Originally Posted By MPierce At Chefs De France I had the Filet de boeuf grille, sauce au poivre noir Gratin Dauphinois et haricots verts - Grilled tenderloin of beef with a black pepper sauce original potato gratin of Savoy and green beans $34.95, and Creme Brulee - Vanilla creme brulee served with a Madeleine $7.25. My wife had Plat de Cote de Boeuf au Cabarnet avec pates - Beef short ribs braised in Cabernet with pasta, pearl onions and mushrooms $28.95. A very good meal with very good service. At Biergarten I enjoyed the meal. My wife did not. I was a little disappointed in the lack of a lot of different sausages to choose from. I loved the dumplings that were served, but forget the name of them. Help me out here VBDAD. I know you are a fan of the place. At $34.99 each I wish we could have both eaten more. At La Hacienda de San Angel I had Arrachera - Flank steak served with spring onions, tamal with rajas, cactus leaves, and beans $25.95. My wife had Puerco en Salsa de Mole Negro - Roasted pork tender loin with mole negro sauce, served with esquites (roasted corn), sweet potato mash, beans and vegetables $25.95. My meal was OK my wife hated hers Service was mediocre at best. We had a few breakfast at Roaring Fork. We both found the Bounty Platter - with scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, pancakes and a biscuit $8.29 were pretty good. We rarely eat breakfast so this was different for us. If we return to WDW I think we will have fewer table service meals, and pretty much go with counter service. I believe TS meals are just to restrictive to allow you to be spontaneous in the Parks.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I loved the dumplings that were served, but forget the name of them. Help me out here VBDAD. I know you are a fan of the place. Spaetzle's I actually prefer Biergarten at lunch because of the price point and you lose very little
Originally Posted By vbdad55 My regrets were that I failed to order the Scotch Egg - Golden-fried Hard-boiled Egg wrapped in Sausage Meat with Mustard Sauce $8.99, that VBDAD had recommended --- makes Fettucini Alfredo seem like health food- but is just excellent
Originally Posted By MPierce >> that's a lot of good eatin' MPierce!! << I really think the food was better for the most part this laast trip. I certainly hope they continue to improve. I just feel they are 15 to 20% high on most meals. About 30% highy on their beverages. I wish they would expand their menus. Most of all, I wish they would eliminate the dining plan. I keep thinking back to how things were so much better before they implemented the Beelzebub inspired DDP.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Here's the big difference my friend. You are able to almost come, and go at will to different Disney resorts.>> Almost would be the key word there ... <<Most people can't.>> Most people couldn't imagine living the bizarre life I've led ... but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It makes me soooo special ;-) <<If you add up all the days I've spent at DL, and WDW they would probably add up to a 4th of the time that you've stayed at the WL alone. Real folks value their time at WDW.>> Hey, just because I'm invisible and can appear anywhere and everywhere like I'm a Disney Fairy (did I really just write that?) doesn't mean I'm not real folks. I'm too real, which is why I'm so beloved in both the fan community and much more important realms. <<They might only get 7 days there every few years. They are not going to give up any of those precious minutes simply because time at the resort goes by swiftly. I have the freedom now to go to WDW anytime I want to. While I see so many things as being overpriced at WDW, I can never see the day when I can not afford to go to WDW for as long as I want to, and stay where I want to, and dine where I want to. Most folks have to work for a living, and just can't do that. >> No, that's true. And it's why I just sit and am amazed by people who spend thousands of dollars in a week at WDW, even though I used to be one of them. I just look at them and think 'how do they afford it?' and (this is the good one) 'why do so many of them look like they just left the trailer park or the 'hood?' Personally, I don't want to spend my money at WDW for the most part. TDL, HKDL, DLP, DL, DCL ... sure. But WDW just doesn't have as much ... class as it once did. And it sure doesn't have as much quality and cast that cares about exceeding my expectations. To get back to the OP, that's why they are continually whoring the MAGIC with free dining offers and the like. You think TDR will ever offer free dining? Or how about ANY AP discounts for anything? ;-)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The best meal, and service was at the Captain's Grille.I had the Bourbon Marinated N.Y. Strip with Herb-roasted Potatoes, seasonal Vegetables, $28.99. My wife had the Grilled Rosemary Pork Chop - with creamy bacon polenta, roasted mushroom ragout, and balsamic jus $21.99.