So Foodies...How is quality now at WDW?

[bluslag]

We just got back from WDW a week ago. We took friends with us so there were 6 adults as we each had a son that were 17. This is the first time we used the DDP because last year it was not ready for DVC. We ate at
Rainforest (not included)
Cape May (twice)
Hoop de do Review
Boma's
O'hana's
Wolfgang Puck
Coral Reef
Germany
Canada
At the end of the trip we all had our favorites. Not everyone loved each restaurant. We thought the food was great and the DDP worked great. Having 2 teenage boys helped us use all our credits and we came home with none and not having to stock up on anything. We learned a lot and the system made traveling with friends so much easier. No one had to feel funny about ordering apps and who would have to pay for them. We tend to over pay for everyone on vacation and this plan just made everything fair without that uncomfortable feeling at the table. We even left extra tips for the waitresses that did a really good job. I know we spent almost twice what we paid for our DDP. We even found out you could use the snacks at MGM's specialty candy store. I was in heaven. Pecan patties, yum. We let it all become part of our vacation and fun. I would have to say that we don't think that the plan has hurt the quality of the restaurants. Maybe be are just easier to please. We had a great vacation and have so many great memories. Sad to say a lot of them are about eating!!!!

 

[write2caro]

Perhaps you don't, but I do expect quality from the three gentlemen who gave their name to the restaurant and Chefs de France: Paul Bocuse, Roger Verge, and Gaston LeNotre

When I trained in the kitchen in Germany, Paul Bocuse was our idol. I have had in past an excellent meal at Bistro de Paris, in fact one of the best I have ever eaten in America.

Look - I get your point about a decline in quality - really - I get it (because some others here were kind enough to explain where they were coming from) - as I've said in SEVERAL posts after the one you quoted. I guess I just think that in a place primarily there to serve the masses that no matter what famous chef attaches his name to something, I am not going to expect the same thing in WDW as I would in Paris. That's all. That's me. And looks like I am right not to expect more, by the way. Supply/demand - basic economics. In the long run, there will not be enough people demanding that Disney do a "better job", despite what it might sound like on a DIS restaurant board - pretty selective for people who care more than the average park goer, I would think.

It's all about personal tastes, opinions and expectations. Quite frankly, I ate at Bistro de Paris and thought it was good (exceeded my "family resort destination" expectations), but FAR from the best meal I've eaten in this country! To each his own, I guess, right?

Overall, I'm satisfied with my Disney experience, dining and all. I think the vacation is unparalleled when it comes to family vacations. In that context, it feels a little silly to me to be debating such things when it comes to WDW. I'll step out of this one and move along. I am grateful to those who pointed me to PFTS, which I think we will try next trip. Thanks guys!

 

[shovan]

Most of what I've heard is basically about profit and reeling people in; the free dining period is a very easy way for WDW to get people to stay on-property in what used to be the off season. As you can see from their recent advertising campaigns, the focus has been to bring in lower-income families, and the DDP and free dining are a good way to do this. The area managers we've spoken with lament the inevitable standardization and decline in quality that follow the DDP mandate, but there's nothing they can do about it. On the positive side, servers who used to get stiffed by the international guests are at least guaranteed a decent tip. But for us, as diners, the quality definitely has suffered.

We eat primarily at signature restaurants, so that's where we've noticed the largest impact. However, we do have a few CS places that we enjoy, like Tusker House, and we've DEFINITELY noticed the impact there, more's the pity.

To follow up on the V&A's/IALW thread, we used to live in NYC and definitely rank V&A's higher than Jean Georges. It is, hands down, the best restaurant we've ever been to. La Toque in Napa Valley, Gary Danko in San Fran - those aren't really in the same league at V&A's. We're trying Thomas Keller's Per Se for the first time this May, and we have high hopes, since from what we've read, it seems to be in the same category as V&A's. But V&A's is one of the top dining experiences in the nation; just by virtue of having this restaurant, WDW set itself higher than any other theme park in the nation, from a culinary standpoint.

Cheers!
Heather W

Heather, Thanks for the explaining some of the reasoning behind the changes. We also usually dine at signature rests. & there are a very few CS that were worth while. Tusker House was also one of our favs. I have noticed the new ad campaign. While I'm sure there are many who will be happy with lower room cost & "free" dining plans, I just don't see good things happening for those of us who do enjoy better dining while in WDW.

 

[gina2000]

Since I'm the one who brought up Chefs, I figured I should mention a few things. I knew the food wasn't edgy French food. I didn't expect that to be honest with you. What shocked me was the lack of quality on my husband's plate. His escargot were rubbery and his steak was virtually non-existant. The steak, to me, is a direct fallout of the money paid via the DDP. It was small and not tender. And at $29, ridiculously priced for the quality.

When you figure out the per head cost, each member's meal was $70. That's not high end gourmet pricing nor is it Applebee's priced. And we only had a $13 half carafe of wine so you can't blame that. It was a pretty full blown price for the quality despite the location. So we won't be back unless it's on the dining plan.....which, again, would be worth $120 max if we didn't eat CS or snacks that day. Big, big difference.

