Why do we like some places over others?

[DCLMan]

I love going to CiCi's Pizza on I Drive. Yes it's grotty and has plastic plates and plastic glasses but we eat there at least three times in a two week holiday. We always eat there on the first day we arrive, having checked into the hotel.

I love watching people and the characters that eat there are fascinating. It's so different from the restaurants at home.

Holidays are fun times and experiencing different things is all part of the fun.

 

[2Tiggies]

Holidays are fun times and experiencing different things is all part of the fun.

I totally agree with this. And also, don't you find that you build up holiday traditions and they become such an important part of your holiday that you are willing to give a lot more grace than you ordinarily would when things aren't quite up to standard?

 

[Sapper383]

I thought of this thread immediately while reading a review on 1900 Park Fair Breakfast on the Disney Food Blog. The guests who wrote the review were not particularly taken with the place. Yet it has not put me off at all and I am really looking forward to trying it.

I'm with you, bad reviews don't put me off....we all have different expectations.....We love 1900 Park Fair for dinner, not for the food but because of the character interaction and the experience my DD had(who was 4 on our last visit).

We also love Crystal Palace for Breakfast, not so much for the character interaction but because we like the food and LOVE having a photo in front of the castle with nobody else in it.

So for us it's not just about food, it's about the whole experience and what my DD6 and DS12 would like.

 

[paulh]

I love going to CiCi's Pizza on I Drive. Yes it's grotty and has plastic plates and plastic glasses but we eat there at least three times in a two week holiday. We always eat there on the first day we arrive, having checked into the hotel.

I love watching people and the characters that eat there are fascinating. It's so different from the restaurants at home.

Holidays are fun times and experiencing different things is all part of the fun.

around 15 years ago we ate what we thought was a grotty place but thought the que of people must know something now its one of the main eating places over here, Subway

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm with you, bad reviews don't put me off....we all have different expectations.....We love 1900 Park Fair for dinner, not for the food but because of the character interaction and the experience my DD had(who was 4 on our last visit).

I must admit, I can be a bit of a peculiar character (and please don't tell any of the people on the DIS ) but I can become intrigued by poor reviews to the point that I am tempted to go and check things out for myself

 

[DCLMan]

I must admit, I can be a bit of a peculiar character (and please don't tell any of the people on the DIS ) but I can become intrigued by poor reviews to the point that I am tempted to go and check things out for myself

That's the point though. Making up your own mind about restaurants.

I think we rely on internet reviews far too much.

 

[disneyholic family]

you absolutely have to experience restaurants yourself....as the saying goes, one man's junk is another man's treasure...

we hated HDDR, though i know there are many on this board who love it (e.g. Wayne)....doesn't make me better or worse, just different....
and when anyone asks whether they should do HDDR, i always say that everyone i know loves it....that i didn't, but that's just me and most likely they'll enjoy it....and they should try it because it's something special and maybe they will like it..

same goes for 50's prime time...i know there are people who can't stand it..
but for whatever reason, we love going there and always go once each visit....
but if someone asks me whether they should go, i'll tell them exactly that...that there are those who love it and those who hate it....and they should try it, because if they like it, it's a lot of fun....and if they don't like it, so they got to rest a bit in air conditioning...

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

I woke up in a bad mood today (family stuff). Now, if i were a waitress i wouldnt be as bubbly and attentive as i would have been, say two days ago.
I suppose what i am trying to say is their are many factors why a place can be good one day and not so the next, how you are treated by your server is just one of them.I also think our expectations are too high, and if they dont live up to what we imagined them to be then we will be dissapointed.
Every trip our first ts meal is always Sci-Fi diner, not because the food is the best,or because of the sevice, its just because for our family its become a tradition, it means our holiday has begun, its our thing
If you look long and hard enough you will find a bad review about absolutly everthing. If somewhere was really that bad im sure Disney would do something about it.

 

[Pootle]

One of my criteria is the temperature of surroundings! I've almost frozen in some restaurants. I've had excellent meals at Artist Point (Wilderness Lodge) and Flying Fish at the Boardwalk but the first thing I remember about both places is that they were cold .... brrrrrr ...... Not likely to be back again without testing the room temp before ordering!

Other than that, I don't normally dismiss places after one poor experience - although I haven't been back to California Grill since the last disastrous visit (not to do with the food) despite having been many times before.

Something else that puts me off is tables too close together - this is the reason I've given up on LeCellier; years ago they didn't try to cram in as many as they do now (the tables for 2 down the middle are awful!).

Now somewhere like the Ale House I know I will always return to; I know it will be good value and comfortable and even if I don't choose wisely and it turns out not to be a star dining experience .... well there's always next time. Same would be true of the Cheesecake Factory.

I've just realised whilst writing this, that I am more forgiving and don't have such high expectations if I am not paying a very high price

 

[Pegasus928]

I think the replies have been really eye opening and have given a big insight as to why someone may have a negative opinion of a place, while others rave about a place.
It is apparent though that most of us are learning not to rely too much on reviews or the opinions of a select few. Everyone has different expectations, different needs and these are almost always born out of nostalgia or necessity.
I will always be happy to try somewhere new based on the recommendations of friends and people on these boards who have been there, but I won't automatically discount somewhere due to a couple of bad reviews.