Venting about complainers!!!!!

[keahgirl8]

As a native of NOLA, I feel it's a duty to point out that the "beignets" at Disneyland share similarities only in the name of the dessert. "MickeyDonuts" would be a better (accurate) description. I don't say it to "complain" about Disneyland, but say it so people are aware that when they go to the real New Orleans, they'll enjoy the actual dessert and not some appropriated (very inaccurate) representation. As an aside, I find the beignets at Port Orleans are a decent attempt, and would love to see some Disney-Tiana's Place theming around that part of the Port Orleans cafe. I mean if you're going to Disney-fy the dessert, go all the way… "you're almost there!"

Likewise, living in New England has taught me what New Englanders expect from a proper chowdah or lobstah roll. If a restaurant is going to reference the locale, then in my opinion respect the regional cuisine by following it to the best of the chef's ability. Otherwise, it smacks of appropriating the region's name for profit without respect to the regional culture.

I have a feeling that anytime I would call out inappropriately prepared regional cuisine would be "complaining." So, it's unfortunate that it would offend some, but it also offends me to find my cultural-regional cuisine falsely advertised. It's all the more important to speak up about cultural cuisine "false advertising" if the restaurant guest (by virtue of only eating at Disney) won't have an opportunity to experience the actual texture/look/taste of that region. I would rather know from hometown reviewers how the actual cuisine differs, so I can have an educated palate when I'm eating a sorta-kinda good attempt by Disney at (insert city name) (insert famous food dish).

Best wishes to the OP. Hope there's some understanding that a critical review is not equivalent to dismissiveness.

Agreed about the beignets. The ones at Disneyland are very good, but you can't expect NOLA beignets!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I think people should be able to give their honest opinions about places for sure. I value those opinions. I don't want people to sugarcoat their reviews but I don't want someone to dismiss a place either just because they don't do X food the way their area does it.

Look no one and I mean no one can be like KC bbq (my opinion of course)...but I don't in any way expect bbq at WDW to be like my bbq at home. I am so used to how it is done in KC and to an extent St Louis style..but I know that going it. I have had bbq in other places for sure and have enjoyed some but my fav is places around me (hello joe's kansas city-formerly oklahoma joe's).

I do think some people (though not anyone here on the DIS actually just moreso on review sites) can be unrealistic about certain types of food in general.

Bbq is about the only food item (that I already eat) that I don't actively going out of my way to order. That is majority because of the reasons above and the minority because I like to try different things when I'm not in town. If I can go to a place I don't have at home or order something unique I'm going to do it. But I'm also not one of those people that is going to write a negative review saying "ugh this bbq is nowhere near what kc bbq is" and there are ways of giving your opinion without saying nothing compares to what I have at home.

When I visited my husband last year when he worked in Houston at that time we knew that the Mexican-style places we had at home couldn't even compare to the more authentic places Houston had to offer.

When we visit MA (near Boston and also Cape Cod) we know by way of my step-father-in-law who is from just outside of Boston that the seafood offers in KC pale in comparison to the fresh seafood available as it should given that KC is in the middle of the U.S. (he's quite the picky clam chowder eater though he tries it at places no matter where we are). My husband and I are not seafood eaters so we don't have an opinion on what region is best.

I also think that at WDW they try and generalize the food..make it too regional and you end up isolating too many people.

 

[HopperFan]

I'm not going to follow your direction. I'm from New England, I know lobster. I know seafood. I understand that I get the best fish and chips on the planet down the street from me. The veal Milanese at my favorite restaurant is the best I've ever had. And their rib eye steak is better than Del Frisco in NYC. But if I am dining in. WDW restaurant that calls itself an Italian restaurant, or if I am eating in the UK, or if I buy the lobster roll at CHH, I'm going to give the food my honest review.

I refuse to "be objective" if your description of "objective" means I tell folks food is awesome if it's not. Most people understand that they are dining in theme parks, but they gave the right to know what they are purchasing.

Disney dining is expensive.everywhere in Disney, food is expensive. I think I'm intelligent enough to give an accurate review in terms of my own taste, without being clouded by the memories of the entrees I buy at home.

I seldom post negative reviews of restaurants, but I have no issues giving feedback if a poster asks. If would be a shame if they went into CHH and expected the lobster roll to be a succulent concoction of morsels of lobster dripping in butter and served in a hot dog roll. It's not. Is it good? I don't like it. But I bet if you like lobster salad (IMO that's what it is) it's okay.

I think that describing food and explaining why it was or was not good is helpful. Is it critical? Maybe... I'm still not over Le Cellier.

