Just returned and disappointed in Dining

[jonahbear2006]

We just returned home this morning from a 14 day trip to Port Orleans Riverside. I have to say that We are deeply disappointed in the dining this year. We ate at the following restaurants:
Coral reef
Rose and Crown
les chefs de france
1900 park fare-breakf.and dinner.
ohana
Narcoosee's
Akershus
Teppan Edo
Le Cellier
Boma-Break and dinner
Grand Floridian cafe

Narcoosee's, G.F.C, Le Cellier, and Teppan Edo were excellent!
The rest were nothing to write about and 1900 park fare was downright inedible. Their dinner is now teriaki, spanish food, gristly meat, and several salads. The counter services were sooo bad that we gave up and brought home 40 snacks; the best places being the contempo cafe and boardwalk bakery. We returned there several times to eat and I think they were starting to believe we were staying there; lol. Riverside Mill was absolutely gross. So sad. Free dining is ruining what we have at WDW for food. There are so many cutbacks. They dont even have mickey plates for the kids anymore and that was very disappointing to us. I recommended 1900 park fare to friends who went with us, as a must do, and I am completely embarassed.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Sorry to hear that...what Counter Service's in particular were really bad

[brian2000boston]

Well out of your list we only have Le Cellier, Ohanas and Teppan Edo, So i guess we still have a chance.

Sorry your meals were so horrible.

[BelleKP]

That's so sad to hear . . . I remember the first year we were in the world when we had 'wishes' to pay for our meals. The dining plan was so new and the waiters used to do all they could to make your meal so magical . . . and expensive! I remember a waiter at Portobello Yacht Club suggesting to my DH that he get a 'side' fillet mignon and lobster tail with his pasta!! :D And all for the price of ONE table service credit! :thumbsup:
I will say it now that I am officially lowering my expectations . . . and hope to be pleasantly surprised :)

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I am so sorry to hear you had a bad dining time. 1900 Park Fare was one of our favourites on our last trip :(

[buzznwoodysmom]

1900 park fare was downright inedible. Their dinner is now teriaki, spanish food, gristly meat, and several salads. I recommended 1900 park fare to friends who went with us, as a must do, and I am completely embarassed.

I hear people rave about how 1900 park fare is one of the best buffets in WDW often, but our entire group of over 15 felt the way you did. It was by far one of the worst meals we've ever had in WDW, or anywhere for that matter.

[phillydan]

I guess timing is everything. We were there last month and never had a bad meal. My wife is an extremely picky eater and she did not complain once. Of the restaurants you went to, we did 1900 PF (breakfast & dinner) and had GF Cafe (dinner) twice. Our experience was very positive.

We have been there for both the free dining plan and when paying for the dining plan. We really did not notice any difference in quality or service.

I will admit that some fabulous places we went to in the past were definitely not so fab on return trips. We loved Sci Fi on our first trip, but we haven't eaten at SciFi for years, as that was the only restaurant where I had to send a meal back (twice) the next time we ate there. yet, I see rave reviews all the time.

Sorry it did not work out for you - hope it is better next time around.

[SBETigg]

1900 Park Fare is getting hammered with bad reviews lately. I was thinking it was just a matter of taste but so many dings in a row does make you wonder.

Glad you had a few good meals, though. Narcoossee's and GF Cafe are some of my favorites. I've never gone during a free dining period, and I am starting to think it might be smart to avoid them. But then I worry that once the quality slips, it might not bounce back.

[lighteningqueen]

1900 Park Faire was a good breakfast, honestly how could you ruin that.. But i would not figure that the Dinners would be so good so will never book one even without their reviews. Ohanas was the worst our last trip. Grissle Fat undercooked and just plain yuck. We will not go back there for sure. Just because we like meat doesn't mean this place has to be good.San Angel is another do not waste your time or money on. No matter free dining or not. But I do not think it has anything to do with the free dining as to the quality. The first year we went in 2007 the food was just so so. Chef Mickeys was a real let down other than Characters for my DGS. Food was more bland than hospital food. There has never been free dining both years we went 2007 2008 and the taste was the same most all places. Not worth what they charge but edible after all its about the parks we went for. This year we shall see it is during free dining. We plan to bring extra money so if our TS is bad we can purchase something we do know will get us through.

[mudpuppysmom]

I'm glad you had a couple good meals at least!!

And, NO MORE MICKEY plates for the kids?!?!??!!? Major :(

[megustamex]

Had you eaten at Boma before? I'm just curious if they changed certain items to make your experience there less than good.

[darthmacho]

Well, no matter what the issues were, it is always a bad thing when you spend all that money on a trip, free dining, or not, and are so disappointment. Sorry you had some bad experiences, and hopefully things will go better next trip. :mickey:

[clou1028]

I am sorry you had some bad dining experiences!

My DH and I ate at 1900 PF in '97, and it was so bad, we still joke about it to this day. It was without question, the worst tasting food either one of us has ever had, to this day. Coming here on the Intercot boards, I often see people say how much they like it. So I think, well maybe things have improved there, maybe we should try it again someday. I don't think that will be happening now.

In all honesty, we really don't "do" Disney dining. We have had several mediocre to bad meals. Some good ones, too, but overall, considering the price, we just don't risk it anymore. Last trip we ate most of our meals outside the World, and counter service. I can't complain about counter service, we'd never had anything bad that way.

[jonahbear2006]

We always eat at Boma. The breakfast was great and very positive but nothing different from a regular breakfast buffet. The dinner was disappointing and no potatoes with affritude. :-(
1900 park fare used to be american cuisine; one of our favs.. they have changed their menu and its horrible.
Counter services. Pecos bills, BAD! we used to love that! not anymore. Riverside mill BAD! Sassagoula floatworks, BAD. Same with Casey's Corner, pizza planet (which didnt even give us all our food btw), and i cant remember the rest. just got home from an 18hr car ride and cant think straight yet.
Flame Tree BBQ, the ribs were good we didnt feel good afterwards.
We loved the bakerys and the contempo, wolfgang puck express was amazing! great food!

[TheRustyScupper]

I remember a waiter at Portobello Yacht Club suggesting to my DH that he get a 'side' fillet mignon and lobster tail with his pasta!!

1) People didn't know why they were offered so much food.
2) The first years, waiters got automatic 18% tips.
3) So, they greater the bill they got you, the bigger the tip.
4) The saying was to offer dessert, even if the guests were full.
5) Waiters said, "It's included, whether you eat it or not.".
6) There was a lot of food wasted - even more than currently.

NOTE: Yes to the OP, the DDP has ruined the eateries. I eat lunch with many of the line cooks, and there is not one single say that someone doesn't complain about the food they have to prepare for the people. And, most of them are disgusted, because many went to cooking schools and want to serve great food.

[BIGDOG]

Not to make excuse but there is a large turn over in the food service business. I would think that Disney is no exception to the rule. I did hear due to economy a lot of higher paid senior chefs were laid off. They were replaced by understudy cooks who are at a lower pay rate to save some money with the slower customer flow. This was from a very reliable cm who spends the summers up by my way.

[SurferStitch]

I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't fully enjoy your meals. That can be a letdown.

When we were there last October, we had amazing meals at Narcoossee's (twice), Le Cellier, Teppan Edo, Cali Grill, V&A, Nine Dragons, Grand Flo Cafe (several breakfasts), 'Ohana (dinner and breakfast), Donald's Safari Breakfast (best buffet on property), Yak and Yeti and the Plaza Restaurant. We also had a very good meal at LTT (basic, but very, very tasty).

The only bad meal we had was at the Wave. The food just had no flavor, and seemed like cheap cuts of meat and seafood (my crab cakes seemed more like a breadcrumb cake...hard to find the crab). I don't think they knew what salt and pepper were. Service was also pretty bad.

I hope things haven't changed that much since late last year. I would find that a little hard to believe.

[Disneyfirsttimer]

I am so disappointed at the bad reviews for 1900 PF. We are planning our third trip. The first 2 trips we made 1900 PF our first night dinner and I was planning that again this time. We were trying to make it a tradition. We love the GF, the dinner and the character interaction.

For our spring trip, my sister and family are going with us for their first ever WDW trip. I would hate to bring them and have the dinner be that bad.

We also did Ohana the first trip and Kona Cafe the second. I agree the food was OK at Ohana, but my kids love the interaction. Not sure if we should do that again either. We are going for 7 nights. This was our plan for TS. All of them are dinners except for Chef Mickey's:

1900 Park Fare
Crystal Palace
Teppan Edo (new - never been)
Mama Melrose (for Fantasmic) have done H/V
Chef Mickey's (breakfast)
O'hana (now not sure - maybe Kona Cafe)
Le Cellier (been both trips)

We are traveling with my children (DS10 and DD8) and my sister's children (DD12, DD9, DS5) plus 4 adults.

Any suggestions??????

Thanks!

Karyn

[RocknBev]

I hate to hear this...we are planning to dine at 1900 next month.

I do believe the DDP and all that free dining has affected the quality of food at Disney...but I always remember the WDW is a theme park...I am not expecting the same quality I would get if I go to fine dining in Atlanta or NYC. I look at the whole experience...where I am...who I am with and what I am eating.

