REVAMP of Whispering Canyon Cafe BEGINS

[JerseyJanice]

@MaryLovesPoohBear I feel bad that happened to you.

The problem with ad hoc humor that people can take things too far—on both sides. Somebody can make a joke that crosses a line (like this situation), and someone else can’t take a joke and gets all offended over words most others would just shrug off.

Years and years ago, I went to see Rocky Horror Picture Show at a movie theater with a young man I was dating and a group of friends. We didn’t know much about it before we went. The people seated in front of us were in costumes, acting out scenes and reciting dialogue from the film.

There is a scene where it rains, and this guy dressed as Frank N. Furter pulled out a water pistol. He turned around and squirted my date in the face. A violent and ugly scene ensued, and all of us got thrown out of the theater.

Point of the story—why this guy have to take things that far? He could have aimed his pistol toward the ceiling or squirted his friends who knew what to expect. No, he aimed right at the face of my 6’2” Guido-looking boyfriend. Dope.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Without the antics it's just breakfast food

PERSONAL OPINION:
1) Agreed.
. . . egg is egg (unlimited platter or not)
. . . sausage is sausage (unlimited platter or not)
. . . coffee is coffee
2) The atmosphere and antics MAKE Whispering Canyon, Whispering Canyon.
. . . the lessening started with the stopping of the breakfast "broomstick" pony rides for the kids
. . . now, the waitstaff cannot even do antics
3) Now, due to General Manager dictates, it has become "JUST" comfort food, and nothing truly special
. . . for lunch and dinner, BBQ is BBQ, and not unique only because it is WCC.
. . . we can get coleslaw, ketchup, and drinking water anywhere in Orlando
4) It is so sad to see the uniqueness of WCC reduced to a mediocre-or-worse food stop.
. . .guests come to the desk asking for WCC ressies
. . . most of us try to steer people away from WCC
. . . we want OUR guests to have a good experience, and WCC no longer exposes guests to this

NOTE1:
. . . Working across the lobby, it is sad to see the WCC customer-count going lower-lower-lower-andlower.
. . . People want the antics, and they are not getting them.
. . . Sure. Mother's Day and other holidays have long waits (up to OVER one hour past ADR time), but on other days, the restaurant is so empty your voice has echoes.
. . . This IS DISNEY, and people want more than "Just Common Food".
. . . But, "NO-O-O-O-O", it now has been so tamed-down that is it little more than a mediocre (very mediocre) BBQ stop.

NOTE2:
. . . The same goes for Artist Point.
. . . We anticipated our visit AP last month, but came away SO DISAPPOINTED.
. . . Many people have said they respect my restaurant reviews.
. . . My review has now sunk far below acceptable for the "Signature" classification.
. . . The new chef has realty destroyed the reputation of AP.
. . . The only thing "Signature" about AP is the price, and certainly not the quality.

NOTE3:
. . . We think that WDW is more concerned about selling DVC units at WL than enhancing/enriching "normal" people visits.
. . . It is pitiful how low the WL experience has sunk.
. . . The Holiday Inn Suites on Hotel Plaza Blvd (at I-4) is better than WL.

 

[gina2000]

The disintegration of the theme park experience continues. WDW is slowly but surely becoming an amusement park.

 

[Bostonbeans99]

My family loved Boardwalk Inn for our stays but not the food choices so much ( I admit Flying Fish was going thru remodel the last time and there weren't the newly refreshed places like now) and so WL became our "second home".
I feel now that we found our place.......it's going to get all changed around. We were there for the Grand Opening of Geyser Point and saw the Copper Creek nearly completed! Roaring Fork reopened etc.
I am getting the feeling prices are going way up with this Resort very soon.

 

[LynJ]

For what it's worth, I emailed disney expressing that we need ketchup! This is one of our daughter's favorite reservations, and since we own at boulder ridge, one we're happy to book. It's currently the last thing we're scheduled to do before catching the magical Express back to the airport on our next trip. If the antics are gone, we'll stay in MK later instead. May not change anything, but at least they know that some regulars will be disappointed.