Nancyg56

For the price that Disney charges, yes I have the right to believe that the food should be good and as expected. As a regular I know what to avoid, but for someone who has come here to ask if a particular item is as described or tastes good or worth going out of their way for ...... I am going to give them honest advice.

I believe that folks who are not foodies, think most food tastes fine (some folks just look at it as stuff you eat, like cars to me are just transportation and I don't get the excitement) are not the ones coming here to ask opinions about food options. They won't be swayed let alone even ask.

When talking about "not like home" I still think it applies. Say the "beignets" ... they do not taste like a NOLA beignet. They are a heavier fresh donut that many will delight in but if they truly want a beignet, my comment would be I would not go out of your way to get there for them because they are not. Maybe Disney should call them "Disney NOLA-Style Donuts".

It's not just a matter of it's not like home, it may be a matter of (1) it's not as advertised and for the price Disney charges it should be ... Lobster Roll (2) it's okay but it is a Disney version of something else ... Beignet (3) it's just plain bad food especially in relation to the price paid ... most their pizza or say Tony's.

As long as folks ask, other will give their honest answer ......... and for me, I often hold back on my honest answer because I realize others expectations may not be the same as mine.

 

[Honeybee83]

I appreciate hearing other's opinions on WDW but I like to hear where they are coming from, like the above posters saying they are from the Northeast where you can get great seafood.

My problem with the complainers is that it isn't "I didn't like it because…" The complaints are usually "It was the worst ______ ever!" like there is no possibility that someone else could have a differing opinion.

The cupcake thing is ridiculous. You can see there is a pile of frosting on those cupcakes!

Although I didn't like Chef Mickey's

We were debating on trying chef Mickey for brunch. What didn't you like if I may ask?

 

[Harambe]

I think it is great that everyone has different opinions on this. As others have said, as far as reviews go, take them all with a grain of salt (and a pinch of pepper!).

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

We were debating on trying chef Mickey for brunch. What didn't you like if I may ask?

We have had breakfast and dinner there. I just didn't think that it was worth the money. I would rather have a character breakfast at Tusker House, Crystal Palace, or 1900 Park Fare. I feel the food is better at those places and I don't feel as bad when the check comes lol.

Dinner was just mediocre and expensive in my opinion. But some people love it.

 

[GaryDis]

I know you only mentioned food at WDW, but can NY'ers complain about Chicago pizza or is that a no-no too?

Why waste time pointing out the obvious?

 

[2hapykdz]

The point was people from different hometowns saying "it's soooo much better at home".....WELL OF COURSE IT IS......IT SHOULD BE!!!!! Just don't kill a place because of that. Like I said....there are people who will never get to try the "real thing" and WDW is the closest thing they'll get. You can still critique the food...just don't hold it to the standards of home.....re-read the post...that's all I was saying.

 

[DrunkJam]

To elaborate on my previous post. I know, for a fact that the UK dishes are not entirely authentic, and, should you come here and order them, you may not be disappointed, but they would not be what you get at WDW. Because I know this, I assume it to be true of ALL the non local food.

Also, of course, different countries / regions have specialities, but also, different countries / regions have different immigration patterns, so, have different but authentic experiences of the same nominal cuisine. (UK chinese food cooked by a chinese person is different from USA chinese food cooked by a chinese person is different again from chinese food cooked in china by a chinese person. Partly because of regional variation in chinese cooking and the concentration of chinese immigrants from a different part of china in different host nations - for example.)

Added to which, theme park food is not really what one judges local cuisine by anyway, and restaurant food is not home cooking.

So, I like reviews to be honest. I want to know how authentic something is, or not, as well as a load of other positives or negatives that are pertinent to my choosing to eat there.

 

[tony67]

The issue here is Disney is not even trying to be as good as the "real" thing - they gave up years ago when they introduced the DDP.

At that point to be profitable under the DDP they had to start to use methods of mass production, like all the restaurants getting the same salmon from the same place. All the restaurants getting the same lamb shank from the same place.

Even something as simple as the pretzel now comes from the same place - there was a time that the pretzel in Germany was made in the German pavilion and was a fresh buttery pretzel - now it is the same tasteless pretzel you get everywhere in Disney.
The only reason you buy one is to absorb the alcohol you are consuming in Epcot and they happen to sell beer at the same cart - you would not wait in line for one unless your getting the beer.