[MNNHFLTX]

I know where you are coming from. We didn't have any overly-bad dining experiences on our last trip to WDW, but the only meal that truly impressed us was at Tokyo Dining. Otherwise everything was just okay.

[Ian]

Okay, so we just got back from WDW on the 7th and we ate in some of the same places you did ... I can't say I noticed any appreciable difference from what Disney Dining has been the last two or three years.

In fact, we had excellent meals at The Plaza, Coral Reef, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italian, Garden Grill, and Liberty Tree Tavern.

And, although we didn't eat there this trip, I can tell you that I've eaten at Chefs De France at least a dozen times and I've never had anything but a top-notch meal there.

Ohana ... my opinion on that dump is well known. I think it has, hands down, the worst food in all of Disney World. Haven't done 1900 Park Fare for dinner in quite awhile, but my recollection is that I had largely the same opinion on it you did ... BLECH! We also tried the Yak and Yeti for the first time this trip and I didn't really care for it at all. My shrimp was really mealy tasting and the steak was more like something you'd get from a Sizzler. :ack:

As far as their counter service food goes, I think it's hit or miss. We actually had some really good counter service (Lotus Blossom Cafe, Pecos Bills, and Cosmic Ray's were the best), but we also had some disasters like at El Pirata y El Perico. That was terrible, incredibly overpriced Mexican food that was worse than Taco Bell at about ten times the price.

Also, Disney's burgers have gotten bad again. Originally, they had burgers that would make you long for McDonald's. Then they upgraded to these really nice, big, juciy burgers. But I had one on this trip at Back Lot Express was a sad, pathetic little thing with very little taste.

Anyway, I think it's a very mixed bag. Also, it must vary by individual tastes, because people just rave and rave about Ohana and yet I'll tell you quite honestly that I'd much rather drive off-property and eat at an Outback Steakhouse than I would ever set foot in Ohana again. I've had some of the worst meals ever in that joint.

[jonahbear2006]

The burgers were horrible and as I stated 1900 park fare was good last year; they did change their menu in the last couple of weeks. The waitress told us lots of changes happened just a few weeks ago. Coral reef was not good. Not only was the food bad but the wait was horrible. We waited 40 min to sit, then another 30 for food. The manager brought us lobster bisque that was very good, to keep us happy while we waited but then when we paid the bill, we had to wait 30 min for her to bring it back then another 15 minutes for a to go box for the dessert....bad experience! Les chefs de france, I ordered creme brulee for dessert and it did not have a crisp top; it was cold and soupy. I love creme brulee and this is a french dessert,.....how can they mess it up. It took a long time to get our food and when we did it hard, like it had been under the heat lamps for a long time. My other complaint was how slow everything was this year. Even buffets took us about 2.5 hrs to get seated, eat, and get out. We didnt see everything in all the parks in the 14 days we were there and the kids were sooo tired of spending so much time at the restaurants. Boma got us right in and out both times; that was a bonus for them. Their dinner just wasn't top notch this time. But honestly cant believe grand floridian claims 1900 park fare.

[Ian]

Man, you must have had bad luck with the creme brulee at Chefs, because I get that every single time and it's never been anything other than outstanding. It always has a rock-solid carmelized top on it and it's very firm.

RE: the service, in looking at your signature I see this was only your second trip in the September time frame. If your experience last year was better, it was probably nothing more than blind luck because September is always the worst month for customer service in Disney. That and January, anyway.

It's the slowest time of the year, so their staffing levels are way down (and probably down even more this year because of such low attendance). In addition, they have a new incoming class of CP's so you run into a ton of CM's who are "earning their ears."

It's pretty much par for the course that service is going to suffer in September.

[SurferStitch]

I can totally relate to jonahbear's experience in France. We really disliked our one and only meal there.

My scallops were still somewhat raw in the middle, and were very bland. DH's filet was spongy and loaded with fat. He had a very hard time cutting it with his knife. We had never seen meat like that before.

His creme brulee was like yours, soupy with a soggy top (there was a lot of condensation on top which made it gooey). It was straight out of the fridge, which we don't like. Now, the creme brulee you get at V&A is perfect, and warm. That's what we were expecting.

I had the cream puffs, and they were still frozen inside. They, too, were soggy outside from condensation on them. I thought they could do better than Sarah Lee.

We went there 2 years ago, and never returned.

[jonahbear2006]

the creme brulee at coral reef was ok, and the best i think was at rose and crown though. there's was good. the best dessert i had, by far, was the cheesecake brownie at boardwalk bakery. The signature dining was great. but food and service definitely was not spot on. I was very disappointed in the maid staff as well but that is off topic.

[Goofy Pluto]

I'm so disappointed to hear the negative reviews or 1900 PF. We went there two years ago and thought it was fantastic. As a matter of fact, I just recommended it based on that experience in a different post. I was looking forward to going back there again but this is making me think twice. How disappointing.

[lighteningqueen]

I hope they were not talking about the breakfast because it was good. I never though that 1900PF or Crystal palace would have good evening buffets. Kinda thought it would be more like a Golden Coral, which is very bland and lacking. But how can you mess up a breakfast at any of those?

[TheRustyScupper]

but I always remember the WDW is a theme park...I am not expecting the same quality I would get if I go to fine dining in Atlanta or NYC

1) Why not?
2) You are paying good bucks and getting the return.
3) The eateries used to be very good.
4) But, DDP has ruined it for everyone.

[MickeyMousse]

I think it's time to ditch the dining plans all together. It has ruined what eating in WDW was all about.

[lighteningqueen]

I have to totally agree on Ohana's, It was the worst place we ate at last year. WORST. Very disappointed, the waitress was non talking non refilling and the meat was actually raw Yes bloody and pink chicken and all. I will not go back there well all 5 of us. OFF the list. We paid OOP on last years trip and I only ate the salad and only one small plate as she never brought me out any more after asking 3 times. I was starved and paid 30.00 for that meal just for me. Whispering Canyon ran a close second. The meat in the skillet was mostly fat..We paid for all this last year out of pocket so it was even harder to feel good about the food in the World. We really like Pecos but our burgers were very dry, had to load up on mustard catsup and mayo to eat it. But we will go back.

Trying Columbia this time, heard they now have a shrimp platter so will try that.

[lighteningqueen]

One more thought....

If the dining plans have been free almost all this year then doesn't it tell you that they have cut down on quality of cuts of meat and food and that it must not cost much to feed us all. Big price breaks for Disney. Hoping we will buy more in their stores??? Not sure why they can justifiy why their buffets are 20+ dollars each when you go to any given city at a Golden Coral Ryans etc and pay at most $10.00 a head.. When the food is no better than those places and those places are just as tasteless..hummm???

[Ian]

I think it's time to ditch the dining plans all together. It has ruined what eating in WDW was all about.I actually agree with you, but I don't think it will ever happen. The fact that they're so ready and willing to give it away for free tells me that they know something we don't about it ... which is to say that it must generate tons of money for them elsewhere.

I think the paid DDP and free dining are here to stay.


Not sure why they can justifiy why their buffets are 20+ dollars each ... HA! $20 each! I wish!

Every buffet or family style meal we had in WDW last week was at least $30 or more.

[SurferStitch]

One more thought....

If the dining plans have been free almost all this year then doesn't it tell you that they have cut down on quality of cuts of meat and food and that it must not cost much to feed us all. Big price breaks for Disney. Hoping we will buy more in their stores??? Not sure why they can justifiy why their buffets are 20+ dollars each when you go to any given city at a Golden Coral Ryans etc and pay at most $10.00 a head.. When the food is no better than those places and those places are just as tasteless..hummm???

But, Disney isn't losing any money AT ALL with free dining. As is noted in another thread (and some of us have been saying for a couple years now), free dining only saves people money if they stay value. It's pretty much a wash if you stay mod, and your vacation actually costs MORE with free dining if you stay deluxe. There is no need to cut back on food quality, and honestly, I haven't seen it. Sure, there are restaurants we don't care for, but that's different.

I personally have not seen a decline in food quality since the introduction of any dining plans. We've always had fabulous meals at our faves (Narcoossee's, Cali Grill, 'Ohana, Crystal Palace, V&A, 50's PT, Nine Dragons, Teppan Edo, Le Cellier, Grand Flo Cafe, Plaza Restaurant, LTT, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, Flying Fish). We've also been to WDW during a different free dining period, and noticed no decline.

I hope things haven't changed that much since last October.

[Granny Jill A]

NOTE: Yes to the OP, the DDP has ruined the eateries. I eat lunch with many of the line cooks, and there is not one single say that someone doesn't complain about the food they have to prepare for the people. And, most of them are disgusted, because many went to cooking schools and want to serve great food.

This obsession with food has me totally stumped. I love a GOOD meal, a MEMORABLE meal, but I don't think about eating 24/7.
Can anyone tell me what Disney gains by offering the Free Dining? Is it just to fill rooms during a relatively slow time?

[BIGDOG]

The dinning plan is only good for Disney it get family's into the resorts and then makes sure they stay there to use thier meals. The quality and portions are all changed. I would much rather get a room discount and pay for meals out of pocket. The way it use to be was much better eating were you wanted when you wanted. We never would even eat as much as the dinning plan offers now any ways.