>> Hmm ... I believe I may have advised people to dine there. Food is very good and you don't have to plan six months out to eat there. And the secret there is they serve Yachtsman Steakhouse beef at much lower price points. <<I will not comment on the prices. I feel if I had the discount that AP holders get with the 20% off on the Tables of Wonderland or what ever it's called, the prices would be right at all the restaurants..>> I will. For what amounts to a hotel coffee shop, the prices are still way too high. I went to my local resort (run by Hyatt) for Mom's Day ... they are 4-star all the way. Wound up dining in their equivalent. Steak dinner there WITH soup or salad was $19. <<I was very disappointed at the meal I had at Tutto Italia. I had the Arrosto Di Vitello In Porchetta - veal roast, mushrooms, potatoes $29. My wife had the Casareci - cavatelli pasta, sweet sausage ragu, tomatoes, Pecorino Romano $26. Her Casareci was very good. My veal was kind of stringy. This is the first time I've ordered veal anywhere, and didn't clean my plate. OK service.>> well, at least it didn't cost you $390 like the family I talked to last week (of course they also did an Easter Dinner at WP Cafe at DD and that was almost $300 as well). <<At Nine dragons I had the Honey Sesame Chicken - $18.98. My wife had the Canton Pepper Beef - stir-fried beef with onions, green and red peppers in a classic savory broth $15.98. Both OK meals, and OK service.>> I like Nine Dragons. Not as much as say 3-4 years ago, but still ... I can usually walk in. And the food is always tasty. No, not as good as real Chinese in Hong Kong or Beijing, but very good for FLA. And the prices aren't totally out of reality. <<Rose and Crown I had Surf and Turf - Grilled Steak and Fried Fish with Yorkshire Pudding, Irish Potato Gratin, seasonal Vegetables, and Shallot Gravy $26.99. I also had the Bakewell Tart $5.49, simply because I've never tried it. My wife had the Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Potatoes, seasonal Vegetable, and Shallot Gravy $16.99. We both enjoyed the meal very much. The service was excellent. My regrets were that I failed to order the Scotch Egg - Golden-fried Hard-boiled Egg wrapped in Sausage Meat with Mustard Sauce $8.99, that VBDAD had recommended. Also that they quit serving Tennet's Lager. Even though it's the prefered beer of Hobos.>> Never had a bad meal there. But haven't been in about two years now. Not since they revamped the menu again. But always been pleased. <<At Tokyo Dining I had Filet Mignon - grilled beef tenderloin served with grated daikon and ponzu $29.95. My wife had Ebi - large shrimp $21.95. We both enjoyed the meal. Service was excellent.>> I won't go back there unless it's free, even though the food is quite good. Last time there, was when it first reopened and had an ex-friend whine through dinner (on me, I might add) about having had to drive to WDW for said free meal, which was supposed to be at Le Cellier but was switched at her request. Then, I had another friend inadvertantly throw a mutual acquaintance (who was not there) out of the closet over dinner. Just not a lot of MAGICal memories. The food and the service were quite good. But I'll just head to the Benihana at the DD Hilton when I want teppanyaki style cuisine.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<At Chefs De France I had the Filet de boeuf grille, sauce au poivre noir Gratin Dauphinois et haricots verts - Grilled tenderloin of beef with a black pepper sauce original potato gratin of Savoy and green beans $34.95, and Creme Brulee - Vanilla creme brulee served with a Madeleine $7.25.>> Ah, the filet has only gone up by about $10-12 in a decade ... makes perfect sense when other restaurants are lowering prices. <<My wife had Plat de Cote de Boeuf au Cabarnet avec pates - Beef short ribs braised in Cabernet with pasta, pearl onions and mushrooms $28.95. A very good meal with very good service.>> It should be for those prices in a theme park. <<At Biergarten I enjoyed the meal. My wife did not. I was a little disappointed in the lack of a lot of different sausages to choose from. I loved the dumplings that were served, but forget the name of them. Help me out here VBDAD. I know you are a fan of the place. At $34.99 each I wish we could have both eaten more.