WDW Website Should Have Dining Menus!!!

[Kata]

Does anyone else think that WDW should have the current menus of their restaurants on their website. They offer a dining plan and promote ADR's but they don't give their customers the information they need to make their decisions. Instead we have to rely on the menus on other websites and then get frustrated when they are not up to date.I planned my ADR's at 180 days out and now I am hearing about all these menu changes and don't have many options in changing my ADR's. Does anyone else feel that it should be WDW responsibility to provide current menus? I just think it would be good customer service to give us better dining information and that is what I expect from Disney.

 

[mickeysaver]

Agreed, but considering just how inaccurate, glitchy, and user unfriendly their website tends to be, I don't see them doing any better job of providing up to date restaurant menus online than what you get from the unofficial sites. It's sad really. Maggie

 

[Kata]

Agreed, but considering just how inaccurate, glitchy, and user unfriendly their website tends to be, I don't see them doing any better job of providing up to date restaurant menus online than what you get from the unofficial sites. It's sad really. Maggie

Thanks for the response.You are right,they do have the most unreliable website I have ever been on I would think they could afford the best technical support for the website but I guess not. I just think that if they offer a dining plan and want us to prepay for the plan or if they even encourage everyone whether they choose the dining plan or not to make ADR's they should provide us with menus on their somewhat questionable/
unreliable website.

 

[shellybaxter]

Personally I don't think Disney has a responsibility to post menus on their website. Posting menus is a good way to market a restaurant but not all choose to do so. Why would Disney go to all of the trouble of creating a website with menus when sites like this and allears have already done so?

Even if Disney has posted menus while you were making your ADRs they would must likely have stated that menus are subject to change, so you would still have been using menus that would not be correct when you arrive at WDW

 

[Tricia1972]

I agree, we can make our decisions six months out and make our ADR's based on information that day. Unfortunately they change things and we may not be getting what was advertised when we get there.

I think a better answer is to SHORTEN the ADR window. 60 - 90 days would be much easier all around IMO.

 

[mslclark]

I don't it's a responsibility of theirs to post menus, but they sure could do a better job of posting any information at all. Disney's website is the worst!

 

[micmacmissy]

The bottom line is this: Disney doesn't need to post their menus, they don't need to make their website more user friendly...because clearly people are going to Disney in droves.

Now, if people were to stop going to Disney in protest, that would be a different story. People complain about their hotels, yet they are booked solid. Same with the restaurants. From Disney's perspective, it doesn't matter--they are still making money hand over fist.

Your money talks, people--the best thing you can do if you are dissatisfied with a product is to stop using it!

(Easier said than done when it comes to Disney, though, isn't it????)

 

[milmore104]

Totally agree. I am a picky eater and like to make sure there is something on the menu I'd eat before I make an ADR!

 

[riaesq]

This is one area where Disney is really coming up short. I think it's hysterical that you first get your dining plan brochure at checkin. AND.. even the concierge desk can't pull up a menu-- just a generic "they serve steak and chops" kinda thing is the best you can learn from what they get on their puters.

 

[karrit2000]

I pretty much agree with what everyone here has said. I do think that since Disney wants you to use their website to plan your vacation that it should be much more user friendly. I am very frustrated by their lack of current information on many things including their inability to post menus or better details of which characters one can expect at their character meals. Operating hours of the restaurants would be a welcome addition especially what time they serve Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

 

[honeymo78]

the problem is that all these elements are subject to change - menu, operating hours, characters, etc. They would be updating so often and people would get mad if what they read last week before their trip wasn't true this week when they are on vacation. Menus can and do change seasonally and when kitchen staff changes - sometimes just a little, sometimes a lot. I think they are better off complaint wise by not providing this information.

 

[Snookies]

I agree, we can make our decisions six months out and make our ADR's based on information that day. Unfortunately they change things and we may not be getting what was advertised when we get there.

I think a better answer is to SHORTEN the ADR window. 60 - 90 days would be much easier all around IMO.

I totally agree. It was only a few short years ago when Priority Seatings for most WDW restaurants were made either 30 or 60 days in advance. I preferred that system to the 180+10 system. Those were also the days when only WDW resort guests could make advance dining reservations. I don't think menu changes are necessarily bad, however. I think its a good idea to periodically rotate restauarant offerings, particularly if a restaurant has a new head chef.

