Still no duck?

[cajun_angel21]

um.......I just wanted to know about the duck.... I will say this, this is my first time going to Disney World ever, the same for my fiance... It's our first family trip with our 21 month old daughter. I have been extremely excited up to this point and now reading so much negativity I'm just waiting to be dissapointed left and right. I thought the DDP was an amazing deal, but if all of the menu changes are being changed because of this, they should have had a little note saying, by the way, you will be eating poor quality food, basically... you'll be eating crap. I don't think that it's so much of a deal anymore. If I wanted to eat crap then I could easily have eaten Mc Donalds and other fast foods while there which I doubt we would be spending the amount that we paid for the DDP each day. But whatever, maybe it's just me that sees that Disney is making a false advertisement by not stating the menus will be changed to lesser quality food.
I'll take McDonalds over Applebee's any day! BLEH!!!!
I tell you, some people on here just LOVE to hear themselves talk (so to speak)
Anyways, thanks everyone! I'm so looking forward to my dining experience wooooohooooo.........

 

[DiszyDeanette]

um.......I just wanted to know about the duck.... I will say this, this is my first time going to Disney World ever, the same for my fiance... It's our first family trip with our 21 month old daughter. I have been extremely excited up to this point and now reading so much negativity I'm just waiting to be dissapointed left and right. I thought the DDP was an amazing deal, but if all of the menu changes are being changed because of this, they should have had a little note saying, by the way, you will be eating poor quality food, basically... you'll be eating crap. I don't think that it's so much of a deal anymore. If I wanted to eat crap then I could easily have eaten Mc Donalds and other fast foods while there which I doubt we would be spending the amount that we paid for the DDP each day. But whatever, maybe it's just me that sees that Disney is making a false advertisement by not stating the menus will be changed to lesser quality food.
I'll take McDonalds over Applebee's any day! BLEH!!!!
I tell you, some people on here just LOVE to hear themselves talk (so to speak)
Anyways, thanks everyone! I'm so looking forward to my dining experience wooooohooooo.........

The food is not crap, and menus change all the time. Sadly, if somebody's favorite is taken off the menu, they blame the DDP. Plenty of changes are for the better, I am very much looking forward to the new menu at 'Ohanas for one. Don't let people bring you down, just because they can't stand the fact that the restaurants are crowded now, or that a few time consuming, high-maintenance items have been removed because of it. The food is fantastic, and you will have a great time!

 

[honeymo78]

There still is a great variety of food available and since the menus do change several times a year there is no absolute proof that they are changing just b/c of the free DDP offering. I was in Disney in Oct of last year and Feb of this year and there were some differences in the menus (entrees slightly different, desserts available one time and not the other). Also if a chef changes the menu will as well. If the menus change dramatically after the DDP promotion period is over, then we can guess that some changes were made for the free promotion period. THen again the promotion ends right around fall so perhaps a seasonal change is due anyway.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Deanette, who said anything like what you're inferring? Sacred restaurants? Only afforded by a few? Geez, got a complex, do we?

honeymo, absolute proof? Well, no. That would be impossible but I have relayed, on my posts (other threads), things I know from my relationships with a number of the chef's and management about how changes HAVE been mandated which speak to both quality and creativity.

The DDP is a great thing for many people and Disney will continue to do what it finds most profitable no matter what I think but that doesn't mean I have to like it or be quiet about it.

Lewis, Walt was not benevolent to be sure but he did believe in doing things to the best possible degree, therefore I doubt that he ever would have established a fine dining network only to dismantle it in favor of additional profit margins...JMO.

 

[Lewisc]

There is very little evidence of significant changes to the "fine dining network" which includes the signature restaurants and V&A.

Walt would certainly approve of making sure the menu items, and pricing, of the majority of the restaurants appeals to the majority of the guests.

Lewis, Walt was not benevolent to be sure but he did believe in doing things to the best possible degree, therefore I doubt that he ever would have established a fine dining network only to dismantle it in favor of additional profit margins...JMO.

 

[bicker]

The problem for me is that I'm eating Applebee's type food at WDW type pricing.

Well, again, Chefs de France is far, far better than Applebee's. It's even better than Chili's, though I'll grant that some of the 1TS restaurants, like the Plaza Restaurant and Nine Dragons are no better than those national chains. Regarding pricing, you cannot expect to pay your local restaurant's pricing at the most popular vacation destination on Earth. There is a very substantial location premium. That extra money is solely associated with the convenience of having a meal there -- it doesn't contribute at all to making the food a higher grade of food, or even to upscaling the service. You need to add a lot more money before you get those things, and you do get them, at the signature restaurants. That's where you can get the type of dining experience you're apparently looking for.