[jonahbear2006]

yeh i agree with the no dining plan. we wont be getting it in the future. we will either rent points and cook or camp and cook; either way not eating on property but one or two meals for the places we really enjoy. The scary thing is the inconsistency. If you don't know what you are getting, EVER, then you never know whether or not you will be getting what you paid for. The free dining plan has definitely changed things. For example, 1900 park fare had 4 ice cream machines,each with two spickets. Two types of ice cream, double dutch chocolate and rocky road. No vanilla not swirl, no chocolate. There's def. more streamlining going on and lots of cuts on the food. Nope, I have lost interest. I don't even care anymore and 1900 park fare....the breakfast was horrible.. It tasted like airline food and I would not be suprised in the least if the eggs were powdered. They tasted powdered. We didn't enjoy either one of our meals there. I ended up sticking to the strawberry soup and dessert menu; in which we found one of the worst rice krispy treats EVER. The cereal was stale when they made it and i know this cause we make them a lot. If its stale it doesn't stick well, and then tastes most def. stale. GROSS! All this for $30.00 a head?

[jonahbear2006]

I'm so disappointed to hear the negative reviews or 1900 PF. We went there two years ago and thought it was fantastic. As a matter of fact, I just recommended it based on that experience in a different post. I was looking forward to going back there again but this is making me think twice. How disappointing.

I would tell you to go ahead and give it a shot if I thought that maybe there were a chance you would be happy with one of the entrees they have there but all joking aside, I would choose someplace else to eat and sidestep the frustration this place will cause you on your trip. I really loved it last year and raved about it, so I feel your pain.

[A Big Kid]

My wife and I used to look at the food as another attraction to be enjoyed. The last couple of trips (which are getting farther and farther in between) the dining has been something to be endured.

Quality is definately not a priorty any longer.

[MickeyMousse]

My DH and I used to have just as much fun trying to plan where to eat as what parks to go to, but not anymore. Now we try to figure how much food we can bring into our room to toast/microwave. :(

[Seasonscraps]

I am sorry you had so many disappointing meals. I also noticed the decline in the quality and variety of menu items since the DDP became available. It's disappointing since there used to be a lot of top notch meals to be had. Now there's a lot of over priced medicore meals with a good meal here or there. A couple of trips back we started eating at places that don't take the DDP (like Shulas or House of Blues) or just going off property all together.

[sizzle]

I have to agree with the poor quality of food this time. I am still at Disney and my wife and I have been very dissapointed in the quality of food. The service is somewhat to be desired as well. Very slow on refills, and takes forever to get you meal and you bill. I went to Chef Mickey's last Friday, and I will never step foot in that place again. I do not understand the raving reviews for that place. It is so far overrated that I would choose McDonald's in downtown over Chef Mickey's. Not just the quality of food, but the restaurant was filthy. Torn carpet, dirty walls, and filthy restrooms. There were dirty towels laying on the restroom counters. I can't believe this is acceptable to the people that stay in the contemporary, let alone this being a 'Disney' quality restaurant. I had a very good experience at Les Chaefs de france, Teppan Edo, and O'hana's. Everything else was on a sub par level.
I have to say as well that the DDP has ruined the dining experience. You have to make reservations 3 months in advance to even step foot in anything of good quality, and sometimes that long for poor quality. I miss the days when you was strolling down Epcot and decided to stop in somewhere and grab a bite and they made room for you.
The only way to save money when Disney gives away free dining to everyone is by cutting the quality of the food they serve. (cheaper cuts of meat, etc) I agree, let's roll back the price of the rooms, meals, and ticket prices and let's start paying or what we want again. It would solve alot of problems.

[jonahbear2006]

there is a lot of work needed to be done there in dining and in resorts. apparently most of the services are depreciating. The horrible time we had in dining has curbed our desire for dvc. I agree with chef mickeys. There was a huge rip in the carpet. How is that acceptable? carpet is not expensive, replace it over night and get the place looking right. The dining room was very unattractive and i dont know about you but that ruins my appetite.

[lighteningqueen]

What do you think it will take before Disney listens to all this. Someone from corporate needs to be reading these boards. I have never in my life here in Texas paid the price for food as the prices for same foods in Disney, only worse tasting. Why can't they use some of the closed attractions buildings to make new restaurants to sit down in and not high dollar. Bring down all the prices at all the restaurants and quit doing the plan. People always say on here it way to much food. No it isn't from pictures I see the portions are so small for the prices they get. And who orders a steak laying on a bed on mac and Cheese. Just plain weird...They could have places like Chilis or food like that and not need to charge so much. When the public says that it is way to much food to eat then Disney is going to cut down and raise the prices even more. Do we really want that. There has not been one place yet we said that it was the best thing that we had put in our mouths. Think they need some mom chefs in the World to get some good tasting foods that we can rave about. ha ha

[DizneyRox]

I've (among others) have been saying this for years. I'm not surprised, and actually quite happy to read that others are starting to take notice.

If the word spreads, maybe, just maybe something will be done about it. Highly unlikely though...

On our last trip we tried a bunch of new places some that people have been raving about for years. None, I felt were a good value. Ohana's was garbage really, Tony's was overpriced Ragu, even dinner at CRT was a disappointment (and it was free!).

I'm finding it hard and harder to justify a trip, and when I go, I try to find was to disguise my disappointment to not ruin everyone's trip. I think from now on, I'll just let it be known, start returning food, etc. There's really no excuse, especially with those prices!

[Seasonscraps]

What do you think it will take before Disney listens to all this. Someone from corporate needs to be reading these boards. I have never in my life here in Texas paid the price for food as the prices for same foods in Disney, only worse tasting. Why can't they use some of the closed attractions buildings to make new restaurants to sit down in and not high dollar. Bring down all the prices at all the restaurants and quit doing the plan. People always say on here it way to much food. No it isn't from pictures I see the portions are so small for the prices they get. And who orders a steak laying on a bed on mac and Cheese. Just plain weird...They could have places like Chilis or food like that and not need to charge so much. When the public says that it is way to much food to eat then Disney is going to cut down and raise the prices even more. Do we really want that. There has not been one place yet we said that it was the best thing that we had put in our mouths. Think they need some mom chefs in the World to get some good tasting foods that we can rave about. ha ha


Corporate Disney is not going to read these boards - they will not make any change to the current dining situation until it starts to hit their bottom line. Right now, not only are most of their restaurants fully booked months in advance, most of them are prepaid through the dining plan!!

Dissatisfied guests need to let the big wigs know that they are dissatisfied and that they are taking their dining dollars else where.

[DizneyRox]

Corporate Disney is not going to read these boards...
Actually, I assure yu they do. But, since no changes happen I think it's safe to assume that everything is going to plan (meaning profit goals are being met). You are correct that until things don't work according to plan, they won't change anything. Unfortunately, when they don't hit plan, they look for more cuts to make goal instead of analyzing the problem and addressing it.

[Laughin' place]

I would agree that the condition (physical plant) has gone down. Cleanliness and maintenance arent what they used to be. I was last there in June 08 (admittedly, a year ago, and before the economy really went south). At that time, I cannot honestly say I noticed a difference in portion size or quality of the food. I am perfectly willing to believe things may have changed since then.
I, too, love planning meals, trying different venues, etc, so the quality of the dining experience is important to me. We are from Chicago, and we do dine regularly at very good to world-famous eateries there and throughout the US.
All that being said, just one counter-point. When I purchase a meal at WDW (OOP or DP), I take several things into account when deciding if I am satisfied/got my dollar's worth. I do adjust my expectations a bit -- after all, Im in a theme park (the world's greatest, but still, a theme park). I could eat better in Chicago (or at my house) for less. But I dont have Soarin' next door, or Illuminations in my backyard.
I say, let's keep pushing Disney to uphold the standards they have set in the past, but also be realistic and not expect haute cuisine.

[Seasonscraps]

Actually, I assure yu they do. But, since no changes happen I think it's safe to assume that everything is going to plan (meaning profit goals are being met). You are correct that until things don't work according to plan, they won't change anything. Unfortunately, when they don't hit plan, they look for more cuts to make goal instead of analyzing the problem and addressing it.

You're right...

They listened to the complaints about too much food on the DDP now there's no appetizer.

They heard the complaints about poor service guests were receiving because the tips were built in and now the tips are excluded.

[jonahbear2006]

I have to agree with the poor quality of food this time. I am still at Disney and my wife and I have been very dissapointed in the quality of food. The service is somewhat to be desired as well. Very slow on refills, and takes forever to get you meal and you bill. I went to Chef Mickey's last Friday, and I will never step foot in that place again. I do not understand the raving reviews for that place. It is so far overrated that I would choose McDonald's in downtown over Chef Mickey's. Not just the quality of food, but the restaurant was filthy. Torn carpet, dirty walls, and filthy restrooms. There were dirty towels laying on the restroom counters. I can't believe this is acceptable to the people that stay in the contemporary, let alone this being a 'Disney' quality restaurant. I had a very good experience at Les Chaefs de france, Teppan Edo, and O'hana's. Everything else was on a sub par level.
I have to say as well that the DDP has ruined the dining experience. You have to make reservations 3 months in advance to even step foot in anything of good quality, and sometimes that long for poor quality. I miss the days when you was strolling down Epcot and decided to stop in somewhere and grab a bite and they made room for you.
The only way to save money when Disney gives away free dining to everyone is by cutting the quality of the food they serve. (cheaper cuts of meat, etc) I agree, let's roll back the price of the rooms, meals, and ticket prices and let's start paying or what we want again. It would solve alot of problems.

hey hey hey, did we meet you by the pool in POFQ?:thumbsup:
I agree. Towards the end of our trip we were devastated to even pay the tip for these dinners. I was glad it ended on a good note at Grand floridian cafe or I might have cancelled my december trip altogether. The kind of saved the magic for us. From now on I will def. not be randomly "trying" new foods down there. I think that Walt, himself, would be quite ashamed right now.

