Originally Posted By jmuboy Vineyard Room at DCA closing after Labor Day. No long term plans yet, short term it will serve as overflow seating for the Wine Country Trattoria. I expect that the Vineyard Room, like Hollywood and Dine, will remain closed for a few years until the changes coming to DCA can really drive the foot traffic to demand all these retail dining venues. It's so sad to see what a mess this park has turned into. Looking forward to the new DCA in a few years.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA The Vineyard Room was not the same after Mondavi left. When the park first opened, we had wine and appetizers on the upstairs patio/bar adjacent to The Vineyard Room. What a wonderful experience. The Mondavi employees knew their wine, knew their stuff. Excellent. We sat and sipped wine, and watched 'Eureka!' from that patio. We had a fantastic meal at The Vineyard Room on Easter Sunday 2001. The food, location, service -- all fantastic. By the next year, Mondavi was gone, Disney had weird hours for the location (it was mostly closed), and the whole Golden Vine Winery was just a shell of what it was. *sigh*
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "When the park first opened, we had wine and appetizers on the upstairs patio/bar adjacent to The Vineyard Room. What a wonderful experience." You can say that again. It was such a pleasure to finally have that kind of experience at a Disney theme park in Anaheim! I had dinner there and it was just fantastic. I sincerely hope that when the dust settles in the next 3 years that the Winery location will somehow return to its initial glory.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Indeed it is soooo sad to see what DCA has become. It had so much promise, but little by little they have been killing the Disney magic that did exist. The Winery, Seasons of the Vine, the Farm with real crops, Golden Dreams, Eureka and all the streetmousphere, it gave DCA some World Showcase vibe that was sadly lacking on our last visit. It is so sad. I would like to hope the refurb will make the park better, but frankly I think the toonisation will make it far worse.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA ^^^Clearly, we're in the minority dave. I remember standing near 'Golden Dreams' and watching 'Three Bags Full' -- did you ever see them? A trippy group of walk around characters. The costumes they wore were something like a giant-sized pillow case -- made of a breathable, stretchy fabric. Each performer was completely enclosed in this fabric 'pouch.' So, they could walk around, but also create weird shapes with their bodies. It's like the effect that the magic carpet has in the 'Aladdin' show. I found it to be very enjoyable. Which is probably a kiss of death. As I was watching, I overheard this 40-something, Joe Six Pack guy say to his friend 'What are they supposed to be?' His friend stared for a moment and replied 'I don't know.' (long silence as they both continued to watch) Joe Six Pack: 'I don't like it.' I knew 'Three Bags Full' weren't going to be long for DCA. Same with 'Eureka!' -- I felt it was one of the best parades I'd ever seen at any stateside Disney park. It seemed to leave most people cold.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "I would like to hope the refurb will make the park better, but frankly I think the toonisation will make it far worse." I think the removal of those things that made DCA special and replacing them with synergistic Pixar/Disney Animation stuff is just awful. I really don't understand why both can't exist side by side. "It seemed to leave most people cold." Yeah, 'cause if it doesn't have warm and fuzzy characters plastered all over it then it can't really be Disney. I often wonder how park audiences today would react to America on Parade. Oh how the mentality of management at Disney parks has changed over the years.
