Originally Posted By TDLFAN Today, I stopped by the Electric Unbrella for a quick meal... In the past, my usual favorite items here are the Chicken strips, Medium size soda and toll house cookie for dessert. Today, I ordered the same exact items... but.. wait! Things don't look the same... The chicken strip basket looks a bit smaller that I recall... with a slightly lesser amount of fries than I am normally used to getting here... but maybe I am just imagining this.. My medium size soda? Hmmm... looked like the medium size cup has shrunk to what may be concidered a "small" size cup... And those tasty tollhouse nestle cookies that were chewy and fresh (as if baked on property) and placed in a big Disney paper container, have now become a pre-packaged food item from some generic company somewhere in the midwest, and the 2 cookies in the package are conciderably smaller as well. However, not all is lost in this predicament... we now have the self service soda fountains across from the food delivery counters, so guests can help themselves to free refills at will. Of course, with smaller cups, guests are forced to make more trips to the soda dispensers, effectively increasing traffic in those "work for it you guests!!!" areas. The former salad toppings bars are GONE! ...and replaced by the equally traffic heavy condiment tables. Ok. Fine. But I have to ask... Is Disney so affraid that free refills will kill their budget to change the size of the soda cups they use, and to change the amount/quality of food they serve here to maintain their earning quota? Gee.. if McDonald's can charge slightly less for a combo meal with bigger free-refill cups, and slightly larger fries containers.... what stops Disney from doing the same? After all, isn't the Electric Umbrella a Disney-operated knock off of McDonalds' type of business? Furthermore.. why is Disney charging $6++ for a single item meal (#6 is a chicken strip platter, NO bev included), and asking for a further $2++ for a now refillable soda cup... which totals almost $9, when at McDonald's I can get nuggets, fries, and drink (medium size) for less than $6??? Is the Electric Umbrella a deal? You be the judge. I am only presenting facts here. Thankfully for me, I stopped by the Pizzafari and had a more satisfying meal just 3 hrs later since my lunch at Electric umbrella, which felt more like a light afternoon snack than a regular meal. But to end this post on a happy and positive note... Yes, I do enjoy the chance to refill my own cup as often as I can and better yet, I *LOVED* the type of ice being dispensed by those self-service soda fountains. I think Disney should have been a bit more smart-arse about this and should have placed the free refill machines on the 2nd floor dining room area... Some of us could use the excersice you know So to you all I say... REFILL ALL YOU CAN MATES!!! REFILL LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW!! (a land BTW..that is simply deplorable at this MK park... but that's a different topic altogether...)
Originally Posted By cassiedoodle ugh, getting your own refills will be a nightmare! you know how busy that place can get!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I've always hated the name Electric Umbrella. <<my lunch at Electric umbrella, which felt more like a light afternoon snack than a regular meal.>> It's all part of Disney's healthier menus initiative. <<you know how busy that place can get!>> Not me. Never been there, and have no desire to eat that kinda food when I am at Epcot.
Originally Posted By figment1986 Really, with the costs going up and other parks raising rates... disney is doing the opposite and cutting back... though it makes no since if they are going to still waste tons of food later on. Busch raised rates on their food and offer the same amount (from what I hear.) of course, they could fix some of this because they offer such great rates for food anyway with the Dining plan with lunch too. I think they should be serving the best they can, since many people end up eating there or sunshine seasons because of everyone else booked up...
Originally Posted By Fe Maiden The only time (and last time for that matter) I was at the Electric Umbrella I had a hard time finding 4 chairs that didn't have bird crap all over them.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy I guess the question I would have is how many calories are in the portions being described here? What is the fat content? It certainly wouldn't hurt people to get the correct number of calories in a meal instead of the oversized portions that are typically dished out at fast food establishments and contribute to an ever larger population of obese people. Where do the Electric Umbrella portions fall in the context of a 2,500 calorie a day diet?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Good question. But it's not a matter of how many calories, but how much they are charging for what you are getting. This type of food will get you fat no matter what, which is why we love eating it. (Shame on me, I know) But the price does not justify the portion you get. I am perfectly happy with the portion I got but it's not worth more than $4.99 (including the drink). As for calorie content... well, I would guess say it has got to be in the vecinity of 2,000 calories for sure, but WDW does not post calorie content tables for guests viewing pleasure...and if they do, I have not seen them.
Originally Posted By figment1986 As i said, Theme park food is generally expensive... Universal charges a lot (though has an AP discount..) Busch charges a lot (though also has an AP discount) Disney charges up with them... (though doesn't have AP discount and only Dining experience card at sit downs) Now cutting back on portions might be their way to look good with press since Busch and universal have publicly said they are changing their stuff to more healthier choices and portions. (At Disneyland you can get grapes with everything... and only one drink size) Disney did say they would do something, but perhaps they changed chefs or managers with culinary and this is a effect of the change?
Originally Posted By twirlnhurl I ate at the Electric Umbrella yesterday, and despite the possibility of having smaller baskets of chicken (I got a burger which is normal sized), did you notice that the fries are different? I thought they are much better then their older fries. Are they going to be replacing all fast food fries with those at the Electric Umbrella? That would be great. (And yes, I agree that the soda fountains there are VERY crowded.)
Originally Posted By jmuboy Electric Umbrella - dumb name, never liked it. I ate there for the first time recently just to get free refills....and trust me...I got my money's worth.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> The Dinning Plan Strikes again !!!!!!! << My feelings also dixielandings! >> It certainly wouldn't hurt people to get the correct number of calories in a meal instead of the oversized portions that are typically dished out at fast food establishments and contribute to an ever larger population of obese people. Where do the Electric Umbrella portions fall in the context of a 2,500 calorie a day diet? << If I was counting calories on my vacation, I don't think I would be eating at the Electric Umbrella. I do appreciate you being concerned with my health however.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 already counting how manyPremium Mickey Mouse Ice Cream bars I wil consume this year -- @ apr 260 calories each, 26g carbs, 17 gr fat (actually figs for a Dove bar, but it's got to be close to the same) diet starts the day I return
Originally Posted By MPierce ^^^ You just need to find a diet plan that includes Mickey Ice Cream bars in it vbdad55.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I would expect that these changes have nothing at all do to with foisting healthier eating habits on WDW's largely obese customer base and more to do with increasing profit margins. I dined at Electric Umbrella in June and thought the food quality was barely acceptable then ... as to the refillable drinks, it shows how inexpensive that stuff is vs. fixing bars of veggies and condiments.
