Skipper Canteen "push"

[DisneyWishes14]

I agree with a lot that has been posted here. My DS8 and I ate lunch here on Dec. 29 and I was not impressed. The food was bland and completely overpriced. I have TIW, an AP and a Disney Visa, but, alas, no discount. 2 apps, 2 entrees, 2 desserts (1 of each of these off the kids menu) and $80 later, we left quite disappointed. And I'm all for paying premiums for restaurants that give us a little extra - character meals, great food - but this definitely does not scream premium priced restaurant.

I also agree with the TS vs. CS mentality. Most people are planning their TS's months in advance. Those that don't plan TS's typically want the flexibility of eating CS for a LOT less. Yes, Columbia Harbor House was far superior to Skipper's IMHO in food and price.

And, yes, perhaps they need to change the description on the MDE app and the website to describe how you actually dine here! Stating "no availability" is not going to help them get people in their restaurant!!

 

[DWillowBay]

I just ate at Skippers last week. I had the same concerns about it that some of the PPs had...no ADRs, etc. What I noticed is that people didn't seem to realize that there was a restaurant now located where nothing was before. I think some PR on it is necessary. The food was amazing! I had the Char Siu Pork which was very flavorful. The portion was very generous. It's as pricey as BOG, so I had no problem there. But, I just think the lack of ADRs has hurt their opening since ADRs are made 6 months in advance. People don't want to take the chance of NOT having a place for a TS meal, when they can lock one down in advance. The servers were very good and the ambience is lovely. There is NO good reason, aside from a lack of knowledge and the ADR situation, that they shouldn't be doing well. I really hope it catches on...it was a great surprise for lunch!!

 

[mmmears]

I'm another person who isn't willing to give up an ADR for the chance that a table will be available when we want it at Skipper's. Making it a walk-up only is definitely an issue for me. I know some people prefer it that way, and that's ok, too, but maybe not since they can't seem to fill it. Now that we have to book our FPs in advance, it's not so easy to take the chance... wouldn't want the wait to cause us to miss a ride.

 

[Three cats]

Count me in as another one who isn't willing to take a chance on a table being available. I'd much rather have an adr somewhere. That said, the menu doesn't appeal to us at all so we would pass on this one regardless.

 

[RAPstar]

I'm willing to try it, only because I have nothing else in MK that I want to eat at. Well, that's new. I've been to pretty much everything in MK except CRT, Tony's, and the places that are only open seasonally (Tortuga?). Oh and Casey's, but I don't like hot dogs. But I'd rather have the option to reserve a lunch than chance being able to get in. Though considering how many times I've gone (and how much my last Disneyland trip all but ruined WDW for me lol), I don't see myself being all type A over plans this trip.

 

[Trixie15]

I left a place in my plans for it and am looking forward to trying it!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Sooo... for those who are saying the menu isn't appealing. Is it because the food is too out there or is it too normal?

Neither! I was hoping for an exotic menu, but this form of "out there"-ness doesn't look very appealing to me. I will still try it on my next trip.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I want to try it but keep hearing the portions are too small and prices are too high. I'm not gonna pay a ton of money and leave hungry.

 

[nkosiek]

I went the first weekend it was open and didn't care for the food. I was excited for it but the food was too salty, both the mac and cheese and the pho. And yes, I mean salty, not spicy. Place looked amazing and at some point I'll give it another try, but if I were going back tomorrow, I wouldn't head in. I'd head to CHH for a decent meal.

 

[eastendlights]

Clearly, they blew it big time with many aspects of this enterprise. So many people were so excited to go-and now it is looking like an abject failure. From the menu to the prices to the portions to the lack of ADR's-it seems like huge miscalculations were made. Here we were thinking it would be a grand slam out of the ball park like BOG and they have to beg people to come in!! It will be interesting to see how long it takes for major changes to be made.

 

[AP1209]

I just checked out the kids menu and it would be no go for us. I have a picky eater. I think me and DW would go if it was just the two of us. A nice alcoholic beverage wouldn't hurt

 

[Stini228]

$22 Pho. NOPE!!

 

[TeresaWen]

If I could get a glass of wine with my dinner I would go back. My husband really enjoyed the food but without the availability of an adult beverage we will continue to dine elsewhere.

 

[TeresaWen]

Disney could offer to wave an existing adr cancellation fee with if you show a receipt from Skippers

 

[Nancyg56]

I am still trying to undestand why they do not take ADR's. If this was a CS like BOG is, and they opened without ADR's there would be a line, at least at first. But a TS restaurant? No way! Most folks plan their TS meals and if they are like me, book them well in advance. I may tweak some, and I probably woudl have booked SC just to ty it. However....I will not leave dinner open JIC we could walk in a TS restaurant. And I won't pay a cancellation fee because something better came up. And I won't pay those prices on top of fees.

IMO, this is another missed opportunity for Disney and the MK choices of TS restaurants. When I think of how much fun I believed this restaurant would be, and now I read the poor reviews, I cannot understand why there is not any urgency to make soem major changes before this place becomes the new Tony's. A last resort to book dinner in the MK. Oh wait....no need to book.

 

[SarahInMN]

For those of you worried about not being able to be seated, based on our experience, I wouldn't worry about it. We walked up at 1130 am, were seated right away, and the place was less than 1/4 full when we left at 1230pm. Granted it was a Tuesday but the park felt relatively packed.

Sooo... for those who are saying the menu isn't appealing. Is it because the food is too out there or is it too normal?

The food was bland and not well done. My husband got the char siu pork and it was not very good: not spiced, a bit over cooked. I got the pho which was ridiculously overpriced for pho and not very spicy. It was over-Americanized asian food. The shu mai were ok but again not up to true dim sum standards.

It just wasn't good food.

 

[mousestruck]

I was very excited about trying this new venue on our next trip. The menu didn't bother me, but the reviews about the food, the lack of ADRs and the fact they don't accept TIW do. I don't quite understand why they would not accept any dining discounts, except perhaps that they thought it would be so popular that discounts would be unnecessary. I booked BOG instead.

 

[NKHarris329]

We were going to go on our upcoming trip, but I have a sure thing with a reservation at LTT, reviews have been meh, and there are complaints everywhere about how overpriced it is.

If while we are there we decide to give it a shot, sure. But I don't have it as part of my plan.

 

[farlinm1]

Going in April, but like others have said, don't want to give up a ADR that has already been made for that day and then find out I can't get into Skipper Canteen....They need to take ADR's then I could cancel my current ADR for that day and make one for Skipper Canteen just to try it out..

 

[jsmla]

$22 Pho. NOPE!!

This!

We live in an area with a significant Vietnamese population and have restaurants that serve excellent pho. The most expensive one that comes to mind runs in the $13 range for a HUGE bowl that feeds both of us, a Disney-sized portion is around $9. I've never been to Skipper Cantine but I can't imagine it (given my experience with other ethnic dishes I've tried inside the theme parks) being nearly as good as our local places are at less than 1/2 the price.

I understand the whole captive audience thing but there comes a point where it's just making excuses to embrace so-so food at vastly inflated prices. That said, we'd probably be more inclined to try Skipper Canteen if they served tropical adult beverages or even beer.