Apparently some humor goes un noticed across the pond. My comments were meant in jest and its a shame it was missed. My tongue is still in my cheek. :D
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Apparently some humor goes un noticed across the pond. My comments were meant in jest and its a shame it was missed. My tongue is still in my cheek. :D
I disagree. Entirely.
As far as American food at Epcot goes, it seems some posters consider tacos and egg rolls to be wildly adventurous and then there are those pretzels in Germany.
I think there are many opportunities for American food at WDW. Whispering Canyon and Hoop de Doo Review quickly come to mind along with most places at the MK. Every day is Thanksgiving at LTT.
EPCOT? Garden Grill at EPCOT is American food at a TS restaurant (so is Coral Reef).
As far as people who can't spend a day at Epcot without American fast food as some replies indicated, there's a McDonalds on the opposite side of the lake from the American Adventure. Chicken Nuggets in all your favorite familiar shapes. 6 piece AND 9 piece.
I thank everyone for their input. I had no idea it would stir up such conversation. Having read the posts I do see more of an idea of what is needed. Leave the CS as it is and add a sit down. As far as there being plenty of truly American food at WDW I somewhat agree but we are talking World Showcase where coutnries are showing the world their best.
How about a sit down restaurant where regional dishes are served like Maryland Crab cakes, Virginia Ham, St Louis Ribs, Creole from south and the list can go on. It will probably be harder to narrow down the menu than to come up with enough ideas. The drink menu could have wines from the wine states and mint juleps from Kentucky. Just a thought. Thanks again for all of your input. :mickey:
I sorta felt embarrassed too. Not so much they were offering hot dogs and hamburgers but they were just another "quick service" style.
There are a lot of wonderful "American" dishes but I guess Hamburgers and Hot Dogs are too America as Speghetti is to Italy.
Alas...there are BETTER hamburgers. Beach Club has a pretty good burger. What about turning it our American Section into a table service like the other resturants there with a GOOD quality Angus beef burger and a "gormet" styled Hot Dog with a high quality dog as opposed to the dog you get at quick service.
The idea for a sit-down restaurant featuring regional American foods is excellent! It also makes me sad that so many people apparently insist on boring old fast food at Epcot. The Electric Umbrella already does that anyway.
The gift shop in America suffers from the same syndrome. Every other country gets a gorgeous gift shop filled with cultural items. America gets a tiny knothole filled only with tacky T shirts and plastic with the American flag plastered over it.
Maybe I'll take the chance of wadeing into this one even though I'm a non-American. The American Pavillion makes a great host pavillion in my estimation. The styling and the American Adventure make a good showcase to the world.
But a TS restaurant is not needed to showcase American food. That is all over WDW. You can find American cuisine from almost every corner over your country if one tries. In some ways, to add another in World Showcase would distract from the uniqueness of worldwide cuisine. For most of the other countries this is the primary and perhaps only spot to sample their cusine (even if its not totally authentic in some cases) in WDW. To me the point of Epcot restaurants is to try something that you can't get at California Grill, Cap May, Spoodles, Narcoosee's etc. etc.
So I'd say, don't be embarassed by a pavillion that represents your country well and plays a good and gracious host by letting the others show themselves off a bit.
I suppose this is true, but America is a pretty big country. I'm sure there's some stuff they could cover that isn't already covered ;)
This is a good point. However, the fact that there is only a fast-food restaurant at America gives the impression that fast food is the only sort of food America is known for, which is unfortunate. Even in this thread, there are people saying that America doesn't have any good regional food and that we took all our cuisine from other cultures, which I think is just not true. Maybe if the CS had something a little more unique, it would be better.Quote:
For most of the other countries this is the primary and perhaps only spot to sample their cusine (even if its not totally authentic in some cases) in WDW.
So I'd say, don't be embarassed by a pavillion that represents your country well and plays a good and gracious host by letting the others show themselves off a bit.
How about southern cooking? I vote for collard greens and cornbread, fried chicken & catfish, grits, ham-hock & field peas w/okra, sweet potato & pecan pies, and with real brewed sweet iced tea to wash it all down with. Probably wouldn't sell as well as hamburgers & fries, but I'd eat there every trip.
I don't think you can get this food anywhere at WDW right now.
When ever my family goes to EPCOT, by the time we are to the American pavilion we are STARVING. Also, by the time I get there I have had about 3000 burgers and fries. For some reason that is all I ever come across at WDW. This last time I knew I did not want to eat burgers all the time, but also didn't want to do tons of TS ADRs. So I made a spreadsheet and my DH kept it on his fancy phone of what and where food locations were located. When all we could find was a burger, we pulled it up and realized there are TONS of other CS with all sorts of different kinds of food. I was much more happy.
Although I am not embarrassed by the selections, I do think there could be some more creative regional fare. West Coast thinks like fish tacos, Midwestern "hot dish"/casseroles, southern soul food, BBQ.... all would be okay in my book, but I am also fine with it the way it is.
I don't think we United Statesers realize how much nostalgia flag waving America is wonderful foreign guests get when they vacation at Walt Disney World.
The idea of America's super mega resort - Walt Disney World - saying welcome to the world makes a lot of sense.
So I can't see how Epcot needs another American food TS restaurant.
Besides,
Epcot is plenty American even when it doesn't seem like it's trying to be. Have you seen the menu at the recently reopened Nine Dragons? Sweet and Sour Pork and Kung Pao Chicken! Ha! Two dishes I enjoy but you'd have a hard time finding them in Beijing.
Don't forget to add Chicago style pizza to the menu at the new restaurant. WDW pizza =:sick:
Ive never eaten here.
even:beer:.
i think there should b a TS
Embarrassed? No. However, the lack of a TS restaurant at the American pavilion is disappointing.
There are many great menu options available. Steaks(this could make an ADR at LeCellier a bit easier), BBQ, Southern fried chicken, Maine lobster, NY style pizza, Chicago deep dish pizza, etc.
Very interesting thread.
I don't have a strong opinion on this issue. I have not really considered it...BUT what if they had a QS location in the American Pavilion that offered nothing but "State Fair Cuisine"?!?! Step up folks, get your fried oreos and fried cheesecake on a stick? (Just kidding of course, but can you imagine?)
I can get a stomach-ache just thinking about it...:ill:
How 'bout some Turducken? :D
So basically we'd end up with a restaurant that must provide such a variety of different cuisines that it will accomplish none of them well.
But see, those ARE american foods, or at least americanized foods, depending on how you want to look at it.
The idea of the hot dog as it is today- a sausage type meat on a bun- can be traced back to German-Americans in the late 1800s, trying to make a buck at Coney Island, World Fairs, baseball games.
Same thing with hamburgers. They are derived from the original hamburg steak but the idea to slap a patty between two buns and through on garnish and condiments is American. There is no one person who this is attributed to but it happened in America, around the same time as the hot dog.
Applie pie I cannot argue about, it certainly wasn't invented here, but dare I say perfected ;)
This is not blind patriotism, it's truth. In the 1800s-1900s America was the lucky recipient of a great influx of immigrants who brought with them culinary traditions that were turned into something new and "American."
At any rate, I think that Liberty Inn could use a few more options (what about a cheesesteak :D ) but the truth of the matter is, there are some very picky eaters out there and to have the attitude of "they can get that stuff anywhere" or "just go to the other side of the park" isn't very fair.
All the talk of hamburgers and hot dogs reminds me of an Eddie Izzard quote (taken from JFK on a visit to Berlin):
"Ich bin ein Berliner --- I am a Frankfurter, a Hamburger, and a donut!"
If you don't get it...PM me. I'll explain. I don't even know if his translation is accurate...lol