Trails End Buffet Gone Forever

[ucf_knight]

Oh it's coming.

Disney paused the Reflections project due to covid impact on DVC purchases as they were trying to get Riviera up and going. R was going to be the next project. But they paused it and instead went with a sure-fire small/quick sell and are working on the Tower at the Poly where they tore down the "Spirit of Aloha" dinner show theater.

But Disney paid a lot of money to finally dispose of River Country behind Pioneer Hall, sculpt the land, and lay utilities into the area (they tore up our Exercise Trail from the Fort to Wilderness Lodge to use as a utility right-of-way). They want a return on that investment.

So there is this ugly scrim fence covering behind Pioneer Hallcurrently. Disney never said that R was "cancelled". Work just stopped and any reference to it online just "disappeared".

Now to answer your question.

This past Halloween 2022 I was at the Fort and had an opportunity to talk briefly with the Fort's General Manager (I think the Fort is paired with Wilderness Lodge and one GM covers them both). Anyway, he is the top Fort dog in management. I asked him if we were going to get our Exercise Trail back to Wilderness Lodge (which I enjoyed walking). He said YES in about 3 years. (which I took to mean it should be back after they finish the DVC/resort buildout behind Pioneer Hall and lay fresh blacktop over the right-of-way again where the Trail was).

There is (some sort of logic) to make changes at the existing Fort dining area which will fit with a new DVC/resort. For example, if the Fort has HDDR and all Quick/Counter service dining, maybe the new DVC/resort would NOT have to have any and save that expense. It would have Table Service only so we're looking at a "merger" of those common areas like dining, recreation, entertainment to maximize/modify existing service (Fort) and supplement with the new (DVC/resort). That approach (sharing services) is "win-win" on paper for each but we suffer the loss of our beloved Table Service dining option, Trails End.

Disney is going to build on that Bay Lake waterfront property behind Pioneer Hall. The R design was generically pretty but didn't fit the Fort vibe at all. And it encroached terribly onto the Fort down by TE. Hopefully, if we MUST have timeshare folks staying with us at the Fort, that Disney "refreshes" the design to fit the Wilderness vibe.

Hope that answers your question.

Bama Ed

PS - can you imagine:

- DVC/resort folks walking their dogs around our camping loops?
- DVC/resort folks being given the option to rent our golf carts?
- DVC/resort folks gathering on our dock to watch the Electric Light Parade and use our boat transportation to MK?
- DVC/resort folks coming into the Fort to attend the Chip & Dale campfire singalong and movie night?

Great for Disney's bottom line but bad for all of us campers. But hey, I'm just an old cranky guy.

Gonna go hide back in 1500 on the back outside of the loop and take my folding chair over the mound towards the canal where it's nice and quiet and wait for the turkeys to fly over the water for the day then return at night. That's my plan to deal with it. May have to give up my love of 100 loop.

This is the exact reason why reflections is going to completely ruin the fort. You hit the nail on the head.

 

[bama_ed]

I just talked to one of the bartenders at Crocketts and she said it’s true, they were told officially with no exact dates.

Per the bartender, Crockett’s will stay but will be updated/refubished at the same time as TE. She said they’ve been using outdated equipment and need the update.

Longtime servers were pretty upset as one can understand but other serving jobs will be made available for those that will not have a position when the dust settles. I saw Paulette two days ago at TE but didn’t get to ask her about this situation. I hope to see her again when I have breakfast over there in a few days.

Staff was told TE will be down from “spring” to the “summer” whatever that means.

Peach, if you can get a picture of Paulette, can you share that? I thought she was retired and don't know what she looks like (I may have seen her in the past at TE).

Thanks, Ed

 

[Teamubr]

I think Ed's theory is pretty spot on. TE will be as close to the R resort as some of the rooms are at a Value to the main building and food court. Even if the new resort (and I fully expect it to be resumed as soon as the Poly addition is complete) has a quick service of its own, there will be sit down restaurants there too. It could be that a TE version 2.0, with a great buffet, could go in.
The Fort gets more options for breakfast/lunch/dinner for the Door Dash/GrubHub generation and campers get access at "R" to a familiar buffet.

(trying to find a positive spin for this)

j

 

[Disneypeach]

Thanks for the intel. PJs is staying open during the refurb right?

Not sure. I would think it would but didn’t ask. I’ll try to ask that tomorrow

 

[Disneypeach]

Peach, if you can get a picture of Paulette, can you share that? I thought she was retired and don't know what she looks like (I may have seen her in the past at TE).

Thanks, Ed

Josie retired a few years ago (for the newer folks she’s the “J” in P&Js , Paulette is the “P”). Paulette was in costume and working her table assignment tablet two days ago. I’ll definitely try to get a pic!

 

[happycamper47]

Josie retired a few years ago (for the newer folks she’s the “J” in P&Js , Paulette is the “P”). Paulette was in costume and working her table assignment tablet two days ago. I’ll definitely try to get a pic!

Josephine started at TE in 1979, I can't remember what year Paulette started.

 

[StormyCA]

Well, I'd convinced myself that any DVC 'back there' had gone the way of the dodo. But what @bama_ed says does make 'sense' (from Disney's point of view). It's just too much prime real estate to let sit. Guess I'll pull my head out of the sand. Sigh. I just hope they go back to the drawing board on design. Maybe a two story 'lodge' with rooms and a smattering of duplex cabins like a lot of the the NPS lodges.