Why shouldn't Chefs provide a semi-authentic brasserie (not bistro) experience?

Have you been to a brasserie in France recently? The ones I ate at, when I was doing some work in Versailles, were very much like Chefs de France, though not quite as nice, actually.

I'm not talking about duck here, I'm referring to the peculiarly American attitude that 'elitists' and 'intellectuals' should kowtow to 'simple' tastes and mores at every turn.

I surely don't. I'm a foodie. I'd love to pay more to get more. I simply don't expect that there will be more places appealing to me than there will be places appealing to the vast majority of people. Each group attended to in our own measure. The signature restaurants satisfy my desires for fine dining very well.

Walt Disney wanted his parks to be different than others and yes extraordinary -- they used to be, much more so than they are in the year 2006.

Walt Disney built his Magic Kingdom without a decent fine, dining restaurant.

 

[DiszyDeanette]

Deanette, who said anything like what you're inferring? Sacred restaurants? Only afforded by a few? Geez, got a complex, do we?

A complex? Hardly. I just read post after post (by the same 1/2 dozen people) endlessly whining about having to make ADRs now, how the restaurants are too crowded now, blah, blah, blah. Which all translates easily into "I resent other people being there, period".

 

[bicker]

C'mon now! You're calling people selfish, simply because they don't like the plebs infiltrating their sacred restaurants??

i know you were joking, but just to be clear, the only thing I've called selfish is the act of putting a personal insult up on public forums.

Just because they complain about not having their exclusive "only I can afford it, because I'm better than you" clubs anymore?

What's more is that they (actually: we, because quite frankly, my wife and I do enjoy fine dining, when we don't have guests at WDW with us) -- they still have their "clubs" -- the signature restaurants.

Are people really selfish when they post that other people actually being in the restaurants seriously bothers them?!?

It is pretty funny, but also pretty sad, when I see messages like that.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Absolutely, and that makes sense -- fine restaurants in proportion to the number of guests who want fine dining.

But again, French people don't always eat duck. The hamburger didn't replace the duck. The pork replaced the duck. My wife doesn't like duck, but she loves pork. Please don't begrudge her this menu change which was in her best interest.

I am happy your DW now is able to find something french to eat other than the duck.


As Mama points out, WDW still is a top destination for world-class dining: The signature restaurants are excellent! And Bistro de Paris is among the best of the best. For folks who want something better, that option is available to them. What Disney has done is made their offerings more in line with what their guests want. Just read the Dining Plan forum. People are gushing over the plan. People love the fact that they can have nice sit-down meals now, something which they couldn't afford before. It's a win-win, since now there is something, truly, for everyone.

While some of what you post is true, especially that most diners are gushing over the dining plan it still is not the World Class Dining that it reports to be since they did change the menus with cheaper replacements or have completely dropped items from the menus. With the exception of a few restaurants WDW has significantly lost their World Class Dining status and find themselves severly lacking in this area.

 

[bicker]

I have been extremely excited up to this point and now reading so much negativity I'm just waiting to be dissapointed left and right.

This is really my biggest beef with a lot of the doom and gloom: How is fostering unfounded expectations going to help folks like Cajun Angel enjoy their vacations better? Isn't that what we're here for? To help each other enjoy our vacations more? Messages that seem to only serve to set first-time guests up for disappointment and dissatisfaction don't serve that purpose, IMHO.

I thought the DDP was an amazing deal, but if all of the menu changes are being changed because of this, they should have had a little note saying, by the way, you will be eating poor quality food, basically... you'll be eating crap.

Check out all the glowing reviews of these restaurants. Many folks are enjoying these restaurants just fine... and feel the Dining Plan is the best thing to come around in a decade. The only folks who are expressing dissatisfaction are those who are expecting Chefs de France to be identical to Bistro de Paris -- who are expecting the casual table-service restaurants to be just like the signature fine-dining restaurants. It was like that for a while, and that's why they're upset, but it isn't like that anymore. That's better for folks looking for, as you said, that "amazing deal". Don't let the doom and gloom some folks are trying to spread color the anticipation of your dining experiences.