[SurferStitch]

What happened since last October???? And, I don't want to hear "DDP"....even with the advent of it, we've still had awesome meals, even during free dining.

We had amazing meals in October, 2008. Has everything really gone south in the last 8-11 months???

Like I said before, we haven't been disappointed in the dining at WDW at all (okay, we hated The Wave and Le Chefs, but that's it). In the past 13 years, we've been very, very satisfied with our dining in WDW, especially at the resort restaurants.

I really am stumped. :confused::confused:

[PetefromRI]

I don't know what to say.We've never had a bad meal in Disney World.We did have a real snotty waiter at the Cali Grill but the food was great.I've had meals that we liked better than others but no meals that were bad.Even the CS places have been good for the most part.I think it has more to do with timing than the DDP.It's a shame that the OP had so many bad meals but we've been there for the free dining twice and never had an issue,other than the places being very packed.It does seem that alot of the menus have become generic and I wish that they would get there creativity back but we still enjoy Disney dining.

[PetefromRI]

All that being said, just one counter-point. When I purchase a meal at WDW (OOP or DP), I take several things into account when deciding if I am satisfied/got my dollar's worth. I do adjust my expectations a bit -- after all, Im in a theme park (the world's greatest, but still, a theme park). I could eat better in Chicago (or at my house) for less. But I dont have Soarin' next door, or Illuminations in my backyard.
I say, let's keep pushing Disney to uphold the standards they have set in the past, but also be realistic and not expect haute cuisine.[/quote]
I couldn't agree more!

[MNNHFLTX]

I think my expectations are actually pretty reasonable, which was our experience in August was somewhat disappointing. As I said before, we didn't have any meals I could call "awful", but definitely nothing that was great either (except for Tokyo Dining). And I pose this question to all of you out there--if you went to a restaurant in the city/town where you live and paid, say, $35 per person for a basic meal, wouldn't you expect it to be more than just okay? You all know I love Disney World, but I still think that we have to hold them to the same standards we would the "outside" world.

[lockedoutlogic]

What happened since last October???? And, I don't want to hear "DDP"....even with the advent of it, we've still had awesome meals, even during free dining.

We had amazing meals in October, 2008. Has everything really gone south in the last 8-11 months???

Like I said before, we haven't been disappointed in the dining at WDW at all (okay, we hated The Wave and Le Chefs, but that's it). In the past 13 years, we've been very, very satisfied with our dining in WDW, especially at the resort restaurants.

I really am stumped. :confused::confused:

People's tastes in food and their satisfaction with restaurants has alot to do with their "food upbringing". i.e. not everyone eats the same staple foods and has been exposed to the same types and caliber of restaurants...

So if you don't mind me asking, what restaurants did you have the "great" experiences in 2008?

Maybe it's more an issue of some of the locations/ types of food than it is "overall decline"


Though the overall selections (menus) and service definitely have declined....but i'm not sure that it the real problem in this argument

[SurferStitch]

So if you don't mind me asking, what restaurants did you have the "great" experiences in 2008?

Oh sure, no problem....

2 dinners at Narcoossee's

Cali Grill

'Ohana (breakfast and dinner) - breakfast was good, dinner was excellent. Meats were cooked perfectly, and food was abundant.

V&A (well, it's NEVER anything but amazing here)

Teppan Edo - perfectly cooked/seasoned food. Lots of it. Great chef.

Le Cellier - Filet was huge and cooked exactly the way I love it. Cheese soup was perfect, as usual. Trois Pistoles beer is heaven.

Nine Dragons - Excellent food, as always. Our server was so much fun, and very friendly.

Fulton's Crab House (lunch) - Always have an excellent meal here.

Donald's Safari Breakfast - Delicious, hot, fresh, and different.

Grand Flo Cafe (breakfast) - Always the best breakfast we have in Disney.

That's just some of them.

What am I used to eating at home?

Well, I just had filet and crab cakes at the Bonefish Grill last night. It's the best restaurant in our area with the freshest seafood, and best cuts of meat. I like good food, and this place has it.

I also like the Palm Restaurant. We go to one in NYC, but also loved the one at Universal.

Emeril's Chop House - Just opened up in our area. Fantastic seafood. Much better than the Emeril's at Universal.

So, you can see, I do eat at some incredible restaurants at home, and I feel that many like Narcoossee's, Cali Grill, etc. easily stand up to them.

[wdw_bound]

1900 Park Faire was a good breakfast, honestly how could you ruin that..

Actually, they figured out a way. We went for breakfast on our last trip, and the ham was still refrigerated cold in the middle, but hot on the outside :sick:. I brought it to the server's attention, and she just shrugged. One of the other servers overheard and had it taken off the buffet. It was brought back out while I was at the buffet, only to be taken immediately back to the kitchen after one of the staff touched a slice (there's this neat invention called a thermometer, folks...). On top of this, the potatoes were undercooked, and there was half an omelet under our table...

We have dined at 1900 PF for the last time, and actively advise friends against it as well.

[sizzle]

hey hey hey, did we meet you by the pool in POFQ?:thumbsup:
I agree. Towards the end of our trip we were devastated to even pay the tip for these dinners. I was glad it ended on a good note at Grand floridian cafe or I might have cancelled my december trip altogether. The kind of saved the magic for us. From now on I will def. not be randomly "trying" new foods down there. I think that Walt, himself, would be quite ashamed right now.

yes we did meet at the pool. I just signed in as a user after we spoke that night. Hope you all have a better time in Dec

[sizzle]

I don't know what to say.We've never had a bad meal in Disney World.We did have a real snotty waiter at the Cali Grill but the food was great.I've had meals that we liked better than others but no meals that were bad.Even the CS places have been good for the most part.I think it has more to do with timing than the DDP.It's a shame that the OP had so many bad meals but we've been there for the free dining twice and never had an issue,other than the places being very packed.It does seem that alot of the menus have become generic and I wish that they would get there creativity back but we still enjoy Disney dining.


I guess I'm basing alot of this years experience on past meals. I have to agree that I had very good experiences in the past. It has been two years since I have been to Disney. It seems there is a remarkable difference from two years ago until now:(

[lockedoutlogic]

Oh sure, no problem....

2 dinners at Narcoossee's

Cali Grill

'Ohana (breakfast and dinner) - breakfast was good, dinner was excellent. Meats were cooked perfectly, and food was abundant.

V&A (well, it's NEVER anything but amazing here)

Teppan Edo - perfectly cooked/seasoned food. Lots of it. Great chef.

Le Cellier - Filet was huge and cooked exactly the way I love it. Cheese soup was perfect, as usual. Trois Pistoles beer is heaven.

Nine Dragons - Excellent food, as always. Our server was so much fun, and very friendly.

Fulton's Crab House (lunch) - Always have an excellent meal here.

Donald's Safari Breakfast - Delicious, hot, fresh, and different.

Grand Flo Cafe (breakfast) - Always the best breakfast we have in Disney.

That's just some of them.

What am I used to eating at home?

Well, I just had filet and crab cakes at the Bonefish Grill last night. It's the best restaurant in our area with the freshest seafood, and best cuts of meat. I like good food, and this place has it.

I also like the Palm Restaurant. We go to one in NYC, but also loved the one at Universal.

Emeril's Chop House - Just opened up in our area. Fantastic seafood. Much better than the Emeril's at Universal.

So, you can see, I do eat at some incredible restaurants at home, and I feel that many like Narcoossee's, Cali Grill, etc. easily stand up to them.



That about covers it.....

Though i do contest that NYC is "in the area" of Northeast Pa:thumbsup:

Some of the locations you mentioned are the best at WDW....others i find highly and universally overrated (narcoosee's and le cellier)

My wife and i are deciding where to go for the "no kids" meal this winter on our next trip....haven't been to california grill (other than a wedding reception) in about 5 years so that is the early favorite...artist's point...VandA...Jiko also right there (i think VandA will win out....if things go my way)

We had dinner at Ohana last April and the experience was TERRIBLE....food was average at best....so i guess we're all hit or miss.

[4myprincesses]

We just got back from a stay at POFQ. We have been going in September every year for 6 or 7 years now as well as a trip or two inbetween. We have been there during hurricanes, holiday crowds, slow times, and the tail end of spring break.

All that to say, this was some of the worst dining we have had. Not all of it was bad though.

The good:

Tokyo Dining, if you like Japanese food this is a great stop. Service is excellent, view is perfect, sushi is fresh and tasty, restuarant and bathrooms clean and updated...really, nothing to complain about here at all.