The seafood at Cape May - yeah that used to be really good - not it is just average at best.
The Italian food in Epcot - that used to be Alfredo's - yeah they place that invented fettuccine Alfredo - the food was really good - service - well it was a truly Italian experience to put it nicely.
France Le Chefs - yeah that was far better as well - I recall some pretty amazing dishes.
Norway - yeah I think that was much better as well but people did not like it - it may have been too authentic - I think it meets somewhere in the middle now - but I have not been since it became princesses
Ohana's - that was so much better - the shrimp was not the lousy peel and eat shrimp they get today for example.
Le Celier - I'd say it was far better and now it it just resting on it's laurels
This list can go on and on ... the rolls they use for QS Hamburgers and Hot Dogs are about the worst thing ever- I have to assume they are cheaper although the claim was they are healthier - who needs a healthy bun on their one week vacation to Disney - sure give me a healthy bun and a side of carrots with my burger

The issue here isn't that Disney can't produce quality items - they have no shortage of people from all those places who I am sure can make those items.
(although it seems like Epcot does not have as many of the foreign nations in each country as they once did)
The issue is they have to keep within the money they get from the DDP and still be profitable - so as someone from the Mexican pavilion once told me they get about $15 to provide a meal, drink and dessert. This was back when it was $30 a day (2010 or so).

Now it is 63.70 - so lets assume they are getting $30 for the meal - I'd assume they could do a lot better than they were doing in 2010 and it seems like overall it is slightly better than it was in 2010 - but it is nothing like it was in 2000.

That will never change IMO. In 2000 they were trying to get the empty nesters and people without kids to come to Disney.
They had to produce food that would get these people to come back - that's why I used to go multiple times a year.
Now they have decided it is better to mass produce and sell the food in advance with a package.
Overall it has been extremely successful and profitable for Disney..if it were not for the DDP does anyone really think they could charge many of the prices they charge and provide the limited quality they provide and keep the restaurant full. I doubt it.

I would assume the majority of diners at Disney are on the DDP - and they got it as part of the package price.
Free or not does not really matter overall it's in the package price they were given - so as far as they are concerned it's all included and they are not going to expect as much as someone who is paying these prices OOP walking into Le Celier and getting the same meal they get at outback for far less - it is a choice quality filet - basically the same as Outback - it is not Prime at Le Celier.
They just call it Canadian AAA and people are not sure what that means - well that is the same as USDA choice. How about serving Canadian Prime???

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

We were debating on trying chef Mickey for brunch. What didn't you like if I may ask?

The OP would want a cheerleader "it's wonderful"


If you go understanding its Characters not high quality food it's great. We loved the character interaction. The food was just ok and the place felt like it could use a deep cleaning.

 

[DrunkJam]

We were debating on trying chef Mickey for brunch. What didn't you like if I may ask?

The food is OK. Not great. The characters are what it's about. BUT, we can't do it, it's way too bright and loud and chaotic for my ASD 9yo.

 

[Uncleromulus]

When I mention there are no good crab cakes at WDW, I am only trying to save people from themselves who might THINK they are getting the real thing.

I do agree tho that if regional fare is actually new to somebody at WDW, they may well like what they get and not know any different.

So when someone says the crab cakes at Narcoosee's were great, they might really believe it--

 

[Nancyg56]

Nancyg56

For the price that Disney charges, yes I have the right to believe that the food should be good and as expected. As a regular I know what to avoid, but for someone who has come here to ask if a particular item is as described or tastes good or worth going out of their way for ...... I am going to give them honest advice.

I believe that folks who are not foodies, think most food tastes fine (some folks just look at it as stuff you eat, like cars to me are just transportation and I don't get the excitement) are not the ones coming here to ask opinions about food options.

I agree. Disney food is expensive. I think that while the DDP is blamed for the quality declining, but I think that is just a small piece of the puzzle. Disney restaurants cater to a wide array of individual tastes. While I would think it important to stay true to the region a restaurant represents, it seems to me that is not always the case here. So I do think that guests do others a favor by discussing the differences between the food back "home" with what they experience at any Disney restaurant. Some is still worth trying, others I would not cross the street for.

We were debating on trying chef Mickey for brunch. What didn't you like if I may ask?

My family likes CM, but I think we are in the minority. WE like to kick off a trip y starting there, and have never been disappointed. Is the foods awesome? No. But we have always found it to be fresh and warm. The last trip we had two excited little princesses, and I honestly think it was because they could not sit still for two seconds (Star Struck! LOL) we never ate hot food. The characters are wonderful though. This place is loud and pretty chaotic, though, so beware that if you want a quiet meal.