 

[bicker]

While some of what you post is true, especially that most diners are gushing over the dining plan it still is not the World Class Dining that it reports to be since they did change the menus with cheaper replacements or have completely dropped items from the menus. With the exception of a few restaurants WDW has significantly lost their World Class Dining status and find themselves severly lacking in this area.

I personally feel that very few of the 1TS restaurants were ever world-class dining experiences. Chefs de France was close (which of course didn't make sense, given that Bistro de Paris was just upstairs), and Coral Reef was close (but now there is Flying Fish, nearby), but other than that, the 1TS restaurants have always been as they are now, on par with the better casual table-service restaurants we find at home. I think it really isn't a fair representation of what's going on to focus on what really is no more than a reclassification of one or two restaurants, with corresponding replacements nearby.

 

[bicker]

The food is not crap, and menus change all the time. Sadly, if somebody's favorite is taken off the menu, they blame the DDP. Plenty of changes are for the better, I am very much looking forward to the new menu at 'Ohanas for one. Don't let people bring you down, just because they can't stand the fact that the restaurants are crowded now, or that a few time consuming, high-maintenance items have been removed because of it. The food is fantastic, and you will have a great time!

What she said. (Gosh, if I read this first, it could have saved me a lot of typing! )

 

[gina2000]

I realize I did not make myself clear, Bicker, so I'll try again.

I live in the NY metro area. I pay a huge premium to eat out at every level of dining. And I do eat at every level of dining....from storefront local mom 'n' pop type places (which in this area are Thai and Indian as well as pizzerias) to upscale 5* restaurants. I have no problems with paying the price....any price....as long as the menu is varied and the food reflects some culinary thought and inspiration. That's first and foremost in my dining criteria.

Unfortunately, our last trip to WDW (Feb, 2006), was a cultural wasteland as far as food was concerned. For example, the Spoodles menu had been pared down to nothing (we actually thought they were in the process of closing, that's how limited it was), the service was dreadful and the food was subpar at any price. It was also empty. We couldn't imagine what had happened. We have been regular diners there since it opened. The change was dramatic and uninspired. It's a shame because such a beautifully constructed restaurant deserves better.

Can I blame it on the DDP? No idea. I can only reflect upon the decline of one of my favorite moderately priced restaurants. We felt this way about many of the places we tried. No inspiration. No flair. Nothing to make them more than merely a meal I could get at any chain restaurant across America.

I think the original idea of Epcot restaurants was to give people dining experiences that they may not have close to their homes at a fair price. By homogenizing the menus, that seems exactly opposite my perception. Of course, my perception may be entirely wrong and the bottom line may be the only criteria in place now. For me, if a WDW restaurant serves me Applebee food at WDW prices, why not just go to Applebees? What's disturbing is not the price....it's the homogenization.

And yes, I do agree, the signature restaurant at times offer some wonderful experiences. I do appreciate them and go as often as I can. But for moderate restaurants (and I do say moderately priced because their prices translate to mid-range priced restaurants in this area), I think Disney used to offer a more varied and thoughtful array of choices than it now currently does. Some of it may be cost cutting in the face of DDP pricing and some of it may be to meet the needs of the unadventurous. Whichever it is (or if it is both), it leads to undistinguished dining choices in the moderately priced category.

 

[snowbunny]

deleted...waste of breath

 

[bicker]

Unfortunately, our last trip to WDW (Feb, 2006), was a cultural wasteland as far as food was concerned.

There is no question that different guests will appreciate the offerings at WDW with different levels of enthusiasm. I do believe folks who are looking for fine food over great attractions would be better-served visiting another vacation destination, and I believe that's always been the case. WDW has always been about the themed attractions.

Incidently, Spoodle's executive chef left a few years ago (she was promoted to a more attractive position, actually), so the restaurant did go through some tough times. Word on the street is that Spoodles is back. Chef Tony and Chef Dan have gotten rave reviews from some DIS members.

I think the original idea of Epcot restaurants was to give people dining experiences that they may not have close to their homes at a fair price.

I believe it still does that. It may not do it in as extreme a manner as in the past, or as extreme a manner as perhaps some folks would like, but it is doing it in a manner commensurate with what guests -in-general are calling for.

For me, if a WDW restaurant serves me Applebee food at WDW prices, why not just go to Applebees?

Of course, that premise is wrong. The food at WDW TS restaurants is uniformly far, far better than the food at Applebees.

 

[gina2000]

Of course, that premise is wrong. The food at WDW TS restaurants is uniformly far, far better than the food at Applebees.