Liberty Tree Tavern, we ate lunch here and loved it (as always.) The staff is on the ball at this restaurant. Our table had two highchairs and a spoon and napkin for the little ones in our group without us even having to ask for it. Sounds minor, but every other restaurant we went to we had to take away the knife from their place setting and move the setting out of reach or we had to ask for silverware and napkins for them and either stand waiting for the highchairs while they brought them or had to ask again for them. Our server had our shared meals split in the kitchen, accomodations were easily made for an allergy, the place was clean, service friendly, the table was kept cleared, extra plates were automatically brought for the twins, and our drinks were always refilled. The food here is filling and good, though not outstanding (we were so sad to see the crab-cake was gone and the shortcake changed.) Hands down it was the best service we received our entire trip, if you have Teresa as your waitress your in for a treat, ask her to teach you the princess wave.

The Wave, I was nervous about this one with the up and down reviews, but we really liked it. The small-bite desserts were very good, the coffee is very good, fish was cooked perfectly, pork juicy and flavorful, and the kids were well accomodated as well.) Service was good (not the best, but pretty good) and the restaurant was clean and a quiet change after two character meals. We will go back here again.

The so-so:

Crystal Palace, love the food, hate the noise. I hope during the refurb they install something to help absorb then noise as it is so noisy in here. We do like how there are two buffet lines to accomodate the crowd. The food here was the same good food it has always been (except for no tropical slaw.) The reason I rated it so-so was because it is worn looking and the service is really hit and miss. The bathrooms are tiny and let's face it, character meals come with children running about all over. I know, it's Disney, but I have four girls ages 3-8 and they know that in a park it is okay to run about, not a restuarant.

Chefs de France, food was good but not great, service was good but not great. Just so-so. We might go back, might not, it really was just fine but nothing that really makes you want to tell everyone they should try it.

The bad:

1900 was awful. Service was the only saving grace here and that was barelly. Again, character meal so there were kids everywhere, characters were okay. The food not so good. This buffet is set up awful. It is arranged by region the food is from (though I didn't find anything that tasted authentic.) So each "region" had a couple hot dishes and a cold dish. People roam in and out, there is no directional line for the buffet. The result at 6PM for dinner was just a mess. The salmon was the only thing that I even wanted another taste of and there were a few things (all of the desserts...every single one) that I didn't even eat. We have been there before and honestly do not care to ever go back. The noise and confusion is doable if the food were good, but the whole point is to eat and most of it was just not edible (unless you like unseasoned dishes, tough/dry meat, dry bread pudding, and the afore mentioned rice cereal treats that were just plain awful.)

Cape May was the worst we had overall, enough that we asked to talk to a manager. We were here 2 hours....for a buffet! we were seated fairly quickly, but had to ask for highchairs (even though it was noted on our reservation that we needed them and confirmed at check-in.) We were given the impression we were putting them out having to get high chairs! Then the waitress took all of the napkins and silverware I put out of the girls' way so they could color. I had to ask three times and it was 30 minutes later until we had silverware for them, before that I gave them some finger foods. If that wasn't enough we saw new food being put on top of old food which would explain why my cornbread was so tough that I could knock on the table with it. We rarely saw our server, she acted like she could care less to wait on us and would rather chat with other staff. The clams/mussles were tough and just didn't taste right, though the clam chowder was wonderful. Desserts were good, but no plates for them, apparently they think desserts are look not touch after a certain hour. Maybe we would have gotten to them if we had silverware to start our meal with. Manager was nice, wanted to take server's tip off our bill, but that was not what we were looking for. I really think this place has a management problem if they are allowing food not to be rotated out properly, no plates are being re-stocked at the dessert station for an hours time, the servers visiting with each other instead of serving the customer, and so on. I hope we just hit a bad night, but we will not be back.

Counter service is always a mixed boat, but it has always been that way and we have favorites we keep coming back to. The hamburgers this time were different and we didn't like them so that was a bit disappointing. The POFQ food court we loved. There are some things there we just don't eat, but things like the chicken parmesean, the chicken and ribs, etc. are very good and very filling. The best counter we have found is Wolfgang Puck Cafe. Excellent service, even better food. Really, this is a gem of a place. The alfredo chicken with salad, the various pizzas, the roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, tropical tea, creme brulee, I could go on and on, but it really was that good!

We are a group of six, not the easiest to accomodate and I try to be understanding to that end. I have worked in a restaurant for 15 years so it isn't like I run someone to death. I let them know upfront what we need and am understanding if it takes a few minutes or they forget. Things get crazy fast during a supper hour. Not getting silverware at a buffet TS for a half hour though is inexcusable, especially with asking three times. We aren't picky eaters, the only allergy we have to watch is an easy one I can usually tell by looking at the menu, and we always leave extra tip money as serving is hard work. This time there were two places we didn't tip extra at two places and I am not ashamed to say it...in fact 18% was more than enough for the one.

Overall, though, our experience was a positive one or at least as good as we expected. You hate to let one bad penny tarnish the rest. I will be writing a note to Disney about our best and worst experiences...they need to know these things!

[jonahbear2006]

"If that wasn't enough we saw new food being put on top of old food which would explain why my cornbread was so tough that I could knock on the table with it!"

THIS is really GROSS! Marrying is actually against many food regulations. The stuff on the bottom never gets eaten and therefore starts to become rancid, causes food poisoning. I know this from working in a restaurant, myself.

[marlaine]

We just got back from a 6 day stay(9-13 - 9-18) and I must say we were disappointed too.
Here's my run-down:
Tutto Italiano EPCOT- 1st time there. Wonderful food and service! My DH had rack of lamb, I had Tortelli with veal in sage butter and DS had spaghetti. EVERYTHING was perfect!
MaMa Melrose - HS - biggest disappointment of the trip. 3 years in a row we've loved it. This time it was horrible! They've cut the menu down so much, there's hardly nothing to choose from. What they did have wasn't good. Service was poor. We won't be back.
CP-MK - Not as good as privious years. 4th year in a row eating there. They've removed our favorites off the buffet line. Characters were horribly rushed.
CM - Contemporary - 1st time. Celebrated my DS's B'Day. Excellent waiter, mediocre food.
Tusker House - AK - Really good B'Fast. 1st time there, pleasant surprise!
CS Restaurants didn't seem as good either. I noticed they took away the topping bar at Electric Umbrella. Captain Cook's at the Poly was better than before.
All in all, we were very disappointed in the food and choices. It was especially frustrating for us because we paid for our DP (because we got a 40% off pin code for our room at the Poly). I think next year we'll eat only TS at the WS. :(

[SurferStitch]

Though i do contest that NYC is "in the area" of Northeast Pa:thumbsup:

Some of the locations you mentioned are the best at WDW....others i find highly and universally overrated (narcoosee's and le cellier)

Yeah, yeah....NYC is a little out of NEPA, but we do get there somewhat regularly, so we consider it home!

I also forgot to mention Morton's....I honestly believe the filets we've gotten at Narc's and Cali Grill are right on par with Morton's. I would even say that the filet we get at Le Cellier is quite comparable.

I have to giggle when you say Narcoossee's is so overrated...if anything, I feel it's WAY underrated. It is (to us) the absolute best restaurant on WDW property, or off (except for V&A, of course). But, to each his own.

I hope you do choose V&A for your special meal. We aren't going there this time, but we do go at least every other visit. It is such a wonderful place. :cloud9:

[lockedoutlogic]

Yeah, yeah....NYC is a little out of NEPA, but we do get there somewhat regularly, so we consider it home!

I also forgot to mention Morton's....I honestly believe the filets we've gotten at Narc's and Cali Grill are right on par with Morton's. I would even say that the filet we get at Le Cellier is quite comparable.

I have to giggle when you say Narcoossee's is so overrated...if anything, I feel it's WAY underrated. It is (to us) the absolute best restaurant on WDW property, or off (except for V&A, of course). But, to each his own.

I hope you do choose V&A for your special meal. We aren't going there this time, but we do go at least every other visit. It is such a wonderful place. :cloud9:

Haven't been to V&A in a few years either...so it would be a nice treat....

narcoosee's has a bad staff...and to be honest, nothing really stands out there for me....
i also saw the most ridiculous, unprofessional behavior there once by the chef and manager...so you see where i'm coming from

[A Big Kid]

Actually, they figured out a way. We went for breakfast on our last trip, and the ham was still refrigerated cold in the middle, but hot on the outside :sick:. I brought it to the server's attention, and she just shrugged. One of the other servers overheard and had it taken off the buffet. It was brought back out while I was at the buffet, only to be taken immediately back to the kitchen after one of the staff touched a slice (there's this neat invention called a thermometer, folks...). On top of this, the potatoes were undercooked, and there was half an omelet under our table...
We have dined at 1900 PF for the last time, and actively advise friends against it as well.


The omelet is what sets me off! That is unnaceptable! If you are going to leave an omelet under a table, leave the WHOLE thing or dont leave any of it! You know what I mean?

[BrerGnat]

I stopped expecting "great things" from Disney Dining when I ate at the California Grill for the first time a few years ago (at the START of the DDP, and BEFORE this supposed "decline" of Disney Dining).

