Some basics about which restaurant to hate.

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

This is just something to consider.
1) Never EVER judge a restaurant COMPLETELY on just one visit. If you go twice and hate it... thats different.
2) Was it during "free DDP"? If so, and you hated it... reconsider it!!! During "free DDP" EVERYONE is maxed out. EVERY staff member is pushed to the brink of sanity. EVERY restaurant is full and turning away. ALL the staff are tired. If you go back at a time OTHER THAN "free DDP" you might see a different restaurant experience altogether.
3) Was it during "free DDP" #2... YOU! You were probably STUFFED all week. Your body tastes food differently when your overeating. Don't believe me? Ever been famished? Come in from a hard days work sweaty and tired? That regular glass of Tea sure tastes remarkable. its the same Tea you had last week and didn't think twice about.
4) All those threads about which restaurant you hate and love... (nothing wrong with them... I've done it myself!) EVERY restaurant will come up on both lists multiple times. Everyone is different. I eat raw Habaneros on half my foods (and LOVE them!!!), but I understand most of you don't. Get the picture?
5) Did you do lunch or dinner? Lunch is usually more laid back at the TS restaurants. More laid back USUALLY (Whispering Canyon is the exception) means a more enjoyable experience. Thats why we always book our TS credits on the "free DDP" for lunches, and do CS meals at evenings.

Anyways, this is just something to consider before you completely rule out a restaurant because someone else hated it and gave a horrifying review.

 

[Chedstro]

Thank you thank you so much for a very well thought out comment

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Thank you thank you so much for a very well thought out comment

I gotta make up for some of the dumber comments I've made lately!

 

[Chedstro]

 

[TiggerDad3]

This is a great bunch of thoughts!

Watching the reviews and oppinions about all the Disney locations, I am always careful to worry too much about the bad reviews. I think that a big part of the whole experience is based on the service you receive, and since everybody has a bad day sometimes(excuseable or not) great places will get bad reviews.

I have always personally said that I will eat just so so sorta food if the service is great and will come back to do it again.....

But if the service is BAD, then I don't care how good the food is... it isn't, good service is everything!

 

[Crystal_27]

Thank you very much for the well spoken words (although I have to admit that I truly hope that I don't experience any negatives relating to dining - LOL).

 

[Laurabearz]

I made my Oct ADR list from the "worst places you have eaten" Thread here on the DIS..

SHOW NO FEAR!!!

 

[MrJT]

3) Was it during "free DDP" #2... YOU! You were probably STUFFED all week. Your body tastes food differently when your overeating. Don't believe me? Ever been famished? Come in from a hard days work sweaty and tired? That regular glass of Tea sure tastes remarkable. its the same Tea you had last week and didn't think twice about.

That reminded me Eddie Murphy Raw

If you're starving and somebody throw you a cracker, you gonna be like this: "that's the best cracker I ever ate in my life! That ain't no regular cracker, was it? What was that, a Saltine? that was delicious. That wasn't no Saltine. That was...That was a Ritz. That wasn't a Ritz? That was the best cracker I ever ate in my life."

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

If you're starving and somebody throw you a cracker, you gonna be like this: "that's the best cracker I ever ate in my life! That ain't no regular cracker, was it? What was that, a Saltine? that was delicious. That wasn't no Saltine. That was...That was a Ritz. That wasn't a Ritz? That was the best cracker I ever ate in my life."

I used to hate Eddie Murphy, but I've heard him say some hilarious stuff. Not all of it I would repeat though.

 

[disnut8]

The Eddie Murphy stuff was great. Ever hear his bear and rabbit in the woods joke? My favorite ever! But you would have to PM me for that one (adult content).

To the OP - great words. My husband and I just dined in Kissimmee at a local restaurant. He ordered his steak medium, I ordered mine medium rare. Mine was perfect, his was rarer than mine. His side of macaroni and cheese came out cold and he had that replaced. Would we go back? Definitely. Would we say this was a horrible meal? No.

Now, when we go back again and have the same problems, it gets written off.

 

[Nienor]

To the OP - great words. My husband and I just dined in Kissimmee at a local restaurant. He ordered his steak medium, I ordered mine medium rare. Mine was perfect, his was rarer than mine. His side of macaroni and cheese came out cold and he had that replaced. Would we go back? Definitely. Would we say this was a horrible meal? No.

My husband and I had the same thing. We ordered the same dish at a restaurant (ribs and mashed potatoes) Both of the original potatoes were cold. So the manager made sure we got new ones. Mine were burning hot and his were well another cold plate of them. Go figure In addition my ribs were fine and his were kind of burnt. Two people ordering the same food I was happy enough with mine, my DH was miserable.

Went back another night since the manager took care of the problem. We had a great meal. So unless I hear atleast 80% bad reviews. I'll take a chance.


I'm hungry, can I have a cracker now?

 

[Tricia1972]

Thank you for a well thought out post. You are so right and it's why I hesitate to post on the threads about "Here are my ADR's, what do you think about them" I may have had a bad experience there but maybe it was...