 

[Kata]

Thank you for the great responses. I respect everyones opinions.
I don't mind menu changes but it seems like they are removing the more expensive items from some of their menus. 1st lobster is not included at alot of restaurants and now steak seems to be getting taken off alot of menus. I booked a Candlelight Processional package at Chefs de France for $46.99 thinking I would enjoy a nice steak meal and see the CP only to find out they no longer offer steak.I probably would have a hard time getting an ADR at another restaurant I like for the CP so I need to decide if it is still worth it to pay for a package there.
Thanks again!!!!!

 

[Allison]

I don't think it would be a good idea on their part. Menus change too often and it would be impossible to keep up with the changes. We all know if they posted something was available at the restaurant and it wasn't available on the particular day someone wanted it, somebody would throw a fit.

It wouldn't help much with planning at 180 days either. You would still have the same problem you have now-the menu changed in the 6 month window between booking and the date of the meal.

 

[Shasta]

I think if Disney can staff thousands of people to ensure that we enjoy the parks, they could staff a few extra IT folks to post menu updates, extra information on resorts, parks etc. It would be nice to have one good, reliable, site for acurate information regarding menus. The amount of threads about menu confusion on this site alone proves that.

As far as man hours go, it's a fraction of the drop in the bucket that disney spends on payroll. I'd think we all agree that the Disney website is quite difficult of navigate and user unfriendly.


EDITED: Oh and a simple "Menus are subject to change" would be fine as a disclaimer.

 

[Allison]

EDITED: Oh and a simple "Menus are subject to change" would be fine as a disclaimer.

You would think it would be but I've worked with the public long enough to know it's not.

 

[Snookies]

I think if Disney can staff thousands of people to ensure that we enjoy the parks, they could staff a few extra IT folks to post menu updates, extra information on resorts, parks etc. It would be nice to have one good, reliable, site for acurate information regarding menus. The amount of threads about menu confusion on this site alone proves that.

As far as man hours go, it's a fraction of the drop in the bucket that disney spends on payroll. I'd think we all agree that the Disney website is quite difficult of navigate and user unfriendly.


EDITED: Oh and a simple "Menus are subject to change" would be fine as a disclaimer.

A bit off-topic, but I think management outsourced a significant number of Disney's IT positions some time ago.

 

[cymbaldiva]

I don't think it would be a good idea on their part. Menus change too often and it would be impossible to keep up with the changes. We all know if they posted something was available at the restaurant and it wasn't available on the particular day someone wanted it, somebody would throw a fit.

It wouldn't help much with planning at 180 days either. You would still have the same problem you have now-the menu changed in the 6 month window between booking and the date of the meal.

My experience working as a customer service representative has taught me a couple things.

1) Someone will always throw a fit - doesn't matter if they have a reason or not, they just will

2) A good deal of fits are thrown because there is no information provided so the customer feels uninformed.

That said, I think it would be a really good idea if Disney posted at least an example menu for all of their restaurants along with the aforementioned disclaimer that menus are subject to change. It would also be a good idea for Disney to state that ADR's are in almost all cases a necessity, not just a precautionary measure.

And about the offical website - Thanks all for saying something! I was afraid it was me that couldn't find any info on the darn thing...I really feel so much better!

Just my .02

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Totally agree. I am a picky eater and like to make sure there is something on the menu I'd eat before I make an ADR!

1) One of the prime reasons.
2) Disney could easily keep up with menu changes.
3) But, posting menus is not wise.
4) Folks who might otherwise book the eatery might now go elsewhere.
5) This would/could leave vacant tables.
6) Better to have people "in the seats".
7) The guest can "usually" find something to order.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Totally agree. I am a picky eater and like to make sure there is something on the menu I'd eat before I make an ADR!

Doesn't matter. Any Disney restaurant's kitchen will work with you. You don't like sauce on your steak? They'll cook you an absolutely plain steak. Ditto for chicken. Anything they have, they can do their best to accommodate tastes.

This is one area where Disney is really coming up short. I think it's hysterical that you first get your dining plan brochure at checkin.

No. This is entirely different from menus. The Disney Dining Plan brochure absolutely IS available on the Disney website. Guests considering including the DDP in their package can read ALL about the plan before making ANY decision about it.

I totally agree. It was only a few short years ago when Priority Seatings for most WDW restaurants were made either 30 or 60 days in advance.

And a few years before that, you could only make reservations three days in advance if you were staying on site, and same-day if you were staying elsewhere.

I booked a Candlelight Processional package at Chefs de France for $46.99 thinking I would enjoy a nice steak meal and see the CP only to find out they no longer offer steak.

Today... but that's NO indication of what will be on the menu two or three or four months from now. In June, they had filet de beouf on the menu; in August, no. But in August, canard au miel is back; that (or a version of canard) was removed over a year ago.