Why such different reviews??

[tink1953]

It seems odd that someone can just love a meal at a disney resturant and others just hated it...are the experiences different at different times of the day or month??

How can the food be so different if they serve the same thing cooked the same way??

I can read someones complaint about food and think gee I had great food there....it sure makes it hard to decide where to eat doesn't it?

BArb

 

[DVCconvert]

It seems odd that someone can just love a meal at a disney resturant and others just hated it...are the experiences different at different times of the day or month?? .....

No, it's because people are odd

 

[River Country]

Yeah it does, which is why i always tell people to try it for themselves. I think alot of it has to do with what part of the country you are from.

For example: I live in North Jersey 10 mins outside of NYC, and we have some of the greatest food from all over the world here. Everything from Italian and French to Thai and Indian. So it I am a little more critical because I am used to these flavors. I peronally think that the Italian food in WDW is not what i am going to get home and especially the Pizza.

I think everyone should try a restaurant at least once and if you like it go back if not dont and give an opinion as to why you wouldn't.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Yeah it does, which is why i always tell people to try it for themselves. I think alot of it has to do with what part of the country you are from.

For example: I live in North Jersey 10 mins outside of NYC, and we have some of the greatest food from all over the world here. Everything from Italian and French to Thai and Indian. So it I am a little more critical because I am used to these flavors. I peronally think that the Italian food in WDW is not what i am going to get home and especially the Pizza.

I think everyone should try a restaurant at least once and if you like it go back if not dont and give an opinion as to why you wouldn't.

You totally nailed it. It all depends where your from. Here in Toronto we have a lot of diverse restaurants with some terrific tasting dishes! The same goes for steak houses. I wouldnt say im critical....but I can see why some people are. If your 'spoiled' with great food in your hometown, or the opposite, if you NEVER eat out, i can see why your opinion on WDW restaurants wouldnt be so great.

 

[OhThePain]

I personally find that positive reviews are far more genuine than negative reviews. I'm not saying that negative reviews aren't genuine, I just think that more non-restaurant factors can go into a negative review. If the person was having a bad day or their expectations were unreachable, for example is going to reflect on their opinion of the restaurant (or anything really). Also, if the restaurant is having an off night food wise (which happens) or the service is bad or they don't like the atmosphere or the food (even on a restaurants best night) is not to a persons liking it will cause for negative reviews. Even if just one of those reasons (or any other reason) is negative it can sway someones final outlook.

This doesn't even take into account the whole "different strokes for different folks" idea. 2 families can go into a restaurant on the same night, with the same server, order the same things, have the same experience and yet still have different opinions in the end. Everyone has different tastes. You never really know who you are hearing a review or opinion from. That's why I don't put much, if any, stock into other people's reviews, good or bad.

 

[Hopefully]

Everyones tastes are different, which is why one person can love a meal and another person not like it at all. I hate mustard, many folks love it. It is just the way it is.
You should not judge your decisions on the reviews on this board. You should review the menus on line and decide what looks good to you and then try it for yourself
Good Luck

 

[KTJAY]

I personally find that positive reviews are far more genuine than negative reviews. I'm not saying that negative reviews aren't genuine, I just think that more non-restaurant factors can go into a negative review. If the person was having a bad day or their expectations were unreachable, for example is going to reflect on their opinion of the restaurant (or anything really). Also, if the restaurant is having an off night food wise (which happens) or the service is bad or they don't like the atmosphere or the food (even on a restaurants best night) is not to a persons liking it will cause for negative reviews. Even if just one of those reasons (or any other reason) is negative it can sway someones final outlook.

This doesn't even take into account the whole "different strokes for different folks" idea. 2 families can go into a restaurant on the same night, with the same server, order the same things, have the same experience and yet still have different opinions in the end. Everyone has different tastes. You never really know who you are hearing a review or opinion from. That's why I don't put much, if any, stock into other people's reviews, good or bad.

I totally agree-if you read alot of negative reviews it usually starts or finishes with "we had to wait an hour for our ADR" or something like it. I tend to take that person's review with a grain of salt.

We've always had great waitstaff and dining experiences @ Tony's which I know doesn't get great reviews. One waiter even comped a meal (for the whole table) after talking to my aunt and finding out she was at Disney celebrating being Cancer-free Is the food great? No and I can get much better and cheaper italian food in my hometown but its more about the experience. Plus I love the pistachio creme brulee there

 

[Lynne M]

It's no different than restaurant reviews anywhere. Take a look at Yelp or OpenTable or UrbanSpoon; you'll see love it/hate it reviews for just about every restaurant.