The point was people from different hometowns saying "it's soooo much better at home".....WELL OF COURSE IT IS......IT SHOULD BE!!!!! Just don't kill a place because of that. Like I said....there are people who will never get to try the "real thing" and WDW is the closest thing they'll get. You can still critique the food...just don't hold it to the standards of home.....re-read the post...that's all I was saying.

We got the point. If the food is not the "real thing" and people are asking about that, I am going to tell them. They can then decide if they want to try it or not. I also appreciate the feedback when I ask. Again, I am intelligent enought to then determiner if I want to give it a whirl even if the regional food is not perfect. Iwil also decide if I want to waste good calories trying food that is considered substandard when I can choose to use those same calories having something else. I think others can do the same thing, and I refuse to insult someone by believing because they may never have the "real" thing they should be happy to have a substitute. People should make their own decisions.

When I mention there are no good crab cakes at WDW, I am only trying to save people from themselves who might THINK they are getting the real thing.

I do agree tho that if regional fare is actually new to somebody at WDW, they may well like what they get and not know any different.

So when someone says the crab cakes at Narcoosee's were great, they might really believe it--

A great crab cake is hard to find anywhere. How something that has such basic ingredients can be ruined so may times is beyond me.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I see both sides of the argument. The posts stating I'm from (fill in the blank), so I'm uniquely qualified to tell you if a dish is good or not can be obnoxious. Those who think they "know" good pizza are the worst. People don't seem to realize we all tend to like what we grew up eating. I happened to grow up in the South. To me, Disney's version of Southern, comfort food is vile. People who didn't grow up eating Mom's fried chicken, biscuits & gravy, etc. appear to love places like LTT. Likewise, just because one thinks NY, Chicago, etc. has the best pizza ever, doesn't mean everyone agrees. The same is true for pretty much all types of food. I've had excellent Italian food in NYC. I've also had equally good Italian food in Florida. The best Italian food I've ever had was made by an Italian friend of my parents who happened to live in Maryland. The fact is Disney's food is low quality for the price regardless of what type of food it is. That wasn't the case in the 90s, but it is now. It doesn't take someone from a certain state or region to tell you that.

 

[snowybelle]

As a foodie who loves to travel and experience regional cuisine, I *truly* appreciate it when other foodies come onto these forums and give their honest opinions about Disney food items, both positive and negative. It helps me make an informed decision. I don't trust Disney food cheerleaders. I've had many crappy dining experiences at Disney, interspersed with an occasional good meal, and now I actively seek out more discerning reviewers to increase my chances of getting some quality food while I'm on property. I tend to trust people with high standards and adventurous palettes more because I also have high standards and an adventurous palette when it comes to food. Some people don't -- and that's not a value judgement, it's just how it is.

And I'm really grateful for the lobster roll thread! As someone who loves a good lobster roll, I could have easily made the mistake of ordering one from CHH on my upcoming trip. Now that I've seen the photos and heard the comments, I will steer clear. So thanks "complainers" !!

 

[Lisa F]

I know you only mentioned food at WDW, but can NY'ers complain about Chicago pizza or is that a no-no too?

I do it. Try to stop me!

 

[Disneylover99]

I see both sides of the argument. The posts stating I'm from (fill in the blank), so I'm uniquely qualified to tell you if a dish is good or not can be obnoxious. Those who think they "know" good pizza are the worst. People don't seen to realize we all tend to like what we grew up eating.

This.

 

[goofyintoronto]

The food is OK. Not great. The characters are what it's about. BUT, we can't do it, it's way too bright and loud and chaotic for my ASD 9yo.

Totally agree with you on this. Food is ok, not great. Its way too loud for anyone! But the perk is the Fab 5 and the proximity to MK.

As far as opinions go, it should all be taken with a grain of salt. People are entitled to ask for opinions, just like others are allowed to give them. I agree that its not fair to say "it was horrible" without giving an explanation as to why it was horrible. A bit more detail would be helpful for the OP/person asking.

 

[Nancyg56]

Totally agree with you on this. Food is ok, not great. Its way too loud for anyone! But the perk is the Fab 5 and the proximity to MK.

OMG!! It is loud! But I will tell you, when my little Nola is playing in her backyard three doors down, I can hear her every word! Every. Single. Word. LOL!!! No inside voice for her little self! Thank goodness we chose CM for her and her sister Ryrlee's first visit! They blended right in! LOL!

We had taken them out to dinner all Summer long, practicing their good manners, and after that first introduction to their Celebrity Characters, they were better able to contain themselves, but that first meal! Holy Excited!!!