That, of course, is purely a matter of taste....or should I say taste buds?

 

[gina2000]

There is no question that different guests will appreciate the offerings at WDW with different levels of enthusiasm. I do believe folks who are looking for fine food over great attractions would be better-served visiting another vacation destination, and I believe that's always been the case. WDW has always been about the themed attractions.

Never said I was looking for fine food over great attractions. Believe it or not, I'm aware of what "WDW is about". Part of the attractiveness of WDW, however, has been that very combination of fun and creativeness....not just in attractions but also in the food service areas. I will say that if the moderately priced food offerings remain at the same level of "eh", I'll eat only counter service, fine dining and/or off site.

 

[bicker]

Well, "good" and "bad" are surely matters of taste, but some things aren't subjective:

Chefs de France - Demi poulet fermier a la broche, pommes puree au basilic et tomate braisee - Half of a farm raised rotisserie chicken, basil-flavored mashed potatoes and braised tomato

The closest thing Applebees has is:

Applebees - Chicken Parmesan - Lightly breaded chicken breast topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella, provolone and Parmesan cheeses.

I think there is little disagreement, in reality, that the menu, and the food, at Chefs de France, is far superior to that at Applebees.

 

[DVC Sadie]

My DH and I would not have a problem if WDW stated that the food is going to be "standard" or slightly above standard park fare with few exclusions.

However since WDW and others tout "World Class Dining" then they should be able to continue to deliver or not advertise as being up to par as other Top Destinations, and if they choose not to then they should also advertise that fact.

People from NY, New Orleans, Las Vegas (just to name a few) or other places who eat "world class dining" regularly have every reason to not only be disappointed but to be able to voice their opinions without being called snobs or insensitive.

If someone travels to WDW expecting chain style restaurant dining then they will not be disappointed but if they are expecting what is advertised then they may be disappointed.

 

[kidsister]

Dear OP (Cajun Angle)

Please disregard most of the banter above and try to relax. I believe that if you do your research (the menus for all of the restaurants are on the Dis (click 'dining' at the top) that you will be very pleased with the quality and type of food you can get on the DDP.

Just returned from 6 days of 'free dining' and also use dthe DDP in conjunction with my DVC home in May. And I'll be going back in 2 weeks for another 4 days of 'free dining' and then possibly adding on to my BWV stay for another 3 nights.

I haven't noticed a 'dumbing down ' of any menus; however, it has been years since I've eaten at most of the TS restaurants. I mostly eat seafood but my roomie is a no-seafood person, so we've had to negotiate a few of the restaurants we've chosen.

Do you like filet mignon? Well, I've had excelllent, tender, tasty filets at Le Cellier and Wolfgang Puck and Konas. My roomie fell in love with Chefs for its pork dish, which I know understand is new to the menu. And I fell in love with Chefs salmon appetizer....excellent ! I loved my crab cake appetizer at WP and the cappucino freeze at Le Cellier. I enjoyed Bomas, but felt it was
'dumbed down' only insofar as for those of us who enjoy 'different' tastes in food as opposed to the more 'easily recognizable' or 'down home' palate. I loved the watermelon rind and the watermelon/blue cheese salad. The soups there were excellent and the short ribs yummy. I had the nut encrusted salmon, but I tend to stay away from any but wild salmon and there hasn't been any of that on the 1 TS menus that I've researched.

The service while on the plan has been excellent...couldn't ask for such wonderful service both in May and September. The restaurants weren't crowded but were full...and we changed a few of our ressies to later/earlier times with no problems, tho we made the initial ressies 6 months out!

My roomie got upset with RoseNCrown because they refused to prepare her a special dessert (she is diabetic and has been spoiled by all the other restaurants that have completely catered to her needs), but the food, if you like steak and fried cod, was certainly comparative to an English pub and our table was front and center for Illuminations.

Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Le Cellier, Les Chefs are awesome values for 1 TS restaurants. I ate at Flying Fish but not on the DDP and found its appetizers very yummy (tho the Romaine salad was bitter) and the leek dish that accompanyied the red snapper entree was amazing.

The menus pretty much give you a feel for what the food will be like. If you like sauces and elegant presentation, then the restaurants named above will meet your expectations and then some.

Hope you have a wonderful trip to the World...I'm thinking of trying Jikko's or Bistro for 2TS this next trip, but other than that, I'll probably stick to my 'favs'