Tusker House changes?

[tiki23]

We didn't get to eat there, we chose Flame Tree, but for heaven's sake - AK needs several more restaurant choices. We about starved our first day there!

 

[HollyJoy]

I've never eaten at Tusker House, but plan to during our next trip (which is in a week!!!! ). I certainly hope it doesn't switch over before then!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . If it is true, it seems like a waste of a great counter service restaurant . . .

1) It is not waste.
2) Character meals make a lot more profit than counter service eateries.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm happy to see a TS restaurant added to AK.

 

[MariDisney]

I'm happy to see a TS restaurant added to AK.

Well, I would agree with that wholeheartedly! I just wouldn't want to see it at the expense of Tusker House as a CS.

 

[Camp Rd. Lady]

I agree that AK needs a TS but not at the expence of the best CS in all of Disney. Besides, I hate buffets!

 

[cleo]

It would certainly be a waste from my family's perspective. We love Tusker House but would never eat there if it became a character breakfast. Most of the Disney buffets are average at best and we're not doing the character thing any more. But Tusker House as it is now (and hopefully will remain) is a little gem. Good food, healthy choices and something just a bit different.

Character meals are (in my opinion) a dime a dozen and the food leaves MUCH to be desired. I hope the rumor never pans out.

 

[Bete]

I'm like most here and prefer if they kept Tusker House as a counter service place, as is. I have never missed a visit there if we are at the AK park. To me, it's the best counter service in all of Disney World.

I don't understand why they couldn't do a character meal restaurant somewhere's else in the park.

If they matched Boma's for their buffet at Tusker, I might be appeased, but it wouldn't be counter service anymore.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I'm happy to see a TS restaurant added to AK.

Oh, absolutely!

I agree that the AK needs a TS restaurant, but with all the space that this park has, and with Tilman Fertitta's restaurant rumored to be on the horizon, why take out one of the best, if not the best CS restaurant that WDW has? (Meant as a general statement/question; not directed at you.)

(My SIL is Tilman Fertitta's neice. I'll have to see if she can't get some info from him over the holidays about the dinosaur restaurant.)

 

[crashbb]

Is it actually closed at the moment whilst work is being done? I was hoping to eat there next week. It is the best CS in AK, so it will be a shame to see it go.

I ate there on 20-November and there were no signs of an imminent closing.

That said, it had one of the least helpful chefs in terms of catering to dietary problems. Actually, AK in general was really hard - I couldn't find anything to eat until places starting serving lunch (and they wouldn't/couldn't serve it to me early). Maybe a TS and/or buffet would help with that.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

1) It is not waste.
2) Character meals make a lot more profit than counter service eateries.

It will be extraordinarily profitable for Disney but to a lot of visitors (not most) it will be a waste of a place they liked that didn't serve run of the mill park food.

Those who most of all wanted a TS restaurant, even if it was a standard character buffet, will be happy about the change if it comes about. So will parents who wanted another chance to get the kids into a character meal.

To me it's more of a resurgence of standardized dining at WDW. For awhile they were trying to do something different, but they've realized the money is in offering the standards to the masses.

 

[Chuck S]

So, what about the rumored Landry's table service place in the Asian area of AK (Ying & Yak)? Does AK really need a TS place AND a character meal, when they've gotten along with Tusker House as a Counter Service area since the park opened? And would Disney open a Character meal to attract business away from an in-park food service contractor?

T-Rex won't be the last big project from Schussler. In fact, it won't even be his next one to open at Disney in Orlando. July 2007 will see the opening of a new Asian restaurant inside Disney's Animal Kingdom. Plans call for it to be themed as a rural village called Anandapur that evokes the Himalayan foothills of India or Nepal.

Named Ying and Yak, the pan-Asian concept will be "off the charts," Schussler promises. Ying and Yak will have table service for 300 and a 200-customercapacity quick-service setup. "We've already started construction," Schussler adds.

http://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/article/14816/
The article was posted in October 2006.

 

[shellybaxter]

Chuck,

Does the blurb you posted mean that the new pan asian restaurant will be table service and quick service? If so, maybe Disney isn't trying to compete at all. Maybe they are trying to be different. One of the only things they can do as Disney that other restaurants can't is offer character meals.

Also, if Animal Kingdom is the forth park as far as popularity and attendence, perhaps Disney is trying to find ways to improve that ranking. If you look at the other theme parks character dining is a big part of them (except Disney Studios, but Disney recently added that too).

 

[TDC Nala]

That's probably exactly it, WDW knows there will always be a market for character dining. The character meals in the other parks are full of customers using the dining plan. If the Asian restaurant will have quick service options, then they are probably assuming it will take up whatever slack is caused by removing Tusker House from the counter service roster.

That looks like a win-win for Disney, but if you enjoyed Tusker House it isn't so good. I'd prefer they converted Pizzafari, personally. With the decor, and the separate rooms, they have the perfect setup for a character buffet. But they have the kid-friendly food, so that isn't going to happen.

 

[Chuck S]

Chuck,

Does the blurb you posted mean that the new pan asian restaurant will be table service and quick service? If so, maybe Disney isn't trying to compete at all. Maybe they are trying to be different. One of the only things they can do as Disney that other restaurants can't is offer character meals.

Also, if Animal Kingdom is the forth park as far as popularity and attendence, perhaps Disney is trying to find ways to improve that ranking. If you look at the other theme parks character dining is a big part of them (except Disney Studios, but Disney recently added that too).

According to the article, the Landry's location will have a table service dining room and counter service windows.

Don't they already offer a character meal at McDs at AK (Breakfastosaurus)?

 

[Robo]

Don't they already offer a character meal at McDs at AK (Breakfastosaurus)?

Yes, and its very popular.

But it ends after breakfast.
The rest of the day its a "McDonald's" CS restaurant.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes enough with the character meals. Theres plenty of those to choose from if thats what you want. AK has such a tiny selection of restaurants, dont take another away. They already ruined Akershus by changing that (in EPC).

I agree about Akershus. We had eaten there a number of times when is was just a regular restaurant and the food was EXCELLENT. We've eaten there twice after it changed to a Princess meal. The food was average, not hot when we got it and just not the same at all.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I'm all for a sit-down place at AK. Even if they add characters.

They could have done away with any other counter service place and I wouldn't have cared much. I just happen to have really enjoyed Tusker House...the food, the atmosphere, all of it. Plus, it had one of the few decent breakfasts that wasn't filled with characters...not everyone wants a rowdy breakfast EVERY day!

Having always looked forward to my TH breakfasts as much as any other meal, I'm mighty disappointed.

 

[TDC Nala]

I also agree that Akershus was wrecked. I have not eaten there since it went princess.

But now, they're filling the joint up, and when I went there before, they always had excellent food and lots of empty tables. Guess which option Disney likes better.

I think they've discovered that for most visitors, WDW is about the experience and the food is secondary. Most vistors require only that the food be edible and decent.

The other reason they may be converting Tusker House is that I don't believe Pizzafari is air conditioned (parts of it are not, anyway) and Flame Tree is completely outdoors. Tusker House is their only option for a character buffet. And I bet there won't be a character dinner with the park closing so early.

Man, I will miss the food at TH if it goes, though. Unless you want to sit outside or you love McDonald's, Pizzafari will be the only option for counter service for awhile.

 

[liznboys]

Nooooo! I don't like the sound of this at all. We enjoy lunch at Tusker House almost every trip. Oh how we will miss it!

I'm going to hope that this isn't really going to happen...