>> Last time I went was in the 90s, dinner still included drinks and menu was more diverse. I believe we paid about $16.99 and then got 20% off on top of that. Got stiffed with the bill by family members visiting from out of state who chose the place over Coral Reef, where I wanted to dine. Haven't been back. <<At La Hacienda de San Angel I had Arrachera - Flank steak served with spring onions, tamal with rajas, cactus leaves, and beans $25.95. My wife had Puerco en Salsa de Mole Negro - Roasted pork tender loin with mole negro sauce, served with esquites (roasted corn), sweet potato mash, beans and vegetables $25.95. My meal was OK my wife hated hers Service was mediocre at best.>> I doubt very much that I'll ever try the place. I've dined at some of the best Mexican places in the USA in the LA area and prices don't come close to that. I think when I want Mexican in O-Town I'll either do Chevy's (so I can do happy hour with my publicist pals!) or Del Taco for fast food. <<We had a few breakfast at Roaring Fork. We both found the Bounty Platter - with scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, pancakes and a biscuit $8.29 were pretty good. We rarely eat breakfast so this was different for us.>> Breakfast is a meal I'm only into if it is between 2-4 a.m. <<If we return to WDW I think we will have fewer table service meals, and pretty much go with counter service. I believe TS meals are just to restrictive to allow you to be spontaneous in the Parks.>> That's why I keep pushing the Swan/Dolphin/DD/Hotel Plaza locales ... they are all on property and convenient and you don't have to worry about making arrangements months in advance. I've heard VBDAD say he doesn't want to come to WDW to eat burgers and I can appreciate that. But the only thing worse than eating burgers on a MAGICal WDW vacation is eating $9-10 theme park burgers! ~WINNING!~
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<^^^Wow, your meals are just never boring, are they? lol>> You have no idea ... seriously ... no idea. Wanna have dinner sometime? On that note, I need to call it a night and get some stuff done ... but nice to see action here again! ~WINNING!~
Originally Posted By Bolna I can't see anything wrong when people make a decission to spend their money on something because it works for them if they have the money to spend. It is just a question of priorities. Some people really enjoy spending money on merchandise and collectibles, that's something which I don't get: it is just stuff that is sitting around and collecting dust. I personally really like to eat at the WDW resorts' restaurants. It gives me a reason to visit the other resorts and enjoy the atmosphere there. And also, WDW is wonderful for people with dietary restrictions. I am travelling with my sister who has several food intolerances. And for her to be able to get a meal where she knows that it only has ingredients which agree with her in a restaurant is indeed magical. But I must admit that (even with a very strong Euro which makes WDW cheaper for me) I am getting to a point where I don't see the value anymore. My next trip will be the first trip to WDW without a meal at Boma because I just don't see the myself paying that much for it. I rather have less table service meals during my vacation, but eat at the signature restaurants instead. They are even more expensive, but I feel that they offer a much better value since it is a whole dining experience.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Most people couldn't imagine living the bizarre life I've led ... but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It makes me soooo special ;-) << Knowing so much more about your personal life, I would have to say, being a geek in a freak show would seem like a normal existence compared to yours. >> I will. For what amounts to a hotel coffee shop, the prices are still way too high. I went to my local resort (run by Hyatt) for Mom's Day ... they are 4-star all the way. Wound up dining in their equivalent. Steak dinner there WITH soup or salad was $19. << I take into consideration it's WDW, and paying more is acceptable. I stick with my 15 to 20% overpriced. I do expect quality meals at that pricepoint. >> I like Nine Dragons. Not as much as say 3-4 years ago, but still ... I can usually walk in. And the food is always tasty. No, not as good as real Chinese in Hong Kong or Beijing, but very good for FLA. And the prices aren't totally out of reality. << I agree that over time the menu has been reduced a lot, and you don't get noodles with your meal now. My biggest complaints are you can no longer get the gerat egg plant dish they served, and they don't have fried wontons. Reasonable price points for WDW >> The food and the service were quite good. But I'll just head to the Benihana at the DD Hilton when I want teppanyaki style cuisine. << Tokyo Dining is not like Benihana. That's the oher restaurant.