The food's not different, people's tastes are different. Expectations of service are different. Temperaments are different.

I rarely base my decision whether or not to try a place on customer reviews. If the menu looks good, I'll give it a shot.

 

[FireDancer]

It is because a good meal is completely subjective. Two people can sit next to each other and have the exact same meal served the exact same way and one will love it and the other hate it. It could be they have different expectations in what makes a good meal, a different pallet, or a different expectation in customer service.

Even on vacation I try to eat healthy so a restaurant that doesn't have a lot of healthy choices might make me not want to go back while someone who doesn't care about health might not even notice. I think anyone should try every place for themselves and unless they have specific questions a general (will I like xxx) is just a waste of time.

 

[ccgirl]

It seems odd that someone can just love a meal at a disney resturant and others just hated it...are the experiences different at different times of the day or month??

How can the food be so different if they serve the same thing cooked the same way??

I can read someones complaint about food and think gee I had great food there....it sure makes it hard to decide where to eat doesn't it?

BArb

The thing with reviews is the same thing as opinions. They are both subjective. One diner might like more spices than another. One diner may expect a bigger serving than they got. One diner may not be used to Florida regional cuisine. That is why I always try a place at least once before making up my own mind. I don't put much stock in reviews.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I personally find that positive reviews are far more genuine than negative reviews. I'm not saying that negative reviews aren't genuine, I just think that more non-restaurant factors can go into a negative review. If the person was having a bad day or their expectations were unreachable, for example is going to reflect on their opinion of the restaurant (or anything really). Also, if the restaurant is having an off night food wise (which happens) or the service is bad or they don't like the atmosphere or the food (even on a restaurants best night) is not to a persons liking it will cause for negative reviews. Even if just one of those reasons (or any other reason) is negative it can sway someones final outlook.

This doesn't even take into account the whole "different strokes for different folks" idea. 2 families can go into a restaurant on the same night, with the same server, order the same things, have the same experience and yet still have different opinions in the end. Everyone has different tastes. You never really know who you are hearing a review or opinion from. That's why I don't put much, if any, stock into other people's reviews, good or bad.

My thoughts exactly

 

[wdw4rfam]

I think its all about expectation. Some people are happy at Mcdonalds. Some people aren't happy no matter what. We always stay at value or moderate, and are happy just being at Disney. Some could stay at Contemporary, and find things to complain about. Its the same with restaurants. Everyone likes to find things to complain about now days. I think a lot of people see those websites as a free for all to let loose and complain. I have NEVER had a bad meal at Disney that I could say was HORRIBLE.

 

[prttynpnk]

If we don't ahve a great experience (but don't end up in the ER) we will give a restaurant a year and try again- sometimes it's my own fault for ordering poorly or just not being in the right frame of mind for a particular meal.
I think people all have such expectations for their trip that we get hard to satisfy.

 

[JimmyV]

I personally find that positive reviews are far more genuine than negative reviews. I'm not saying that negative reviews aren't genuine, I just think that more non-restaurant factors can go into a negative review.

I come out exactly the opposite. I think a lot of the positive reviews stem from the fact that the author is: a) on vacation; b) at WDW (bearing in mind that this is a board self-populated by Disney nuts who love all things Disney); c) served in a beautifully decorated and themed facility; and d) was the culmination of months of planning and anticipation. To me, all of this leads up to an inflated view of a meal that, at its core, was prepared in mass quantity from a recipe intended to shoot for the middle. I think certain positive reviews lack an objective analysis of what is actually on the plate. Of course, the atmosphere and fun factor are a large part of any Disney vacation, so it is understandable and forgivable that these elements play into the review. How can one review 50's Prime Time or SciFi without taking into consideration the surroundings? I get it. But when it comes down to the food and the food only, I tend to think that the negative reviews are more genuine and many (not all) of the positive ones are unduly influenced by the whole Disney aura. Rarely will you find people raving about the unbelievably good meal that they had at their local Olive Garden, Outback or Red Lobster. But much of the food at WDW is no better even at some of the more heralded restaurants. I'm not dissing Olive Garden, Outback or Red Lobster. But honestly. Do meals there engender the same degree of fawning that many WDW restaurant reviews produce?

 

[cluvsdisney]

It's no different than restaurant reviews anywhere. Take a look at Yelp or OpenTable or UrbanSpoon; you'll see love it/hate it reviews for just about every restaurant.

The food's not different, people's tastes are different. Expectations of service are different. Temperaments are different.