No wonder the restaurants are cutting back. They're getting very little for a 3 course meal.

 

[gokenin]

Most of what I've heard is basically about profit and reeling people in; the free dining period is a very easy way for WDW to get people to stay on-property in what used to be the off season. As you can see from their recent advertising campaigns, the focus has been to bring in lower-income families, and the DDP and free dining are a good way to do this. The area managers we've spoken with lament the inevitable standardization and decline in quality that follow the DDP mandate, but there's nothing they can do about it. On the positive side, servers who used to get stiffed by the international guests are at least guaranteed a decent tip. But for us, as diners, the quality definitely has suffered.

We eat primarily at signature restaurants, so that's where we've noticed the largest impact. However, we do have a few CS places that we enjoy, like Tusker House, and we've DEFINITELY noticed the impact there, more's the pity.


Cheers!
Heather W

So then I would guess then that we want to ban people that cant "afford" multiple trips to Disney because they are "lower income families" because the average person is ruining the upperclass dining experience that "foodies" feel Disney should be? You sit here saying that disney has ruined your fine dining experience by making it more affordable for the "lower income families" to be able to visit WDW. I like to think of myself as liking good food and have had only one bad experience with Disney meals < but then that was the night after eating at V&A so I dont anything could compare to be honest> I will put my flame suit on now and head to the corner but I think that the cries of the "foodies " that Disney is ruining their vacations is getting to the point of being over used.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Geez, who said anything about "banning" lower-income families?

Quite to the contrary, I think the poster was talking about what she'd heard from folks in the know about WDW's advertising strategies.

Goodness, gracious. Look at the current commercial for WDW. The couple, with very surprised faces, are looking at what a WDW vacation would cost and they say, "We can afford that." Um, I don't think the poster on this board came up with that sort of advertising.

WDW is offering all sorts of packages for folks of all income levels. And that's fantastic, IMO -- and I wouldn't think anyone would disagree that WDW is a wonderful place to be and everyone should be able to experience it. I remember back years ago where only the rich could stay at WDW at either the Contemporary or Poly. I think there might have been a motor home park close by. Look at how far WDW's come!

Some of us like good food on vacation. WDW offered high-end food for a number of years. They're going through a change right now, and some of us are rationally discussing it. No one on this thread has said lower-income families should be banned.

And, just for the record, it looks like I'm going to be a "lower-income family" this year. And I'm still going to WDW, and I still hope to find creative, tantalizing, high-end dining at more than one or two onsite restaurants. I'm a penny-pincher, and I can save money in other ways

Let's not kill the messenger here. If you or I aren't happy with WDW's advertising strategies or menus, yeah, vent about them on here, talk about them, but take appropriate action with (1) voicing complaints to WDW and (2) speaking with our wallets.

 

[hmp2z]

So then I would guess then that we want to ban people that cant "afford" multiple trips to Disney because they are "lower income families" because the average person is ruining the upperclass dining experience that "foodies" feel Disney should be?

I don't think this is a serious post - I think this person is just trying to

We are definitely voting with our wallets; now that we live here and could eat out at Disney restaurants, we usually don't choose to do so. We've been branching out, to experience restaurants on Sand Lake, like Roy's or Samba Room, as well as more humble places like Lee & Rick's Oyster Bar, Tijuana Flats, etc.

Of course, the increase in demand has also necessarily limited our WDW dining. If we want to go out on a Saturday night, we probably won't find availability at the places we'd like to go to on property, unless we happen to plan our Saturday nights 6 months in advance!

As far as Bistro being the best place in the US - wow... I don't think I've ever heard anyone make that claim before! We found the food there to be consistently overdone and underwhelming. But then again, I look at people's lists, and, if all they're going to are buffet or CS places, then naturally the one signature restaurant is going to stand out. I try to compare apples to apples, so look at WDW signature restaurants in relation to each other, as well as to other similar-priced restaurants around Orlando and in other cities we've lived in or visited. Spoodles, for example, as a tapas place, disappoints because we keep comparing it, to its detriment, to Arpa in Charlotte. On the other hand, to compare California Grill to V&A's would be ridiculous, and we try not to do so - that's why we have favorites within each category and set our expectations accordingly.

But to get back to the OP, we have noticed the decline across the board, and it's been confirmed by those "in the know" with whom we've spoken. The standardization is a big problem for us; we lament greatly the loss of our erstwhile-favorite drink, the Cape May Colada.

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[bavaria]

As far as Bistro being the best place in the US - wow... I don't think I've ever heard anyone make that claim before! We found the food there to be consistently overdone and underwhelming.

At the time as a German national I had only eaten at American chain restaurants or very underwhelming stand alone places. The meal I had several years ago at Bistro de Paris was a good quality, well thought out menu (not standard menu items, by the way, but a personal creation by the chef)

While I have had an opportunity since to travel much more across America and sample a wide range of items, the meal I ate there years ago was certainly still in the top tier. My reference however was to a meal from the time that WDW still had an excellent reputation for quality food. I won't eat at Chefs de France anymore, and would be hard pressed to try Bistro de Paris now.

My favourite Orlando dining locations are not on WDW for the most part.