Was I imaginging this?? Long..

[LvsTnk]

We had a 9:40 pm ADR at the California Grill, upon arrival we were scurried upstairs so we could see the firworks and told we would defiantlely have a 40min wait AFTER our ADR time. OK we are used to dining late my kids are awesome and love CG.

Well, the place is packed so I didn't notice that after the fireworks MANY people came back from the outdoor viewing area to sit back down and finish their dinner???

Sooo we actually got seated at 10:30 which IMHO is crazy. I saw some very angry people waiting to be seated, and there really wasn't even any place to sit and wait. I must add that some very nice men made sure to give our seats to us in the lounge, as my youngest DS has special needs, when they left and said "Merry Christmas" To top it all off our service was less than stellar, took forever for our waitress to even come take our drink order. One of the chefs was visiting with a party next to us and noticed our lack of service (she even forgot to pre order our desserts after telling us they needed 20min. to cook) and had words with her over by the dessert prep area. The place was practically empty when we left.

Anyway that wasn't our last marathon dinner Artist Pointe (love this restaurant too) was the same way only this time DS munched on some wood chips in his salad. He is almost 19yo and was not pleased so we let him handle it himself with the waiter. We gathered that it was probably from the wood planks for the salmon but he wanted to let the waiter know. No big deal.

Until the manager came out and made him feel like a criminal....we send these things out to be analized even though it is probably the wood chips, there could be tampering??? Not liking my meal after that comment. He asked if DS wanted another salad he said no and that was the end of it.

Other than those 2 experiences we really enjoyed our dinning experiences this trip, even had a great lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe for the first time.

 

[ashresiren]

Until the manager came out and made him feel like a criminal....we send these things out to be analized even though it is probably the wood chips, there could be tampering???

As if your son came all the way to Disney World to one-up "Wendy's finger-chili lady." Pathetic--I'd have given him something to analyze!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well--does appear that the new entry policy hasn't solved all the problems at CG.
Sorry to hear of your experience.

 

[MulanMom]

Sorry to say, but we've had issues at both those restaurants. After doing a wonderful job with a 10 yr wedding anniversary party after they first opened, CG totally blew it when we tried to celebrate our 11th anniversary there. It began when they couldn't locate our PS along with special requests. We salvaged the evening, but it was nothing like we planned it to be.

For AP, the first time we ate there, they had our PS but totally forgot to seat us...until we noticed many people arriving after us being seated before us. The mgr. comped us a free dessert on that occasion without us even asking for it. Another time, we were part of a large group and the kitchen just couldn't handle the volume of diners getting their meals at the same time. Half the group was done with their meals before the other half got theirs.

With both the above situations, the food was actually excellent. We haven't rushed to revisit the restaurants, but that's largely due to us now having young children where before we were a childless couple.

As for foreign particles in food, we have had that experience at a WDW restaurant. It was a hair on a plate for a child's dessert which was a jello mold of fish. Very cute dessert. And we can understand a stray hair finding it's way into the food. We just didn't want to eat anything on the plate with the hair. But when the kitchen actually tried to pass off the same dessert sans hair as the new one, that put us over the top. It was at a restaurant we've had many meals at and many problems in more recent years. We've made a solemn vow not to return to it even if it's the only table service restaurant in our DVC home resort.

Despite some of our unpleasant experiences, we continue to visit table-service restaurants at WDW. Our children behave well in restaurants partly due to the fact that we ate at many WDW restaurants with them in tow due to WDW's child-friendly atmosphere. We've had excellent food and excellent wine and some positive, unforgettable experiences. Although we never enjoy the negative times, we go with the hope that the experience will be a positive one.

It's unfortunate your 19 yr. old's assertiveness was responded to in such a poor fashion. Although I can't say we've ever been made to feel criminal, I can say some of our well-founded and calmly expressed concerns have been met at times with less than stellar decorum. When we were Disney idealists, it was crushing to have those experiences. Now we just take them in stride and keep the experiences in mind for future decisions.

 

[snowbunny]

We just didn't want to eat anything on the plate with the hair. But when the kitchen actually tried to pass off the same dessert sans hair as the new one, that put us over the top. It was at a restaurant we've had many meals at and many problems in more recent years. We've made a solemn vow not to return to it even if it's the only table service restaurant in our DVC home resort.