I rarely base my decision whether or not to try a place on customer reviews. If the menu looks good, I'll give it a shot.

I agree with Lynne. And the same thing goes for everything - hotels, movies, rides, etc.

 

[shalom]

How can the food be so different if they serve the same thing cooked the same way??

Because ambiance is a really important factor in most Disney TS restaurants, and that's something that can change a person's experience enormously. Personally, I'm far more sensitive to crowds than to anything else, so I'll happily skip Boma and get my soup at Mara, where we can sit in a table (or tables) surrounded by empty ones and it's quiet. I enjoy it there more, even though I know it's the same soup.

Someone who loves the energy of the crowds and the decorative touches of Boma and who just prefers table service to counter service would enjoy it more in Boma. But it's still the same soup.

Now of course I'm not going to be happy over poorly cooked food whatever the ambiance. Still, consider the fact two professional chefs can disagree over some aspects of food preparation (Beau MacMillan thinks Anne Burrell uses too much salt, and no doubt she thinks he uses too little), so I'm sure any two reviewers might. Specific taste complaints may mean something different than the reviewers "bad food" conclusion -- if someone says the food was over salted, I'm going to think "avoid" and hubby's going to think "check this place out." And if someone finds the food "too exotic," I know not to take eldest son and middle daughter -- however I might be more inclined to take eldest daughter and second son.

Still, for most people, meals are about more than just the food, and I think that ambiance factor can vary more at Disney than at a lot of places, because Disney is All About the overall experience.

 

[angierae]

It really just depends on someone's taste. I have a very good friend who is very picky about food. We can go to the same restaurant and I'll love the food and he'll think it's just "okay" or even bad. Same day, same time, same chef, possibly the same dish.

"I didn't like the food" reviews are thus ignored by me, because I know that people just have different tastes. I'm more interested in reviews where the service is bad - I'm more likely to avoid a restaurant for that reason.

 

[shalom]

Rarely will you find people raving about the unbelievably good meal that they had at their local Olive Garden, Outback or Red Lobster. But much of the food at WDW is no better even at some of the more heralded restaurants.

So true. It's generally good for what it is, but that's what it is (assuming you pick a mid-range restaurant that serves the same genre of food).

The other thing is that food goes through fashions, and Disney's at a particular place on the average fashion wave (short of the leading edge, but not by much). Meaning people who're a bit behind Disney's position have heard about a type of dish that's really "in" somewhere else and finally get to taste it at Disney, then get to rave about it as something new, while people who live somewhere a bit ahead of it can compare Disney's version to other versions and may not be as impressed.

 

[xipetotec]

It seems odd that someone can just love a meal at a disney resturant and others just hated it...are the experiences different at different times of the day or month??

How can the food be so different if they serve the same thing cooked the same way??

I can read someones complaint about food and think gee I had great food there....it sure makes it hard to decide where to eat doesn't it?

BArb

All I can say is we're all human and there's no accounting for some tastes. Some people hate Disney World in general. Some people expect something that's not there.

A Personal example, people here seem to mostly love Yak and Yeti. Our group of 15 did not. In fact opinions ranged in our whole group from a "meh" to a "yuck!". Other than maybe a couple of the appetizers, we really expected something more or less authentically "asian" and got chicken nuggets with sauce on them. I don't know. ( Nine Dragons was much better, even if it is typical szechuan ).

On the OTHER side of that coin, our group LOVES Big River Grille and San Angel Inn, which are largely panned on this site ( or at the very least considered "just ok" ).

There's just no accounting for some taste. The best you can do is try to go with a majority Unless you know some people you generally agree with on food.

 

[troynkasey]

There are a lot of things that go into reviews. When I first started looking, I noticed the negative feedback. Then it dawned on me...if you get good service or it's what you expected, you don't feel like you need to share, but if you have a poor experience or poor food, then you want others to be warned, so they don't "make the same mistake".

Along with that, things like time of the meal (10:30 a.m. ADR for breakfast versus 7:45 a.m. makes a difference), time of the year, day of the week, and pre-conceived ideas play a part. I remember reading a review from someone that they resort they stayed at didn't live up to their expectations because they didn't get towel animals. To me, that's an added bonus and didn't think twice about it, but they obviously had a negative expereince.

In all honesty, I bet half the reviews on here are the way they are because of something other than the food they ate, the place they visited, or where they stayed.

Like other posters, we try a place at least twice to see if the first time wasn't normal. If after two times, it wasn't good, then we're probably not going back.