Why so many prix fixe menus and who eats lunch at 10:30?

[gmi3804]

"Can I go to CA Grill and just order dessert so I can watch the fireworks?"

 

[Disneylover99]

Normally I would plan ahead of time, but this is an unplanned, last minute trip, which has always been challenging, but now that I'm out of practice and out of the loop, even more so!

Then I would book whatever you can now, and see what’s available day of. You just have to give 2 hours notice to cancel ADR’s now. It used to be 24 hours.

 

[gmi3804]

Then I would book whatever you can now, and see what’s available day of. You just have to give 2 hours notice to cancel ADR’s now. It used to be 24 hours.

Last-minute bookings are almost always possible, and we're usually very successful in snagging some popular tables up until the day of. Now if/when I can't get exactly what I want, I don't fret since I know something will open up.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm with @gmi3804 I've had very good luck getting night-before or day-of reservations. The two-hour cancel rule opens up surprising possibilities as people change plans. I might not be able to get exactly this restaurant at exactly that time, but there is always something.

Prix-fixe menus are not only--or maybe even primarily--about the table splitting a dessert among four people. It also simplifies things throughout the restaurant. The line is only making a handful of dishes. Expo doesn't have to worry about coordinating orders before they go out to a table. There is no "we haven't made up our minds yet, can you give us more time?" and tables turn over faster.

On the bright side, it also means the kitchen will be more consistent and better able to deliver at least decent meals, because each station is just doing the same thing over and over. Sort of like a Noma intern, except instead of fruit leather beetles, they are plating short rib.

 

[gmi3804]

On the bright side, it also means the kitchen will be more consistent and better able to deliver at least decent meals, because each station is just doing the same thing over and over. Sort of like a Noma intern, except instead of fruit leather beetles, they are plating short rib.

A very curious business model. FOMO-driven?

How Noma Made Fine Dining Far Worse

 

[Brian Noble]

Well the Disney "serviceable prix-fixe" model is a pretty good one, as long as they avoid bread service without bread.

Yeah, I've been following the Noma thing, in part because R is an aspiring foodie. He's also started to earn his restaurant chops. He got hired at a good-to-very-good place in town last summer as a runner, and ended up in expo before the summer was over. He also bought a chef's knife that is a lot nicer than mine, which is only fair, because I complain about my mother's knives constantly.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Well the Disney "serviceable prix-fixe" model is a pretty good one, as long as they avoid bread service without bread.

Yeah, I've been following the Noma thing, in part because R is an aspiring foodie. He's also started to earn his restaurant chops. He got hired at a good-to-very-good place in town last summer as a runner, and ended up in expo before the summer was over. He also bought a chef's knife that is a lot nicer than mine, which is only fair, because I complain about my mother's knives constantly.

I see that some restauranter loved The Menu...

 

[loves to dive]

It is a trend they are going toward but as others have said, there are always day of ADRs available at other places. Are they at the "must do" places? Maybe not but maybe so. As far as HBD and Nomad Lounge, you don't have to worry about not getting in. You might have to wait a hour but you will get in. You can either walk up to the podium and get put on the wait list or do it on MDE. Either way, you will be given an estimate as to how long your wait is going to be so you can decide if you want it, if you take it, you just walk around and do other things until you get the push notification your table is ready. I tend to not go too far away from the restaurant just in case the table becomes available sooner, they will only hold it for a certain amount of time and it's not long. I never make advance ADRs, always day of and I've never not been able to find somewhere to eat, sometimes I've found new favorites.

 

[notatallmagic]

To answer OP - it is pretty jarring to adapt to "new Disney". We always used to eat at BOG for breakfast or lunch when it was on the Dining Plan. Loved it! Now our breakfast/brunch at Magic Kingdom is Sleepy Hollow; or granola bars from our room

We are not huge Price Fixe fans either - way too much food, especially in hot weather! And we have a food allergy kid; a unique diet/medical issue kiddo; and a post weight loss surgery adult who can eat about 3 ounces at a time...so we'd pay $200 to eat about one plate of food...lol.

As a side note - I certainly see a business model explanation for the dining changes, but it really makes me sad to hear folks say, "Cheap people ruined it." Or maybe not everyone who visits Disney has unlimited financial resources? And maybe their little girl loves Belle; or their little ones love the Beast, or Buzz and Woody, and what they can afford is to just have dessert and let their sweet kiddos see the castle? IMO, the old way let everyone experience the beauty and magic; and now there will simply be people who can't/won't; and that doesn't seem very Walt Disney in spirit.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

"Can I go to CA Grill and just order dessert so I can watch the fireworks?"

Yes. I do it all the time and they don't care at all.

