Why is LTT going characterless

[TDC Nala]

Most of the character meals are either in theme parks or in resorts that are within walking distance or a monorail ride of a theme park.

13 different restaurants currently offer character meals (it will be 12 after LTT stops). Of these, 6 are located inside theme parks. The others are at MK monorail resorts, the Beach Club (walking distance from Epcot) and the Swan (walking distance from Epcot and Studios). MK will still have two restaurants (Crystal Palace and CRT) that offer character dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I do not think the LTT and Garden Grill changes foreshadow the end of character dining.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

We ate att LTT yesterday, we eat there every trip to see the cute colonial costumes on the chara, it was great, food was fine, we had a blast and took oodles of pix as I knew it was the last time for us, I LOVED those costumes, and they were in beautiful shape, I hope they get used elsewhere in the parks somehow. It will be missed.......

 

[Belle4mygrl]

I have never counted the amount of Character meals so I will take your word on it. But for me, it still doesn't make sense to cut back Character meals in the park no matter how many are located around the parks. When we went to DW the very 1st time 8 years ago, we had no clue of the resorts and what they offered. Just saying, it is more accessible to 1st timers who don't research and people staying off property. Plus, I dont' like cutting my touring time to travel. Yes, I know, I can eat CS.

I am only trying to clarify what I meant and I am not being prickly.

 

[TDC Nala]

I do know what you mean. But in reality, character dining, especially in the parks, is usually not accessible to anyone who didn't know to make a reservation for it anyway. The travel to nearby resorts is not far and doesn't take up a lot of touring time. You could walk to Chef Mickey's and back and it would take less time than it would to walk across MK itself.

Research is very important for a WDW vacation - that's why these boards are so popular.

Nothing we can do about the LTT decision, but there's still other character meals close by to choose from. (And maybe that will help someone with their research)

 

[Belle4mygrl]

But in reality, character dining, especially in the parks, is usually not accessible to anyone who didn't know to make a reservation for it anyway. .

So true!

 

[marivaid]

I don't agree with this as a cost cutting measure. How many of us will continue to pay the $20-something per head to eat the food the LTT serves? I would much rather eat at a CS and save my money. I pay the extra because of the experience that you get with the characters.

$20? Try $30.

I hope Disney falls flat on its face with this one, charging $30 for that kind of food, without the character interaction, is highway robbery IMO. But I suspect they will do just fine. Families will still go because of the location, convenience, and the fact that it serves food most kids will eat. Disney is pushing the DDP as usual and it won't seem like such a bad deal when you're on the plan.

We'll say goodbye to the characters and to LTT on January 3rd. I love my mashed potatoes and mac'n'cheese, but for $30 a pop I want a side of chipmunk to go with it

 

[RMulieri]

Quite honestly I like the idea of one less character meal( I know I am in the minority)But MK has CRT and CP as character meals still as well as quite a few on the monorail line.I think LTT could be amazing if they changed the menu..I like the lunch menu much better.I agree that charging $30 pp for Stouffers mac n cheese and turkey is a little ridiculous with no characters.

 

[barrysprot36]

$20? Try $30.

I hope Disney falls flat on its face with this one, charging $30 for that kind of food, without the character interaction, is highway robbery IMO. But I suspect they will do just fine. Families will still go because of the location, convenience, and the fact that it serves food most kids will eat. Disney is pushing the DDP as usual and it won't seem like such a bad deal when you're on the plan.

We'll say goodbye to the characters and to LTT on January 3rd. I love my mashed potatoes and mac'n'cheese, but for $30 a pop I want a side of chipmunk to go with it

We feel exactly the same. Our server in August said they were not happy the characters were being axed either.

Caron

 

[Tricia1972]

I think that if Disney can't fill up the restaurant without the characters then they'd begin considering either improving the menu or bringing back the characters.

Actually not going will do a better job of 'talking' to Disney than emails and petitions. Not that those things are bad, they aren't. Disney just seems to listen better when you speak with your money.

 

[Kit'smommy]

My family won't be going back to LTT w/o the characters. It just is not good enough at dinner to merit the cost without the characters.

I would, however, be thrilled if they would bring back the old dinner menu to the castle and cancel those characters. The food there used to be so good, but now we feel it is terrible and the characters just not that great.

 

[Amy&Dan]

The thing that bothers me about the cutting back at LTT is that it was a good meal for older boys. Crystal Palace is Pooh, which many boys over say 10 don't care for. CRT is totally geared for girls and very young boys. Inside MK, there is now not a character meal that appeals to my son which bums me out. I also thought LTT was very clever with the way the characters were dressed in costume so to speak. I also like that at Cape May, seeing them dressed to go with the theme.

I don't think its the end of character dining, but for those of us with boys older than about 10, the options are limited. Now if they add some sort of pirate themed meal, then that will help ease my sadness this one went by the wayside.

 

[Jessfrogger88]

Quite honestly I like the idea of one less character meal( I know I am in the minority)But MK has CRT and CP as character meals still as well as quite a few on the monorail line.I think LTT could be amazing if they changed the menu..I like the lunch menu much better.I agree that charging $30 pp for Stouffers mac n cheese and turkey is a little ridiculous with no characters.