I have to ask...where was this?

 

[kellyanne731]

For AP, the first time we ate there, they had our PS but totally forgot to seat us...until we noticed many people arriving after us being seated before us. The mgr. comped us a free dessert on that occasion without us even asking for it.

That happened to us last year at the same place. Several people who arrived after us were seated before us, even though we had an ADR. I don't know how long it would have gone on, but dad put on his "angry dad face" which comes right before he blows up, and we were immediately seated.

 

[LvsTnk]

Yep, DS found a hair at another restaurant and we wouldn't let him say anything so with the woodchip instance he was determined to say something. I can tell you with certainty the manager was suggesting we might have had something to do with it.

With CG you can be sure it will be crowded during the holiday season, great view, great food! BUT getting up from your table and going outside to view fireworks then returning??? Crazy!!

I am sure we will be returning eventually to both of these restaurants but it will be awhile.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

With CG you can be sure it will be crowded during the holiday season, great view, great food! BUT getting up from your table and going outside to view fireworks then returning??? Crazy!!

.

I don't understand the problem here, I'm afraid. It's one of the draws of the restaurant, that you have access to the Observation Deck for Wishes. Not everyone has a window seat view, and diners are encouraged to leave their tables to go out on the deck. As a matter of fact, they arrange the arrival of your meals to expedite this, so you're not returning to a cold dinner.

I had a 9pm ADR at CG for Christmas, and arrived 20 minutes early so I could get my family out onto the deck for Wishes. They waited until the show was over, and paged us for our seat (I expect a lot of tables opened up at that point), so really we had no wait time. Sorry to hear you had such a tough experience.

 

[MulanMom]

I have to ask...where was this?

It was at Olivia's at OKW. Used to be our favorite restaurant many moons ago!

 

[LvsTnk]

I don't understand the problem here, I'm afraid. It's one of the draws of the restaurant, that you have access to the Observation Deck for Wishes. Not everyone has a window seat view, and diners are encouraged to leave their tables to go out on the deck. As a matter of fact, they arrange the arrival of your meals to expedite this, so you're not returning to a cold dinner.

I had a 9pm ADR at CG for Christmas, and arrived 20 minutes early so I could get my family out onto the deck for Wishes. They waited until the show was over, and paged us for our seat (I expect a lot of tables opened up at that point), so really we had no wait time. Sorry to hear you had such a tough experience.

I hope you don't mean it's ok to put your coat on and leave your table at the restaurant?? I can understand standing up away from your table to get a better view, but the MVMCP isn't a short fireworks show. If this is standard procedure than they should be letting diners know. This is the first time I have seen it happen this way. I also have never been asked if I wanted a portion of my meal held so I could go outside to watch fireworks at the CG.

We also arrived early for our ADR, so with that added in as you are asked to arrive early for your ADR time, we are talking about alot of time you have to stand and wait for a table.

I actually let very little bother me especially while on vacation and I was very greatful to have a place to sit and wait with drinks and an appetizer, but the service is definatley lacking all the way around here. All you had to do was open your eyes and ears and we could see alot of annoyed patrons. But I totally agree this is JMHO.

 

[skiwee1]

Actually Lvstnk I think that is exactly what people do. The reason most go to the dinner is for the view. They certainly aren't going to just sit there if they don't have a good view when they can easily get up and walk outside to see better. I have never been and much prefer having a MK view at the CR towers then to do what they are doing but to each his own!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I hope you don't mean it's ok to put your coat on and leave your table at the restaurant?? I can understand standing up away from your table to get a better view, but the MVMCP isn't a short fireworks show. If this is standard procedure than they should be letting diners know. This is the first time I have seen it happen this way. I also have never been asked if I wanted a portion of my meal held so I could go outside to watch fireworks at the CG.

We also arrived early for our ADR, so with that added in as you are asked to arrive early for your ADR time, we are talking about alot of time you have to stand and wait for a table.

I actually let very little bother me especially while on vacation and I was very greatful to have a place to sit and wait with drinks and an appetizer, but the service is definatley lacking all the way around here. All you had to do was open your eyes and ears and we could see alot of annoyed patrons. But I totally agree this is JMHO.