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Ah, the filet has only gone up by about $10-12 in a decade ... makes perfect sense when other restaurants are lowering prices. << They have been increasing the price by 10% each year of late. >> I doubt very much that I'll ever try the place. I've dined at some of the best Mexican places in the USA in the LA area and prices don't come close to that. << My wife has taken Mexican food at WDW off the menu permanently.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I can't see anything wrong when people make a decission to spend their money on something because it works for them if they have the money to spend. It is just a question of priorities.>> Yes, it is ... I don't know how many people I know (sane and rational), who don't look down on Disney or theme parks, absolutely think WDW is something you do once every decade or so. When they realize how much I've spent on theme parks, they tend to think I may be crazier than say ... Old Man Pierce. To be fair, I can recall as a child when my folks instilled a love of travel in me. We lived in a middle class 'hood, but most of the neighbors barely went anywhere. But they all had nicer homes, furniture etc ... I kind of thought even as Young Spirit that they were missing out on living by creating prisons of their own everytime they upgraded their kitchens, added a pool or additional room etc. It is all about priorities. Still, I am firmly convinced that many people who visit WDW and spend like they have printing presses in their behinds, have too much $$$. <<Some people really enjoy spending money on merchandise and collectibles, that's something which I don't get: it is just stuff that is sitting around and collecting dust.>> My house has way too much of that. And, sadly, much of it is indeed collecting dust. <<I personally really like to eat at the WDW resorts' restaurants. It gives me a reason to visit the other resorts and enjoy the atmosphere there. And also, WDW is wonderful for people with dietary restrictions. I am travelling with my sister who has several food intolerances. And for her to be able to get a meal where she knows that it only has ingredients which agree with her in a restaurant is indeed magical.>> I love visiting the resorts, but I don't have to dine at them anymore to enjoy them. As I said (maybe in this thread, who can keep track?) I almost had dinner at Artist Point this visit. I am so very glad I did Mythos and Tchoup Chop instead (hell, I think if you added the two GREAT meals together, it might have equaled the cost of Artist Point). <<But I must admit that (even with a very strong Euro which makes WDW cheaper for me) I am getting to a point where I don't see the value anymore. My next trip will be the first trip to WDW without a meal at Boma because I just don't see the myself paying that much for it. I rather have less table service meals during my vacation, but eat at the signature restaurants instead. They are even more expensive, but I feel that they offer a much better value since it is a whole dining experience. >> Boma is still a great choice. But it has doubled in cost in the decade it's been open and the quality and variety have fallen, not greatly but that isn't the point. I went once in 2010 with a CM pal who had a 50% off holiday voucher to burn. I felt it was very much worth what I paid for it!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >> Most people couldn't imagine living the bizarre life I've led ... but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It makes me soooo special ;-) << <<Knowing so much more about your personal life, I would have to say, being a geek in a freak show would seem like a normal existence compared to yours.>> You still have no idea, which is why I'd love to meet ya at WDW or elsewhere sometime before the dementia kicks in completely. I have stories ... scary ... true stories. Things I don't think would fly in a nice Place like this! >> I will. For what amounts to a hotel coffee shop, the prices are still way too high. I went to my local resort (run by Hyatt) for Mom's Day ... they are 4-star all the way. Wound up dining in their equivalent. Steak dinner there WITH soup or salad was $19. << <<I take into consideration it's WDW, and paying more is acceptable. I stick with my 15 to 20% overpriced. I do expect quality meals at that pricepoint.