I'm actually with you on that one. Granted I have no children but when me and my gf go to the parks we seem to automatically eliminate any restaurant that has CD mainly for two reasons. We like the characters but I don't really want to interact with them while im eating and I think most of the CD places skimp on the menu to make up for the characters. Plus i'm assuming they are loud and crowded. Because of the CD element I'm sure the LTT menu isn't spectacular, but if they were going to eliminate the CD and make the menu a bit better it would be somewhere to consider eating sit down in the MK.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

But my problem is, I must travel to the resorts to get to the character dining. I would rather have the majority of character meals in the Parks.

1) That is one of the reasons for the LTT character elimination.
2) People complain there is not enough non-character meals in the parks.
3) They also complain they can't eat in parks due to DDP taking ressie slots.
4) If you really want character meals you willingly go out of the park.
. . . kind of like putting cosmetics up front in a department store
. . . if you want shoes, you will go to the back for shoes
. . . cosmetics are a mindless/impulse buy that builds revenue
. . . besides, profit is bigger without all the character labor costs
5) People won't use DDP on non-character park meals, as it is bad value.
. . . after all, who would use a DDP-TS for lunch at LTT?
. . . after all, who would use a DDP-TS for a meal at Plaza?

NOTE: I personally like the idea of less character meals in parks. There are plenty at the resorts for people who want character meals. People forget about those who want a good meal in the parks without characters walking around or kids running after characters.

 

[disnut8]

NOTE: I personally like the idea of less character meals in parks. There are plenty at the resorts for people who want character meals. People forget about those who want a good meal in the parks without characters walking around or kids running after characters.

Thank you for that. After one meal at Chef Mickey's with a kid, that was it for my family. Too loud, too disorganized. How are you going to get a kid who sees Mickey way across the restaurant to actually sit in his seat and wait for the Mouse to make it over to the other side of the room? And I don't see how kids actually eat during those meals.

I, for one, am now looking at actually experiencing the Liberty Tree Tavern now that the characters are gone.

 

[MickeyNicki]

i think it's a bad move for disney, one of the reason we go to wdw is to see the characters, they are what makes disney so special. i think if it is a cost cutting move, it's not worth it. they need character meals, and only having 1 place per park is not enough for all the people that visit the parks to be able to get and adr there. i cant believe disney would cut that important aspect from the wdw experience. hope they dont cut anymore!!

Well said!

 

[GPA1015]

Hubby and I just speculted last night on this- We think that they are working on something Pirate. Why not- like you said there is CRT but nothing for boys (I am a mom of 3 boys) and that would be the perfect place- Libery Tree "Tavern"! I think that the place would be jamed packed. I know we would go more than once! Well here is hoping anyway!!

 

[Brian Noble]

It's pretty simple. Right now, MK is probably the most under-served park in terms of TS locations---it's quite common to find that there isn't a single same-day ADR available anywhere in the park. That's not good for Disney, because it leads to guest complaints---and Disney hates guest complaints.

By eliminating the characters from LTT, Disney simultaneously:

• Reduces demand---fewer people will want to eat there freeing up some more space for others.
• Reduces costs---which increases Disney's profit.
• Reduces table turnover time---which frees up more space for others and increases DIsney's profit.

True, some guests will complain that LTT no longer has characters, but DRC will suggest CP, CM, 'Ohana's breakfast, or 1900 Park Faire as nearby alternatives, and so that particular complaint is unlikely to make it to MK's guest services desk, where it becomes particularly troublesome.

 

[lilpnutmama]

Thank you for that. After one meal at Chef Mickey's with a kid, that was it for my family. Too loud, too disorganized. How are you going to get a kid who sees Mickey way across the restaurant to actually sit in his seat and wait for the Mouse to make it over to the other side of the room? And I don't see how kids actually eat during those meals.

When my little ones were 1 and 3, the character meals were a great way to get them to stay in their seats! The anticipation of waiting for the characters to come to their table kept them sitting there quite well. We haven't gone to chef mickey's (yet) though, maybe it is different there.


edited to fix quacked-up quoting

 

[RMulieri]

I'm actually with you on that one. Granted I have no children but when me and my gf go to the parks we seem to automatically eliminate any restaurant that has CD mainly for two reasons. We like the characters but I don't really want to interact with them while im eating and I think most of the CD places skimp on the menu to make up for the characters. Plus i'm assuming they are loud and crowded. Because of the CD element I'm sure the LTT menu isn't spectacular, but if they were going to eliminate the CD and make the menu a bit better it would be somewhere to consider eating sit down in the MK.

I hear ya...I have a kid and feel this way.I have a feeling the menu will stay the same though.Not bad , but too pricey for what you get.

 

[magik]

Because the reason for the cuts is mainly one of budget, I wouldn't be surprised to see character dining eliminated in more places across the board, at least temporarily until the economy, and in turn tourism, pick back up.

Gone first at LTT, cut out one meal at Garden Grill, the rumor board talks about characters going away at Crystal Palace as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's true. I wouldn't even be surprised if they get rid of some of the resort character meals. I can't imagine Chef Mickey ever getting rid of characters as its really integral to the experience, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the resort character breakfasts go away or the Donald breakfast at Tusker House.