I can see a lot of annoyed patrons everywhere this time of year, if I go looking for them (thinking of all the annoyed people in standby lines when the fastpass line streams by them). This is the way it's done at CG, and it's a pity it made for a difficult meal for you and your family, but don't blame the patrons "in the know" for taking advantage of an intended opportunity. That's like blaming parade-goers for getting in your way at parade-time, or any of the other wonderful events at WDW. Tough time of year, I agree, and I'm sure I would have been annoyed as well to wait so long for a table, if I weren't expecting it. As it was, I had a 9pm ADR on Christmas day, and I wasn't seated until after the fireworks (around 9:30 or so), but since I got to see Wishes from the Observation deck, it didn't bother me in the least.

 

[UKDEB]

Not everyone has a window seat view, and diners are encouraged to leave their tables to go out on the deck. As a matter of fact, they arrange the arrival of your meals to expedite this, so you're not returning to a cold dinner

This was exactly our experience in December 2004. We were seated at a non-window seat just before Wishes was about to start. Our server took our drinks order and suggested we take them outside for the show and he would take our food order when we returned. Like many others we had timed our reservation hoping to catch Wishes. We weren't lucky enough to get a window table, so we were grateful for this suggestion.

 

[LvsTnk]

I can see a lot of annoyed patrons everywhere this time of year, if I go looking for them (thinking of all the annoyed people in standby lines when the fastpass line streams by them). This is the way it's done at CG, and it's a pity it made for a difficult meal for you and your family, but don't blame the patrons "in the know" for taking advantage of an intended opportunity. That's like blaming parade-goers for getting in your way at parade-time, or any of the other wonderful events at WDW. Tough time of year, I agree, and I'm sure I would have been annoyed as well to wait so long for a table, if I weren't expecting it. As it was, I had a 9pm ADR on Christmas day, and I wasn't seated until after the fireworks (around 9:30 or so), but since I got to see Wishes from the Observation deck, it didn't bother me in the least.

Easy, I don't blame anyone "in the know" and my dinner wasn't ruined either especially since I was watching the fireworks from the comfort of my chair in the lounge with my family. Sorry if you misunderstood and I am sooo glad you are the perfect planner.

I have dinned here more than once and I am really dumbfounded that this is the first time I saw this. I assumed I was "in the know" and looking forward to another great experience at CG. Going outside for the fireworks "during" dinner is just something I must have missed because that would never appeal to me and hopefully someone else will have a heads up from my experience, if they would prefer not to wait for over an hour for a table. I guess I should have planned somehow to have a better server as well.

No need for me to post on this thread anymore as it was meant to let other people know what we experienced, but I guess that wasn't really necessary. Thanks to those who are always so gracious on the boards

 

[jonestavern]

well, thank you for posting
I know we weren't aware of this.

Jean

 

[Uncleromulus]

Lvstnk:
At least you had a seat in the lounge! When we had to wait an hour to be seated at CG (it was a Saturday nite and we had PS) we had to stand the entire time. No seats anywhere!! We parked ourselves against a wall and tried to stay out of the way of the servers, etc.
But as has been suggested, CG and the fireworks are "as one" and many folks who dine there are there as much for the fireworks as they are for dinner. Most nites we eat there, I'd say a solid half of the restaurant stops eating and goes out to the deck. Not sure if any guidebooks, etc mention the observation deck and the exodus there during dinner--perhaps they should. Same thing for Narcoossee's, where folks stream out to the porch for the show. It does extend the time for dinner--and there are still patrons who sit at their table for hours, nursing iced tea, simply waiting for the show.
In the old days at CG, anyone who wanted could just come up and walk thru the restaurant to the deck. Imagine how it was then!!!

 

[gilld]

We dined at CG for the first time in September. We were very disappointed with the service which was very poor, our server more interested in serving the couple on the next table who were friends of hers.

Although seated at 8.15 she promised us our meals to allow us to view Wishes on the deck at 9pm - she brought our appetiser out at 8.55 so we had to leave it.

We found the food just okay, nothing special, we've eaten far better food at far better restaurents. We'd wouldn't bother to go there again.
Jiko's, however, was absolutely superb.