 

[jillt2ph]

I wouldn’t mind the prix fixe meals so much if there was something I liked in all three courses. I like basic food without a lot of sauces or seasonings. It’s killing me that I haven’t been able to go to California Grill for dinner, but I don’t like any of the apps. I used to love going there on the dining plan because I could get the pepperoni flatbread as my app, the filet as main and there were multiple desserts that appealed. I am hoping they switch up the apps once they are done with the 50th celebration menu.

 

[maxiesmom]

"Can I go to CA Grill and just order dessert so I can watch the fireworks?"

I get it. But I also don't like paying $100 for a meal and having them throw the food at me as if they are slopping the hogs. The food came out so fast at the California Grill that I was a bit put off.

 

[Anna131517]

I’m guessing they went to prix a fixe menu because it’s easier for them to prepare the meals and plate them. They had a labor shortage and they were looking for ways to reduce the need for labor. As a mom I personally like them. Especially where they serve family style. I don’t spend my whole meal going to the buffet and I don’t have to spend 20 minutes helping my kids read the menu or decide what they want. The food also comes faster so we get out faster. And at fancier restaurants we do tend to do appetizers, meals, and deserts (once a day) so it’s not really too much for us.

Some restaurants don’t serve breakfast. If you make a 10:30 ADR for a restaurant that only serves lunch and dinner you’re not going to be offered breakfast food. Look up which restaurants serve actual breakfast if that’s what you want.

Not all QS is fast food. Eat a couple lighter meals and the more expensive, plentiful TS Prix Fixe won’t seem as overwhelming.

 

[Disneylover99]

I wouldn’t mind the prix fixe meals so much if there was something I liked in all three courses. I like basic food without a lot of sauces or seasonings. It’s killing me that I haven’t been able to go to California Grill for dinner, but I don’t like any of the apps. I used to love going there on the dining plan because I could get the pepperoni flatbread as my app, the filet as main and there were multiple desserts that appealed. I am hoping they switch up the apps once they are done with the 50th celebration menu.

Yeah. That’s pretty much what keeps my family away. We’re not picky, but when we look at the menu offerings, we decide over all, we’d rather order something we really want.

 

[FreeTime]

Not all QS is fast food. Eat a couple lighter meals and the more expensive, plentiful TS Prix Fixe won’t seem as overwhelming.

I would argue that all QS and the majority of table service at WDW is fast food.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I agree with other posters - the reason so many restaurants are prix fixe is a mixture of people ordering a cupcake at Be Our Guest and greed from Disney. I avoid the prix fixe restaurants because I simply can't eat that much food and in my opinion, the food quality goes WAY down when they make the switch. Be Our Guest is easily one of the worst restaurants in MK since it went to prix fixe (it's almost on Tony's level). I just can't justify the prices for mediocre and below food.

I'm also disappointed that people taking advantage of ordering a side entree at Topolino's caused the restaurant to put a stop to it. I went after the change and would've loved to try the waffle, but I couldn't justify paying $45 for just a waffle (Yes, I know you're also paying for the characters).

Food quality going down across the board has made me reluctant to do the majority of table service. Nowadays I stick to quick service or I eat offsite.

 

[bbak30]

Not a fan of price fixe menus or buffets either. They encourage overeating and the food is always subpar in our experience. If I HAVE to do a buffet, it's for breakfast.
Our favorite restaurants are Via Napoli and 50s Prime Time, mostly because they aren't price fixe or buffet!

 

[gmi3804]

I get it. But I also don't like paying $100 for a meal and having them throw the food at me as if they are slopping the hogs. The food came out so fast at the California Grill that I was a bit put off.

"Please pace our meal slowly. We're here for a nice night out, and are not in a hurry."

 

[kiford]

I'm not a fan of the prix fixe meals either - it's not how we eat. It's either too much food, there are courses I can't find something I like or am able to eat, or I just plain like so many of the appetizers, I'd rather have several of those than a main entree. And we rarely eat dessert. I'd totally rather substitute another appetizer for a dessert. Not a big fan of the overly sweet desserts WDW does.

As for breakfast, we often get up later and then it's hard to find a place for breakfast that you can get to before it switches over to lunch. IRL I don't even eat breakfast but DH has to have his fruit, yoghurt, cereal and bread in the morning. He doesn't typically eat lunch but I do. So we're now considering getting a one-bedroom or studio villa and bringing in groceries (or bringing some items with us in our luggage) to eat in the room and then just grazing in the afternoon, like at the food booths in Epcot or something from a QS, then having a nice leisurely full dinner (but how we eat, not prix fixe restaurants, so that will dictate our options). That allows us to get up as late as we like, DH gets his breakfast, I'll have some yoghurt and fruit and then I can do most of the grazing during the day. While I'm annoyed about the prix fixe menus that have invaded some of our favourite restaurants, it will just push us to try out different and new ones. I'm okay to pay a higher price per room if it gives us the ability to eat how we like as well as sleep in which is hugely valuable to me on vacation.