I had the filet. After hearing RAVE reviews from here to the ends of the earth about this dish, I was SORELY disappointed. Although I was on the DDP, if I had paid OOP, this filet was priced higher than a LARGER filet at Ruths Chris Steakhouse, which, in my opinion, blows CA Grill out of the water, both in terms of food AND service. This filet was no better than the cuts of meat I purchase regularly from Costco, and cook at home.

My husband and I frequent Ruth's Chris on special occasions, and it is an expensive meal for two, but I feel that, even though it's a chain steakhouse, it's WAY more a "fine dining" experience than CA Grill. And, the service is heads and shoulders above too. If CA Grill is considered a "signature" restaurant at Disney, I'm not bothering with any more of those. Waste of time and money.

For me, Disney isn't about the food anymore. I'm happy to spend a week there and eat mostly counter service. There ARE some really good CS locations. You just have to find them. At this point, I'd rather NOT spend countless hours at mediocre table service meals. We do a couple in the space of a week, just to break the monotony of CS dining. There are a few places we frequent, based on past good experiences, like Kona Cafe, Tutto Italia, and 'Ohana (yes, we DO like it...never had a bad dinner there. ALWAYS been excellent). But, three sit down meals in a week is plenty for us.

Here's a thought...STOP PURCHASING THE DDP and use your dining money more wisely. Frequent the GOOD locations, and stop going to the BAD ones. Eventually, Disney will take the hint. But, only if enough people do it.

[SurferStitch]

narcoosee's has a bad staff...and to be honest, nothing really stands out there for me....
i also saw the most ridiculous, unprofessional behavior there once by the chef and manager...so you see where i'm coming from

You may have had a bad experience, but I have never seen anything but the most professional and exemplary service there. Now, I have had extremely rude and unprofessional service at Citricos, and that's why we won't return. We've also had a useless server at Cali Grill once (never saw him there again after that one time), but that can happen.

I will always overlook something that happens once. Things can and will happen. That's why we still love Cali Grill. Citricos was two bad experiences for us, so they don't get a third strike. Too much money spent to be treated like low class customers.

What stands out to me at Narc's?.....their almond crusted cheesecake (to die for), scallops (when they have them), baked whole lobster (I don't know how they get their lobster so darn sweet, and their potatoes gratin is the best I've ever had anywhere), crab cake app (soooo good), and DH loves their seafood chowder. They also have Conundrum wine, which I adore.

[Ian]

I had the filet. After hearing RAVE reviews from here to the ends of the earth about this dish, I was SORELY disappointed. Although I was on the DDP, if I had paid OOP, this filet was priced higher than a LARGER filet at Ruths Chris Steakhouse, which, in my opinion, blows CA Grill out of the water, both in terms of food AND service. This filet was no better than the cuts of meat I purchase regularly from Costco, and cook at home.See this just goes to show you how subjective the topic of food is, because IMO Ruths Chris is the single most overrated restaurant on the planet.

I am a steak connoisseur. I've eaten steaks in some of the finest restaurants in America and I have never been more disappointed than I was the first time I ate at a Ruths Chris. All I heard was about how great they were, but my steak (which was the best cut they offered) was tough, dry, overcooked (I ordered it medium rare), and near tasteless.

On the flip side, I just sampled the filet at Cali Grill a couple weeks back and thought it was fantastic. I didn't order it (I had the ostrich, which was also delicious), but a couple folks at my table did and it was definitely one of the better cuts of meat I've ever had.

Honestly, I would never, ever bother going to a Ruths Chris again. The steaks I get at Outback are better.

[SurferStitch]

I didn't order it (I had the ostrich, which was also delicious), but a couple folks at my table did and it was definitely one of the better cuts of meat I've ever had.[/SIZE][/FONT]

I've never had ostrich. What's it like? I'm curious....

[Ian]

I've never had ostrich. What's it like? I'm curious....Well you'd think it would be more like poultry, but actually it's very, very similar to a lean filet.

In fact, if I put it on your plate without telling you what it was, I think you'd immediately assume I had just given you a steak.

The flavor is very similar to a filet, as well, only very lean and tender. I actually had never had it before and took a flier on it, but I really, really liked it. I would definitely order it again.

Then again, I'm fairly adventurous when it comes to food. There's very little I won't at least give a try. Except for "crispy eel roll!" :ack:

[BrerGnat]

See this just goes to show you how subjective the topic of food is, because IMO Ruths Chris is the single most overrated restaurant on the planet.

I am a steak connoisseur. I've eaten steaks in some of the finest restaurants in America and I have never been more disappointed than I was the first time I ate at a Ruths Chris. All I heard was about how great they were, but my steak (which was the best cut they offered) was tough, dry, overcooked (I ordered it medium rare), and near tasteless.

On the flip side, I just sampled the filet at Cali Grill a couple weeks back and thought it was fantastic. I didn't order it (I had the ostrich, which was also delicious), but a couple folks at my table did and it was definitely one of the better cuts of meat I've ever had.

Honestly, I would never, ever bother going to a Ruths Chris again. The steaks I get at Outback are better.

Ian, I'm totally not trying to bust your chops, but for you to say you're a steak connoisseur and then to say you eat steak at Outback? In the same post? Come on now... ;) If you go there for the bloomin' onion, maybe...

I wouldn't eat at Outback steakhouse again if someone paid me to. I find that to be one of the WORST restaurants in this country. We joke about how awful that place is...

Does go to prove your point about taste being subjective though. :D

Now, I'm not claiming that Ruth's Chris has the best steak on the planet, but in my few trips there, at LEAST at the one here where I live, the meal FAR surpassed the experience at CA grill. And it wasn't just MY filet at CA grill that was underwhelming. Two people at our table ordered it, and both were just "eh"... The other food was good, but it was nothing special. NOTHING at all like even the DESSERTS at Napa Rose...you want to try REAL California cuisine, go THERE!!!

[lockedoutlogic]

I find it amusing that the thread has become a discussion on steak...

so in regards to the steak at WDW...i have to chip in my two:

You get very consistent, good quality steak at WDW...
but that's just it, it's too consistent. As all the "signature" locations basically roll out the same cut of the same steak and do relatively little to distringuish it.

sure you get it with a good sauce and mac and cheese at Jiko...and you get it barbequed at Cali Grill...you get it oak fired at several places....

but that's it. one of the tragedies at WDW is that the menus have become ridiculously cloned. breast of chicken, tenderloin, salmon are sure bets... mozzerella and tomato?...cheesecake?...chocolate cake?

i can phone in my order from nj without ever seeing the menu...and that is sad.

I make an effort now to get whatever is unique on the menu...be it buffalo...ostrich...whatever stands out in seafood

so i have to say: WDW isn't the place for steak. Not that you'll get a bad one...you'll just get a streamlined, mass produced one.

Not quite Outback...but you get it.

I'll go to Bobby Flay Steak or Mesa Grill if I really want some meat that has somekinda uniqueness to it (fire....in most cases)

infact - i just picked two menus and compared them: Citricos and Cali Grill

Tenderloin - Check
Chicken Breast - Check
Salmon - Check (different names...same stuff)
PorkTenderloin - Check
Boring Veggie Entree - Check
Black Grouper? Check there too (Must have got a bulk discount)

way too predictable...six staples and one or maybe two unique things...at best

[Daisy'sMom]

I guess I should feel lucky that we don't put much into dining while at Disney. Counter service is counter service, no matter where you are. We don't bother going to the resorts for a meal, our favorite used to be Citricos,but when we stopped and figured out how much money and time we spent "experiencing fine dining at a theme park", we decided to skip that delicacy for another place. We enjoy Disney for the parks. From all the complaining, I now know we are not missing anything.:mickey:

[lockedoutlogic]

I guess I should feel lucky that we don't put much into dining while at Disney. Counter service is counter service, no matter where you are. We don't bother going to the resorts for a meal, our favorite used to be Citricos,but when we stopped and figured out how much money and time we spent "experiencing fine dining at a theme park", we decided to skip that delicacy for another place. We enjoy Disney for the parks. From all the complaining, I now know we are not missing anything.:mickey:

realizing of course that an hour's drive from WDW allows you to reverse course and go back to "fine dining" on any day you wish....

....something the majority of WDW patrons don't get to do...

and i bet you're coastal and have access to great seafood all the time:thedolls:

[Ian]

Ian, I'm totally not trying to bust your chops, but for you to say you're a steak connoisseur and then to say you eat steak at Outback? In the same post?Hey ... there's a little thing called "the budget" ya know! I can't eat at Capital Grille or Morton's every day!


NOTHING at all like even the DESSERTS at Napa Rose...you want to try REAL California cuisine, go THERE!!!You're such a West Coast Snob. ;)


You get very consistent, good quality steak at WDW... but that's just it, it's too consistent.Yeah, the homogenization of the menus over the last five years is a problem, I'll agree with that. We really noticed it on this last trip. Everywhere you go, the menus are so close to each other!

Probably why I ordered the ... you guessed it ... ostrich at Cali Grill!

[savafan]

Reading this thread makes me think I'll save a little money and eat primarily outside of the parks.

[jonahbear2006]

Reading this thread makes me think I'll save a little money and eat primarily outside of the parks.

