess meal guests generally do not appreciate that cuisine? Why chase off the loyal customers who do appreciate it? If you want to have a Princess dinner, why not have it at CRT!?! Is that too easy? If so, why not have Princess meals at Tony's (generally unappreciated, one of 5 Italian places at WDW), or at Hollywood & Vine (unused for breakfast and lunch)?

Hey, fine by me! I would take my daughter to a Princess meal if it were at a restaurant that served nothing but poached eggs, even though I don't like poached eggs. Italian would be wonderful from my perspective! I genuinely would go anywhere. (And I'm sure that families like mine represent a significant market segment.)

Knowing Disney, my guess is that they have researched the restaurant situation thoroughly and discovered the following:

A) Demand for princess meals FAR outstrips supply, thus the quantity of princess meals can be increased AND the price raised and they will still sell out,
B) Restaurant Akershus pre-princess meals was among the less likely restaurants to sell out on a given night, and/or the clientele weren't willing to spend as much per table as the patrons of the princess meals,

...and possibly also one or more of the following:
C) Clientele who liked Restaurant Akershus without princesses will elect to go to another Disney restaurant with an approximately equal tab, so their patronage is not lost, just displaced,
D) There is an economic advantage to forcing families who might otherwise buy base tickets and hang out in the Magic Kingdom to get Park Hoppers in order to hop over to Epcot for this meal,
E) Families with daughters will try to attend all of the princess meals once if possible, and thus will attend more high price meals instead of doing counter service.

My guess is that Disney is all about the bottom line, and that they don't make moves like this without looking at all the angles.

TiggerandBelleFanMom...who will be eating at
-1900 Park Fare (1 dinner, 1 breakfast)
-Crystal Palace (1 breakfast)
-Cinderella's Royal Table (1 breakfast)
-Restaurant Akershus (1 dinner)

 

[scrump]

I wish they could give us one princess-less meal. Akershus used to be a must-do for us!

 

[Sandi]

We were happy when it was a Princess Breakfast and a Norway lunch and dinner. The whole family liked that and we would eat two meals there. Now we've pretty much outgrown the princess thing.

 

[jen0610]

Chose other option. Don't want to see the Princesses totally go away, just scaled back.

Breakfast - Have the Princesses there
Lunch - either or. Wouldn't make a difference to use.
Dinner - No princesses

 

[daannzzz]

There is another perk for Disney in keeping the Norwegian food at the princess meal. They don't have to provide as much food since more people dislike like it. Instant profit.