 

[smadath]

PERSONAL OPINION:
1) Agreed.
. . . egg is egg (unlimited platter or not)
. . . sausage is sausage (unlimited platter or not)
. . . coffee is coffee
2) The atmosphere and antics MAKE Whispering Canyon, Whispering Canyon.
. . . the lessening started with the stopping of the breakfast "broomstick" pony rides for the kids
. . . now, the waitstaff cannot even do antics
3) Now, due to General Manager dictates, it has become "JUST" comfort food, and nothing truly special
. . . for lunch and dinner, BBQ is BBQ, and not unique only because it is WCC.
. . . we can get coleslaw, ketchup, and drinking water anywhere in Orlando
4) It is so sad to see the uniqueness of WCC reduced to a mediocre-or-worse food stop.
. . .guests come to the desk asking for WCC ressies
. . . most of us try to steer people away from WCC
. . . we want OUR guests to have a good experience, and WCC no longer exposes guests to this

NOTE1:
. . . Working across the lobby, it is sad to see the WCC customer-count going lower-lower-lower-andlower.
. . . People want the antics, and they are not getting them.
. . . Sure. Mother's Day and other holidays have long waits (up to OVER one hour past ADR time), but on other days, the restaurant is so empty your voice has echoes.
. . . This IS DISNEY, and people want more than "Just Common Food".
. . . But, "NO-O-O-O-O", it now has been so tamed-down that is it little more than a mediocre (very mediocre) BBQ stop.

NOTE2:
. . . The same goes for Artist Point.
. . . We anticipated our visit AP last month, but came away SO DISAPPOINTED.
. . . Many people have said they respect my restaurant reviews.
. . . My review has now sunk far below acceptable for the "Signature" classification.
. . . The new chef has realty destroyed the reputation of AP.
. . . The only thing "Signature" about AP is the price, and certainly not the quality.

NOTE3:
. . . We think that WDW is more concerned about selling DVC units at WL than enhancing/enriching "normal" people visits.
. . . It is pitiful how low the WL experience has sunk.
. . . The Holiday Inn Suites on Hotel Plaza Blvd (at I-4) is better than WL.

Out of curiosity, does the Hotel General Manager (in this case Thea) have to run any sweeping changes past anyone higher up? Or are they pretty much autonomous? I figured something of this magnitude would have to be approved, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Everything changes at WDW. Name me one restaurant that has kept everything the same since it opened. Name me one hotel that has the exact same look as when it first opened other than the ones that just opened in the last five years or so. Menu changes all the time, so I look for a restaurant that has the item that I liked at the other one where it has been removed. We don't shop at all any more at WDW because it's all just stuff that we don't need. I miss the caramel corn from Sleepy Hollow. I miss the chocolate from the Confectionary. I miss the Concourse Steakhouse for breakfast. I miss the Key West look to the OKW villas. I miss the taco salad from Pecos Bill's. I don't like cupcakes at WDW. I don't like the waffles and chicken combo anywhere.

If WC doesn't make the dollars it used to make, they will change it again.

 

[looking4themouse2]

We were there for our son's 10th birthday, back in '06. On that day, we had a great time. There was a bunch of general craziness and ketchup/soda/straw antics. It was fun.

Then we decided to go back. Our son was 18. The insinuation was that we, my son and I, were sleeping together. I guess my son rolled his eyes at me over something that was said, and I laughed. That must have meant something to our server.

My son started to blow up, as did my husband, when I calmed them down saying that she couldn't have possibly meant what we thought she did. At that point she told us that it was exactly what she meant.

I let her know that antics do not include accusations of incest. At that point we were done with our meal and we walked out. The manager was informed of the problem and she comped us the meal.


The only thing fishy is how some people will not believe that anything negative happens at Disney.

Look, I don't care if they keep the restaurant as it is or they change it. I just know that I won't go back unless they change it.

I honestly don’t think no one believes nothing bad happens at Disney, however you did not really do anything to “describe” what was said even still, further some people are offended by different things than others. The thing I don’t understand is why you are allowing one bad “server” determine whether or not you eat somewhere. I work in the food service industry as a manager and I would certainly not tolerate my servers speaking in such a way to a guest that person would have to be let go and I’m sure that is what happened to the server in this case because Disney holds their staff to higher standards than most places.

 

[Koz]

Glad that I searched for WCC news now. We are staying at Universal in August but hitting the Halloween party one night, and we intended to make this our lone Disney meal in advance of the party start time.

Disney just made my choice to cancel an easy one. It's a shame that my daughter won't get to experience what both of my sons thoroughly enjoyed.

 

[mrswillson]

Another case of how a few bad, whiny apples spoil it for the whole bunch.

Who doesn't do their research before they dine somewhere? If you take the time to look into the menu, which most people do before making the decision on where they dine, then researching the atmosphere is not going to be any skin off your back. The amount of people who possess such an entitled attitude astound me. Their "cater to me" mindset ruin vacations for those who plan them around unique experiences like WCC's antics. There are a million and one locations that are run-of-the-mill - go eat there instead of ruining the select few that aren't.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Another case of how a few bad, whiny apples spoil it for the whole bunch.