I totally agree. We did eat at chik-fil-a and mcdonalds and eating there I was like wow, this is edible. We are planning on camping in december and almost bought the dining plan cause with passholders we were looking at 435 for 7 nights; something LIKE that not for sure on the total. NOW im thinking, we are going to walmart for charcoal and steak and we will cook ourselves, at the campground. No eating out for us. Though, we will probably go over to boardwalk bakery for paninis and cheesecake brownies!!!!

[Tigerinvestigator]

Put me in with the minority in this post that has never had a bad meal at WDW. Thirty-six years and if I had a bad meal I can't remember it now. Went in May and had fantastic meals at Garden Grill (which happens to be my favorite and loved the addition of the blueberry dessert), the Crystal Palace (I ate and ate and ate and ate and...you get the picture), San Angel Inn (food very good/atmosphere with table on river even better), Marrakesh special was a great deal as always, Yak and Yeti honestly the best crusted fish I have ever had, and many more. I can understand some have a bad meal every once in awhile but it blows my mind to read these bad reports from so many. Maybe its because I have never been during free dining, not sure but if everyone would start eating off property I could have them all to my self and literally eat until I blew up!:thumbsup:

[A Big Kid]

Put me in with the minority in this post that has never had a bad meal at WDW. Thirty-six years and if I had a bad meal I can't remember it now. Went in May and had fantastic meals at Garden Grill (which happens to be my favorite and loved the addition of the blueberry dessert), the Crystal Palace (I ate and ate and ate and ate and...you get the picture), San Angel Inn (food very good/atmosphere with table on river even better), Marrakesh special was a great deal as always, Yak and Yeti honestly the best crusted fish I have ever had, and many more. I can understand some have a bad meal every once in awhile but it blows my mind to read these bad reports from so many. Maybe its because I have never been during free dining, not sure but if everyone would start eating off property I could have them all to my self and literally eat until I blew up!:thumbsup:

It is just not the meal itself, but the choice. There was a time when you could go to the park in the morning and have numerous great choices for breakfast. Not any more. You either have to pay way too much for a character meal or get a sub-McDonalds standard breakfast sandwhich that has been sitting under a heat lamp. The ABC Commisary being the worst of the worst. Blech!

[badkitty]

NOW im thinking, we are going to walmart for charcoal and steak and we will cook ourselves, at the campground.

That sounds like a lot of fun!

[Ian]

It is just not the meal itself, but the choice. There was a time when you could go to the park in the morning and have numerous great choices for breakfast. Not any more. You either have to pay way too much for a character meal or get a sub-McDonalds standard breakfast sandwhich that has been sitting under a heat lamp. The ABC Commisary being the worst of the worst. Blech!I think the breakfast sandwiches at the CS place at Saratoga Springs would give them a run for their money. :ack:

But yeah, on our last trip we were frequently frustrated by the inability to get a decent breakfast in the parks. Even worse, though, was the fact that they didn't open the carts until like after 11AM! And it was HOT!! There was no convenient place to get a bottle of water until after you'd been beating feet around a boiling hot theme park for like 2 hours.

That was really irksome! :mad:

[DizneyRox]

But yeah, on our last trip we were frequently frustrated by the inability to get a decent breakfast in the parks.

I've also been saying this for years. Once they shifted the hours to the standard 9am opening time, and since lunch starts at 11am, there is very little opportunity to have breakfast in general.

My guess is it's a cost cutting measure since they need to staff there early to prep, then cleanup and retool for lunch in such a short time frame, the profitability just ain't there.

If you want breakfast, you're pretty much stuck to your resort food court or a character meal, with a few exceptions of course, but certainly not a huge selection of different options.

This is nothnig new though, I'd say since about 2002-2003 or thereabouts...

[Ian]

I've also been saying this for years. Once they shifted the hours to the standard 9am opening time, and since lunch starts at 11am, there is very little opportunity to have breakfast in general.

My guess is it's a cost cutting measure since they need to staff there early to prep, then cleanup and retool for lunch in such a short time frame, the profitability just ain't there.

If you want breakfast, you're pretty much stuck to your resort food court or a character meal, with a few exceptions of course, but certainly not a huge selection of different options.

This is nothnig new though, I'd say since about 2002-2003 or thereabouts...I agree on all counts. I think I first noticed it during the cutbacks immediately after the 9/11 attacks, actually.

And I agree it's a cost-cutting measure, but I think it goes even beyond what you said ... they want to basically force people in to paying the outrageous buffet prices for the theme park breakfasts vs. supplying them with some reasonable CS options.

And as far as the beverage/snack carts, I'd bet anything they did an analysis that showed the carts didn't pay for themselves during the early morning hours so they just shut them down to maximize profits.

All this done at the expense of the guest experience, of course, and in the interest of milking every nickel possible out of every aspect of park operations.

[BrerGnat]

This keeping the carts closed until 11:30 thing really irks me too. They started doing it at Disneyland this year...

Not so noticeable in the colder months, but once it starts heating up, and it's blazing hot by 9:30am...just seems like a LOT of lost revenue. Plus, all the CS locations (with the exception of the Main St. Bakery) don't open until 11am either, so there are only a TINY handful of spots (mainly, the fruit stand type places) in the parks where you can get ANYTHING to eat/drink from 8am-11am.

I mean, if I'm walking around at 11am, with $4 in my pocket, and my son begging me for a Mickey Bar...does it really seem RIGHT that I have to tell him he can't have one yet? At DISNEYLAND??? :rolleyes:

[DizneyRox]

And as far as the beverage/snack carts, I'd bet anything they did an analysis that showed the carts didn't pay for themselves during the early morning hours so they just shut them down to maximize profits.
ABSOLUTELY! Having a CM to man the cart costs money, just don't mention they are staffed by people making minimum wage and selling 3 drinks and hour would more than cover their salary. To me this is just being cheap!

But as always we just need to adjust to work the system. Grocery deliveries to the room to cover breakfasts and we don't need to worry about wasting money in the parks. I really would rather get an early start to the parks and eat there, but that's not in the cards anymore...

[Ian]

I really would rather get an early start to the parks and eat there, but that's not in the cards anymore...Yeah, this issue and Nat's issue with the inability to get a simple bottle of water in the heat are the two main problems I have with the new "system."

I used to love to get to the parks right when they opened, ride some of the most popular attractions for the first hour or so, and then when the real crowds arrive duck out and get some breakfast.

Can't do that anymore and it really frustrates me, because now you have to get up like an entire hour earlier to eat before the park opens.

[lockedoutlogic]

The issue with the breakfast/ carts early in the park is two-fold...
and both reasons stink

1. The cost of the staffing (how can you make 2 billion dollars a year off your florida compound if you give out 5.85 an hour to struggling employees like it's going out of style?)
2. Staffing supply - we've said it a bazillion times: they have serious labor issues both now and progressively worse as we go forward...they have simply exhausted the central florida labor pool and now cannot lure workers to the "world" after diminishing the compensation (proportionally) for close to 20 years

[Laughin' place]

The one thing that stands out to me from this whole thread is just how subjective this issue is. Not only does service and food quality change from day to day, everyone's experience, palate, taste, and expectations vary so wildly. I've never given it much thought, but I have a whole new appreciation for the places that DO serve very good meals on a consistent basis (especially to travellers from all over the country/world).
I am also reminded of my favorite Disney dining beef (pun intended) -- the watering down of the menus across the park. I am still very disappointed that the Maya Grille (or whatever its called now), went from delicious, innovative neuvo mexican / pan latin food to steak/ribs/blah/blah/and bland.
We are lucky to have two Rick Bayless kitchens in Chicago (recently voted the best chef in America or some such), and I think many would agree that he is at the top of Mexican cuisine. The old Maya Grille was darn close. The new one will never see my business:marg:

[jimsgal05]

we had a good time with our ADRs but 1900 parkfare I ahve to agree it was okay...food wise a huge let down to Crystal place...which had amazing food for lunch...so many choices.

The WAVE was ok..my steak was good but my DH had the tuna ...raw inside, it wasn't suppose tobe..so we had to send it back..we had dinner at 9:30 at night...not busy our waitress...S_L_O_W_....I mean too slow and un prepared....
sci fi diner was great...it was so quite...and it was very crowded...great service too

eating with Cinderella..nice but wish i had done it for lunch not breakfast....they forgot about myself and My dd who was almost 4...we were in the corner...all the princeses didn't come to us then they finally realized we were there then got all them at once...we were the on family on the "upper" level...I guess if ya want to call it that....so it was pretty funny..to have all of them...

garden grill was good...simple food but cooked verywell and the dessert was great...

my parents went to Coral reef the food was good but there was so many younge childdren running around and almost knocked 2 wait staff down while with food plates and they didn't day a word...i blame the parents but the poor workers...they said it was like a cirucus in there....to bad I love that place cause it is always nice and they went at 3:30pm...
counter services we fine except japan...susi was good but the kids meal and the pork meal/rice...not so...very fatty...
satatoga springs had good counter service meals I have to say... the toga sandwhich was huge and very good...


well that is it for me..but yes the quality has gone down hill since I have been going in Sept..........1997...oh well...


just voice our concerns to Disney...