*an off night
*a menu that will never suit my tastes
*poor service

or any of many other things. I think that everyone should look at the menus and see what appeals to them overall. Every single restaurant on property is someone's favorite and someone else's least favorite. (With the possible exception of Victoria & Albert's which is almost always the favorite of a person who ate there and I have never heard one bad review about)

 

[hurleysweety]

this is so true!

how many times do we have a favorite restaurant in our hometown, only to have a bad waiter or waitress one time? it doesn't mean we don't come back, because we still love a certain entree or the atmosphere.

one of my family's most loved restaurants disappointed us recently. the manager came to our table and explained the situation. many people had called in sick and the staff that was there was not prepared for the crowds that day (Easter). it could totally have easily ruined our evening, but we knew otherwise and still had a great time!

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Its an easy thing to do. I once wrote off the Mexican CS at Epcot because of a very rude CM. Upon second thought... I'd try it again. Chances are, if you get someone thats REALLY REALLY rude... their days are numbered already anyways!!! They will either quit or get fired!

 

[slavike]

How about those you have tried and tried and tried again and tried not to hate but then laughably hate anyways because at least they have good alcohol to drink your worries away (I'm talkin to you MEXICO!)

 

[Turtlegirl]

I also think, if not on DDP, it depends how much someone paid for a meal. Meaning, if they don't think they got their money's worth, and let's face it many Disney restaurants are overly expensive, their review may be based on perceived value. "That was a pretty good steak. Wow! I paid how much for that steak? It could have been more tender..."

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

I also think, if not on DDP, it depends how much someone paid for a meal. Meaning, if they don't think they got their money's worth, and let's face it many Disney restaurants are overly expensive, their review may be based on perceived value. "That was a pretty good steak. Wow! I paid how much for that steak? It could have been more tender..."

This is VERY true.
However, I have a slightly different take on that one (not that your not right).
I am a picky food eater. I almost NEVER EVER eat out. Actually, 95% of my meals out are at Disney. And while MOST of them are on the "free DDP" since we get it every year and juice it for all its worth, I feel that its hard to compare Disney restaurants.
What I mean is I can't drive ANYWHERE and get a meal like the one I would get at Coral Reef. ANYWHERE. Period. Period. There is NO restaurant in my state with a MASSIVE aquarium as a backdrop. There is NO restaurant in my state with a view of Cinderella's Castle. Theres NOWHERE I know of in my area I can get authentic African food, or Canadian Food, or Norweigan food (although the princess thing shot that one all to....) or ANYWHERE I can go and get Moroccan food. There might be some small place in Greensboro or Raliegh, but it definately wouldn't compare to What's at WDW.
How do you REALLY compare the prices of that???
Seriously.
There's NO WAY to compare local restaurants like Olive Garden to the EXPERIENCE of a place like Chef's Du France or Tappenyaki.

Yes, the prices are high, but they are a VERY unusual opportunity you don't get anywhere else.

Turtlegirl... I see your point though, and your right. The prices at WDW can be VERY high compared to what we are used to at home. And I'm sure the customers' expectations are much higher, so if it's not PERFECT, they are disappointed.

I must be lucky. Shy of only 50's Prime Time and Pizza Planet, I haven't had many bad experiences with dining at WDW. I'd better shut up before I jinx myself.

 

[diavolobella]

Thank you for posting this. I've been going back and forth thinking about changing my reservations because of negative reviews. Then I'll see a positive review and be even more confused. I've finally figured out that the opinions are too widely varying, and what some people hate may be the very thing for someone else. From now on, I'll just make my reservations and decide for myself. I'm getting exhausted changing my mind!!

A good example is Tony's Town Square. I've read more negative reviews, but I was there last May and it was great. So, no more review reading for me.

 

[nytimez]

I've very rarely had poor dining experiences at WDW. Maybe it's just 'cuz I'm in a good mood when I'm there and it's hard to take me out of it, or maybe I'm just not critical enough. But I don't understand some of the savage reviews some of these places get.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

I don't understand some of the savage reviews some of these places get.

I was in Costco the other day. They were sampling Indonesian soup. Anyways this really rich looking lady says "Is this HOT???" and out loud she says "I'm not into that whole taste torture, tastebud mutilation thing!" I was eating the sample at the time, and she was saying this over and over and saying it quite loudly, and I, trying to be helpful, said "Maam, its not really even spicy. I love fiery hot foods, and trust me, this isn't even spicy. Its just curry. Curry isn't hot. Its just a spice". She just kept on ranting on about how people abuse themselves with hot foods. She looked all mad, and she stomped off still just ranting all the way across the store. My wife and I looked at each other and just started laughing.
This lady was going on and on about how brainless it is to eat something that I love and enjoy daily. I didn't get offended, I just thought it was funny.

My point is if you only listen to what she says, I'm a complete psycho. I never put her down for not enjoying some of the finer foods on Earth!!!: She didn't mind labeling me.