Who doesn't do their research before they dine somewhere? If you take the time to look into the menu, which most people do before making the decision on where they dine, then researching the atmosphere is not going to be any skin off your back. The amount of people who possess such an entitled attitude astound me. Their "cater to me" mindset ruin vacations for those who plan them around unique experiences like WCC's antics. There are a million and one locations that are run-of-the-mill - go eat there instead of ruining the select few that aren't.

Not every WDW guest goes on the DIS. Many don't do much research at all. The behavior at WCC just might not be what they expected. And if they are the type to let management know of what they experienced, management is going to hear them.

 

[mrswillson]

Not every WDW guest goes on the DIS. Many don't do much research at all. The behavior at WCC just might not be what they expected. And if they are the type to let management know of what they experienced, management is going to hear them.

DIS isn't the only location to find dining information... the internet is a magical thing!

 

[Deb & Bill]

DIS isn't the only location to find dining information... the internet is a magical thing!

Like I said, many don't do any research at all.

 

[Simba's Mom]

In 1997, our favorite character breakfast was the Pocahontas character breakfast at AP. It’s strange to be hearing that after all these years they are considering bringing one back.

If they're going to add a CB at AP, let's hope it's either Pocahontas or someone unique. I remember when Meeko was at LTT. I remember Melvin the Moose (from the Country Bear Jamboree) was at Fort Wilderness. Any of those would be great choices.

 

[chuff88]

DIS isn't the only location to find dining information... the internet is a magical thing!

I’ve researched all the restaurants we’re going to on our trip, and I don’t feel as though Disney’s own website makes the “experience” of WCC or 50’s particularly clear. Unless you stray away from Disney’s website and read blog reviews and forums like this, you’re likely not getting the whole picture. I’d wager most people would consider reading Disney’s description to be “enough research.” If I had gone to WCC while they were doing the antics and had only read Disney’s website I would have been surprised by what went on there. I can take a joke just fine, but if I hadn’t been set up to expect the show, I would have likely been taken aback by it. Maybe not to the point that I would have complained, I’m sure I would have been able to figure out what was going on, but if Disney is going to include “antics” in their meals they should make it abundantly clear in THEIR informational material.

 

[KenHutch]

Well I have an ADR for WCC on June 4th which I will keep. Only for 2 reasons 1 we have to eat anyways and the girls want the milkshakes and 2 if it is as boring as I am expecting I will be asking for the manager to give my 2 cents worth to him.

 

[GillianP1301]

I have seen several first hand accounts on social media of people reporting that antics had not stopped in their meals over the last couple of days, so I'm not sure I'm totally buying into this whole thing yet. It would be so shocking for the masses on the internet to overreact, after all. *sarcasm*

It's entirely possible it's just not fully implemented yet though, so I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for more first hand accounts over the next several weeks as it may impact my decision to eat there or not on our next trip.

 

[GillianP1301]

Well I have an ADR for WCC on June 4th which I will keep. Only for 2 reasons 1 we have to eat anyways and the girls want the milkshakes and 2 if it is as boring as I am expecting I will be asking for the manager to give my 2 cents worth to him.

And report back please, I'm very curious to know what is actually happening in the restaurant vs. what is being talked about online.

 

[GillianP1301]

Everything changes at WDW. Name me one restaurant that has kept everything the same since it opened. Name me one hotel that has the exact same look as when it first opened other than the ones that just opened in the last five years or so. Menu changes all the time, so I look for a restaurant that has the item that I liked at the other one where it has been removed. We don't shop at all any more at WDW because it's all just stuff that we don't need. I miss the caramel corn from Sleepy Hollow. I miss the chocolate from the Confectionary. I miss the Concourse Steakhouse for breakfast. I miss the Key West look to the OKW villas. I miss the taco salad from Pecos Bill's. I don't like cupcakes at WDW. I don't like the waffles and chicken combo anywhere.

If WC doesn't make the dollars it used to make, they will change it again.

Bingo!

It is unrealistic to expect thing to never change at WDW or anywhere else. I know that most people are change adverse and that will cause news like this to get a rise out of people, but I assure you, the world is not ending.

Decisions like this are almost entirely about the numbers. I can speculate that the numbers for WL are either decreasing or not meeting projected growth and the only way to try and overcome that is to change something. We aren't privy to their plans or what their intentions are for the restaurant, but I'm willing to let it play out. And as the above post stated, if the change doesn't work, they'll try something else.

 

[MrsDuck]

Looking forward to a new theme or menu.

Agreed. We don't like the antics!