>> I believe they used to be in that range. They had hired a top consultant who pegged the 'upcharge' as 19% ... meaning a typical guest would be willing to pay 19% more than they felt was 'fair' for the real-world when at WDW. I believe the DDP has thrown that out of whack completely. I think most prices are 25-50% higher than what they should be in most cases. >> I like Nine Dragons. Not as much as say 3-4 years ago, but still ... I can usually walk in. And the food is always tasty. No, not as good as real Chinese in Hong Kong or Beijing, but very good for FLA. And the prices aren't totally out of reality. << <<I agree that over time the menu has been reduced a lot, and you don't get noodles with your meal now. My biggest complaints are you can no longer get the gerat egg plant dish they served, and they don't have fried wontons. Reasonable price points for WDW>> My biggest complaint there may be considered weak, but when they redid the dining room, they also dumbed down the menu and added a Chinese chicken salad. After spending close to six months living/working in China since 2008, I can tell you there is no such thing in China. This is simply adding a Friday's, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday type entree for people with very simple appetites. >> The food and the service were quite good. But I'll just head to the Benihana at the DD Hilton when I want teppanyaki style cuisine. << <<Tokyo Dining is not like Benihana. That's the oher restaurant. >> Yeah. I realize Tepan Edo was what I was speaking of ... Tokyo Dining is the place where Matsunoma Lounge used to be, right?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >> I doubt very much that I'll ever try the place. I've dined at some of the best Mexican places in the USA in the LA area and prices don't come close to that. << <<My wife has taken Mexican food at WDW off the menu permanently.>> Mexican has never been strong in Florida at all. I did love San Angel Inn back in the 80s, but not so much since then. Juan and Only's was terrific and had the best margaritas on property at the WDW Dolphin in the 90s, but is a distant memory (I doubt most people even know what it was). I will say the nachos at the new Cantina are very good, although pricey. But Mexican isn't a cuisine done well at WDW these days ...
Originally Posted By MPierce >> When they realize how much I've spent on theme parks, they tend to think I may be crazier than say ... Old Man Pierce. << Now that's a scary thought!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Yeah. I realize Tepan Edo was what I was speaking of ... Tokyo Dining is the place where Matsunoma Lounge used to be, right? << That is correct. A good place to view ROE if you get a window seat.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> You still have no idea, which is why I'd love to meet ya at WDW or elsewhere sometime before the dementia kicks in completely. << I think we're to late for that.
Originally Posted By Bolna <<To be fair, I can recall as a child when my folks instilled a love of travel in me. We lived in a middle class 'hood, but most of the neighbors barely went anywhere. But they all had nicer homes, furniture etc ... I kind of thought even as Young Spirit that they were missing out on living by creating prisons of their own everytime they upgraded their kitchens, added a pool or additional room etc.>> I see where you come from and I guess for you the DDP is the equivalent to those kitchen upgrade. And there is some truth to it. But I don't see the point in driving to a restaurant somewhere in Orlando. That's not really a travel experience. I would however see the point in limiting your spending at WDW in order to be able to afford other vacations to other destinations as well. As much as I enjoy Disney parks, for me they cannot substitute experiencing traveling in the real world. <<My biggest complaint there may be considered weak, but when they redid the dining room, they also dumbed down the menu and added a Chinese chicken salad. After spending close to six months living/working in China since 2008, I can tell you there is no such thing in China. This is simply adding a Friday's, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday type entree for people with very simple appetites.>> I think it is a very valid complaint - mainly because I still haven't forgiven Epcot for adding the caramel shop in the German pavillion. About 95% of the products I have seen on pictures (haven't seen it in person yet) are sweets which you can't buy in Germany. And it is even a German company (which I used to like a lot) that sponsors this nonsense.