I'm sure there will be major changes to the settlement area. I really hate to see it change from the nice little place it is now to some version of an 'outdoor mall', even if it is well-themed. But obvs they can't throw up a DVC and not expand guest services.

Just please let them have their own beach and dock area.

 

[jwo1976]

Our last time eating at TE was a disappointment to say the least. We usually get checked in and setup and head "into town" to grab a few last minute groceries and pizza at Flippers. But this time when we got there I was pretty wiped out. We made the drive with our pop-up from Birmingham all in one shot. 10+ hours (with stops for fuel, bathroom, lunch) can be exhausting. So we decided on TE for dinner. This was March 2021. The food, tolerable, price outrageous. For the 4 of us, $150+, for what equated to the grocery store hot food selections behind the counter. The last resort option when running home from a hard days work. I expected better for the money. BUt this has been the case with most Disney restaurants lately. We have had 2 trips since (2 weeks back in June '22 and 1 week Christmas '22). Both trips we avoided TE. We did go to HDDR on Christmas. Well worth the price of admission, great service, food and entertainment. My wife even cried because the chicken and mashed potatoes reminded her of her grandmother's. Now the fried chicken and such may be the same served at TE but our last visit it was VERY subpar and disappointing.

Maybe now with a management change at the top things will change for the better. But they will never be as they once were. Not all change is bad and not all is good.

I will say that the macaroni food truck was pretty good. But we do cook and go into town for less expensive eating out options. Flippers (best pizza in town) and On the Boarder (nostalgic for us but pretty good food for half the price)

 

[nancipants]

This makes me so sad. I loved Trails End, even with the family style offerings. Since we are locals, we would make a TE reservation as a way to get our fix of the Fort. My son loved the playground and riding the ponies. Now I guess we'll have to park at the TTC and take the boats to get there if we ever want to visit.

 

[Paulaparm]

Sad to read this. We ate twice at TE last winter and LOVED both meals. Food and service were both great. When I hear "Marketplace concept", I think of premade sandwiches, bags of chips/sides, drinks, plus some hot options, snacks, etc. Thinking like The Mara at AKL, specifically. While I don't want to see TE, as it is, go away, I'm willing to give the new place a try. Not that I really have a choice
All that being said, I'd love to have the buffet back!

 

[tidefan]

Sad to read this. We ate twice at TE last winter and LOVED both meals. Food and service were both great. When I hear "Marketplace concept", I think of premade sandwiches, bags of chips/sides, drinks, plus some hot options, snacks, etc. Thinking like The Mara at AKL, specifically. While I don't want to see TE, as it is, go away, I'm willing to give the new place a try. Not that I really have a choice
All that being said, I'd love to have the buffet back!

Depends on how they do it. We love the Quick Service at POFQ (Sassagoula Float Works - shrimp and grits and beignets? Yes please!) and if they could do something like that, it could be nice.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I wonder if a restaurant would do better if it had at a more central location at the Fort near the pool. If you don't have a cart it is a long walk to TE from much of the campground.

It would potentially do much better if they put it near the tent/pop up loops. While people staying in those loops are trying to save money, they generally are not cooking every meal at their site.

 

[MadisonMike]

We’ll be there in May. I’m a little concerned about our dining options

same here! booked first week of May and like to use PJ takeout for chicken and pizza a couple nights.

 

[MadisonMike]

Josie retired a few years ago (for the newer folks she’s the “J” in P&Js , Paulette is the “P”). Paulette was in costume and working her table assignment tablet two days ago. I’ll definitely try to get a pic!

This is sad for MS Paulette! She was such a nice person. In the past 20 years of trips though we mostly were helped by Ms Josie who was such a sweetheart. Hopefully the new concept has a way to keep P&J!

 

[flutegarden]

same here! booked first week of May and like to use PJ takeout for chicken and pizza a couple nights.

I believe P&Js is staying open. It better.

 

[MadisonMike]

I believe P&Js is staying open. It better.

hoping this is confirmed true. If they are keeping crocketts as is, they could do PJ out of there. This whole remodel sounds odd, just doesnt seem like a lot of space. Oh well, will see in less than 3 months!

 

[flutegarden]

hoping this is confirmed true. If they are keeping crocketts as is, they could do PJ out of there. This whole remodel sounds odd, just doesnt seem like a lot of space. Oh well, will see in less than 3 months!

They have to have somewhere for people to eat. I chatted a cast member about it and whole he couldn’t say for sure it’s staying open he said he hadn’t heard that it was closing.

 

[tiggerdad]

Cancelled my trip in March. Disney has put me and my family out. Price explosions. Massively less for the dollar. Torn down and thrown away the peaceful aspects of it. At least I got to enjoy it before the landslide started.

So sad

 

[proudmomof4]

I asked a P&J’s cast member about the future of P&J’s, she said they will continue to operate, but they will work out of Davy Crockett’s Arcade during the construction and will be strictly mobile orders.

She said they weren’t given much info about the future concept, other than grab and go meals. She didn’t know if they would keep the Trail’s End name, call the whole thing P&J’s or come up with a whole new name.

 

[flutegarden]

I asked a P&J’s cast member about the future of P&J’s, she said they will continue to operate, but they will work out of Davy Crockett’s Arcade during the construction and will be strictly mobile orders.

She said they weren’t given much info about the future concept, other than grab and go meals. She didn’t know if they would keep the Trail’s End name, call the whole thing P&J’s or come up with a whole new name.

Thanks for finding out and good to know.