:mickey:

[BluewaterBrad]

Free Dining IS ruining the WDW experience. I am very interested what is in store for our upcoming trip in late Oct. :mickey:

[NJGIRL]

Liberty Tree Tavern, we ate lunch here and loved it (as always.) The staff is on the ball at this restaurant. Our table had two highchairs and a spoon and napkin for the little ones in our group without us even having to ask for it. Sounds minor, but every other restaurant we went to we had to take away the knife from their place setting and move the setting out of reach or we had to ask for silverware and napkins for them and either stand waiting for the highchairs while they brought them or had to ask again for them. Our server had our shared meals split in the kitchen, accomodations were easily made for an allergy, the place was clean, service friendly, the table was kept cleared, extra plates were automatically brought for the twins, and our drinks were always refilled. The food here is filling and good, though not outstanding (we were so sad to see the crab-cake was gone and the shortcake changed.) Hands down it was the best service we received our entire trip, if you have Teresa as your waitress your in for a treat, ask her to teach you the princess wave.



I agree with you on the Liberty Tree. We eat there at least once a trip on every trip. I love the food menu at lunch. Never had a bad meal or service there.

While our food was OK last Oct I have to agree with Chef Mickeys not being what it used to be. We used to love their breakfast but last time around it fell a little flat. Food was just warm not hot and it seemed like they didn't have as many choices on the buffet as they did in past years.

[lockedoutlogic]

Free Dining IS ruining the WDW experience. I am very interested what is in store for our upcoming trip in late Oct. :mickey:


it's not just the "free" dining....
the paid dining is doing a pretty darned good job of doing it as well....

there are many theories as to what is gained and lost by both the consumer (us) and the seller (TWDC)...many making alot of sense...and many being very disturbing

[lighteningqueen]

I agree when you sit down they have no idea who pays and who is on DDP. Do they have separate vats in back for us free diners?? ha ha... Seriously how can we get some better tasting food there??? I guess when we all start bring in our food to the parks and refuse to pay high prices for low budget food then we shall see...

[BrerGnat]

The thing is, this "free dining" keeps reelin' them in. People don't GET it. It's NOT really a deal at all. What it is, at its very basic level, is Disney keeping you prisoner on their property and making you pay rack rate for the priviledge. ALL the dining plans are what this is all about. It has NOTHING to do with adding "value" for the consumer. Until people see it for what it really is, it will continue, because it works for DISNEY. Disney cleverly markets the plans as a way to "save", but in reality, you don't really save anything. A lot of food goes to waste, usually, and if you were to just actually order and eat what you CAN, you could always eat for less.

This is, I suspect, why they DON'T offer the same dining plan at DLR. It's WAY WAY WAY too easy to go "off property" to dine. It would NEVER work. The vast majority of visitors to DLR have figured this out. It would be extremely difficult to convince people to buy into a dining plan there, and they know it. This is why it is STILL possible to walk up to virtually any Disneyland Resort restaurant, no matter how crowded the parks are, and be able to get in for a meal. Sure, you might have to wait, but they ALWAYS take walk ups.

And, food quality (overall) has not declined at DLR in recent years, in MY opinion. Some of the value has diminished, as they have increased prices and lowered portion sizes in some instances, but overall, the food quality is just as good today as it was 5 years ago, and in some cases, better!

To me, it is very obvious that the inception of the DDP at WDW has really impacted the dining experience, since I have a direct comparison to DLR (have been going as an AP holder very regularly since 2001). While I've seen WDW's dining take a nosedive sine the DDP inception, I've not seen anything similar happen at DLR, so it can't be chalked up to "company wide cutbacks" or "supplier" issues.

It's sad, really. WDW used to have some really good food. Now, for me, I go there for the theme park/resort experience, not the food. :(

[jonahbear2006]

hated liberty tree and any other restaurant that was really loud. i want to relax at dinner time and have a nice meal. the food was good but i couldnt even hear my husband across the table. yes the food is better than it was when i was 12; i remember it being downright nasty, however, it isnt good enough for me to EVER buy dining plan Again!

[PETE FROM NYC]

DW ,and I, left the world on 9/13.
We were on the free dining plan.
We ate at:
Le Cellier, L
Crystal Palace,B & L
Liberty Tree, D
Tusker House, B & L
Prime Time, D
Sci-Fi, L
Teppan Edo, D
We are both diabetic,and I have food allergies, so a chef came out to discuss what we should eat, even making sure we could have dessert.
We have no complaints about any TS place we used. The food was all good, and we never left hungry.
About the only thing I could complain about was the hot dog I had at Casey's. As soon as I got back to NYC, I just had to go out for a dirty water dog.
PS Want to get the chef mad at Teppan Edo?
Just ask for mayo.

[MKFD43]

we are going in Dec of 09 after nearly 2 years. I recently found this site. I too used to feel that hunting for dining opportunites as part of the fun of visiting DW. But after reading this thread I am not sure i want to waste almost $30 a person on buffets. We will probably grab a coupon out of a tourist mag and hit golden coral on 192 right outside the gate.. Theres always CC pizza by Lake Buena Vista. As long as we will be served low grad food might as well pay low grade prices.:beer:

[SurferStitch]

we are going in Dec of 09 after nearly 2 years. I recently found this site. I too used to feel that hunting for dining opportunites as part of the fun of visiting DW. But after reading this thread I am not sure i want to waste almost $30 a person on buffets. We will probably grab a coupon out of a tourist mag and hit golden coral on 192 right outside the gate.. Theres always CC pizza by Lake Buena Vista. As long as we will be served low grad food might as well pay low grade prices.:beer:

Please don't let all of these negative comments about WDW dining sway you. We have had amazing meals for all of the 13 years we've been visiting WDW. Our most recent trip was last October, and our dining experiences were incredible (except for the Wave).

You will not get low grade food at WDW restaurants.

I think there are many here who revel in bashing the dining options at WDW. I am not one of them. I go into WDW restaurants expecting great food and service, and about 99.9% of the time, that's what we get. I can count on one hand the number of poor meals we've had in literally hundreds of TS and CS meals at WDW in the 17 trips we've made there.

[azcavalier]

Please don't let all of these negative comments about WDW dining sway you. We have had amazing meals for all of the 13 years we've been visiting WDW. Our most recent trip was last October, and our dining experiences were incredible (except for the Wave).

You will not get low grade food at WDW restaurants.

I think there are many here who revel in bashing the dining options at WDW. I am not one of them. I go into WDW restaurants expecting great food and service, and about 99.9% of the time, that's what we get. I can count on one hand the number of poor meals we've had in literally hundreds of TS and CS meals at WDW in the 17 trips we've made there.

Yep, we haven't gone THAT many times, but we haven't had but maybe two meals where we didn't think either the food OR the servce was up to par. We've gotte the free dining for the last three years, and except for one trip to the Garden Grill, it has all been excellent.

Those on here that say that the free dining is ruining the restaurant offerings....well, then it must have been simply exception beforehand, because we still love it. It's one of the reasons that we go to WDW....all the restaurant choices. And for those who say that the dining plan, free or not, doesn't really save money...well, I disagree. Sure I COULD save money by eating off property at fast food or budget chain restaurants, or even by cooking the meals myself. But for the time involved and the quality of food that I get on-property, it's worth it. Yes, sometimes, it's a lot of food, but we do a pretty good job with it.

For example, when we go, it's three adults (our DS is 12) and two children. So we prepay for the DDP. If we go eat at the Coral Reef and have a regular meal (we don't drink, and wouldn't normally order appetizers anyway), and just stick to the menu, our bill would be over $120. Just for dinner. The DDP for the entire day for this family is around $140. So add in lunch on property, and a snack for each of us....it's cheaper to go with the DDP.

If we went all CS, then it would be cheaper, sure. But we'd get tired of fast food type meals pretty fast.

[MNNHFLTX]

we are going in Dec of 09 after nearly 2 years. I recently found this site. I too used to feel that hunting for dining opportunites as part of the fun of visiting DW. But after reading this thread I am not sure i want to waste almost $30 a person on buffets. We will probably grab a coupon out of a tourist mag and hit golden coral on 192 right outside the gate.. Theres always CC pizza by Lake Buena Vista. As long as we will be served low grad food might as well pay low grade prices.:beer:I wouldn't say that meals at most of the restaurants at WDW are "low-grade", but some are much better than others. I still enjoy eating there and will continue to do so, but mainly at select restaurants and not using the dining plan.


I think there are many here who revel in bashing the dining options at WDW. I am not one of them. I go into WDW restaurants expecting great food and service, and about 99.9% of the time, that's what we get. I can count on one hand the number of poor meals we've had in literally hundreds of TS and CS meals at WDW in the 17 trips we've made there.I can only speak for myself, but I certainly do not revel in bashing the dining options at WDW. In fact, as I said before I believe I have reasonable expectations. But it is my opinion that the dining option is not the deal that it used to be and the food/service at some restaurants is not always up to the standard that it should be. Certainly others share this viewpoint to varying degrees or there wouldn't be so many responses in this thread. But they are all just opinions and subject to our own personal perceptions. I would not recommend that someone not dine onsite at WDW, just that they do their research and be aware that every experience may not be stellar.