Originally Posted By Route66 I did enjoy the Vineyard room too, but DCA in general was a poor representation of California in the first place. Have you seen how Africa/Asia was recreated in Animal Kingdom? The Mediterranean in Disney Sea? DCA looked like somewhere that you could walk around in for free in Las Vegas. To charge the same gate admission as Disneyland is crazy. Anyhow, I'm sure that we all will find another special little spot when they get done re-doing DCA.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Now I feel the NEED to dine at the Vineyard Room. We missed out on Hollywood and Dine which I know I would have loved (soap opera fan here.) Thinking of how I am going to make this happen.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer Good luck, Disney is having problems with staffing (lots of transfers to other locations), and the last meal at the Vineyard Room might have already happened.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <Now I feel the NEED to dine at the Vineyard Room.> I'm guessing that the experience would not be that great. Anyone eat there recently?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Sadly Jim I missed 3 bags full, they looked like fun. It's funny, the human statues in the France Pavilion were very popular, but 3BF were not? It's a shame. We realy liked Devine, Chance to Shine, Blast and the Dowop group in Condor Flats our first time. But this last trip, all we saw was rubberheads :-( Aladdin was great, love the ToT, the kids loved Monsters Inc, and a Bugs Land was cute. But overall, we felt the soul that DCA did have was being ripped out. Although we had fun, Sarah was especially disappointed because DCA used to be here fav park, beating out anything in WDW, Paris, and even the original itself. To here, it was unique offerings such as the winery, crops growing she had never seen anywhere but the grocery store, and the factory tours (which are honestly some of her fav attractions). Mix in Golden Dreams, where my English Rose could learn of her husband's heritage (glad I was still able to take my children to see the story of their heritage in Feb). I think what a lot of people forget is some of us like to learn and play at the same time. Museums are great, but little ones can and do get bored if it's an all day affair. But if you can see bread being made then go on Soarin, then see crops growing enroute to another attraction, well that's the beauty of Disney edutainment. A balanced diet. Sadly Jim, Hans, 2oony, I do think we are in the minority, and it brings me great sorrow. To me the glass blower on Main Street, the live music, exhibits like the House of the Future or ATIS, most of Epcot and Animal Kingdom, it is this edutainment offerings that make a Disney park so special. Or at leas it used to be. And Hans, you are right, I wonder how the bicentennial parade would play to today's audience then again Tapestry of Nations at Epcot was very popular. I really like the Vinyard ROom. It was an ambient dining location with good food and wine and no characters in site. It seems these days, chicken strips to scarf and barf or G rated table dances (ooops sorry, Princess Meals) are what fans can expect in DCA. I cannot help but think another part of the ignoramous cancer is hitting the parks. I sure hope they find a cure. Oh well, at least next week at DLP I have my choice of 4 in park table service restaurants with good service, 3 course meals and wine pairings. Sadly though with the exchange rate, the meal is $50 each before the wine. Makes the Vinyard room a cheap option huh?
Originally Posted By crazycroc Alas, at least Cap'n Kidd's is still open across the street for those with a taste for the extravagant and truly delectable. I remember seeing the plant creature on stilts thingy years ago, is that "Devine"? It was really neat, and also scary like the Sleestacks on Land of the Lost, all at once. To me, the park lost it's charm when they tore out Superstar Limo, instead of trying to make it more coherent and less campy.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "I remember seeing the plant creature on stilts thingy years ago, is that "Devine"? It was really neat, and also scary like the Sleestacks on Land of the Lost, all at once." That was her. She did reappear at Animal Kingdom for a while, but sadly she seems to have disappeared again.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Anyone eat there recently?>> Yup - last month. I typically ate there once a month or so. Food, wine and service was as excellent as always. They had gone back to a la carte with one set menu but no wine pairings which was a shame. Personally I never noticed a change when Mondavi left - the same management and chef team stayed in place and the quality seemed the same. They just kept toying with the menu and hours.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA ^good to know. I was thinking they might have considered adding some AA animals in that location. <~~ [running from thread] Squeeeeeee!
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 I think the one set menu was what "scared" us away each time we thought about going. It seemed to always have gaggers for me on the menu. Shellfish, anything raw or rare just does me in. I never felt that it would be OK just ordering appetizers. Still I'm feeling this draw to go, just because. Still pondering this. If for nothing else, to assure Jim that no AA animals were added
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "I remember seeing the plant creature on stilts thingy years ago, is that "Devine"? It was really neat, and also scary like the Sleestacks on Land of the Lost, all at once." She can appear at your next party: <a href="http://www.thelivinggarden.com/" target="_blank">http://www.thelivinggarden.com/</a>
Originally Posted By TheEscapist I loved Eureka, Soap Opera Bistro (gazpacho in a martini shaker was great)--and I don't watch soap operas. Loved Hollywood & Dine and even Steps in Time (save for the horrid brothers). My sister and I learned a lot in the farm, and had fun, too. I had never been to Epcot, etc. when California Adventure opened and was so happy to find that Disney could mean something different than Disneyland. Then at first sign of trouble--which they mostly brought on themselves, no question--scrub it all for chicken strips and cartoons. Disney should give the people what they don't know they always wanted, not what they say they want because they've been conditioned to accept nothing else.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA EXCELLENT recap of what happened TheEscapist. Totally agree with your assessment. <scrub it all for chicken strips and cartoons> LOL!
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Disney should give the people what they don't know they always wanted, not what they say they want because they've been conditioned to accept nothing else." Now ain't that the doggone truth!
