Originally Posted By vbdad55 re: the comment on Mom and Pops Italian -- you could eat at one of those for the full work week for $59 -- This is the first time I have been stunned by the price of food at WDW -- so it is taking a while to sink in...
Originally Posted By magnet If this is a preview of what's to come with WDW dining then we'd better send a clear message to Disney that we're not interested. I don't mind paying extra for a special experience, but this really looks like they're just trying to see how far they can push us on price while giving us less at the same time. There are many places to eat at WDW, and even more in the Orlando area. It's not much of an inconvenience to slip out of the park and get dinner. The thing that gets to me is that I don't think this will hurt their business at all. I hope it drives everyone away, but I'm concerned that too many people will just blithely go in and dump off their money over and over again because first-timers and infrequent visitors just won't know enough about the area to make a better choice.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey I certainly have no plans to eat at Tutto Italia. $59 for a three course meal is ridiculous in Epcot is ridiculous. What type of pixie dust were these people smoking when they came up with the prices for this place?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I will be dining there the next week as well and will be interested in the quality. Joachim Splichal, the guru behind Patina, is an amazing chef. He 'catered' the food that was served to us at the Emmy Awards Governors Ball Sunday. I am still fantasizing about it As to the prices ... well, $59 a person is absurd. But I saw that there is a regular menu with prices that are pretty close (maybe 10% higher on average) than Alfredo's.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Oh, and MPierce, don't be giving Disney any ideas about the $23 hamburger at Chefs de France. I saw a menu on Deb Wills' site and they apparently were suficiently shamed to NOT repeat that during this FREE dining period. The $28 filet (that was $23 itself until two years ago) remains on the dinner menu. I did see that Wolfgang Puck Cafe removed all its beef dishes just in time for the free dining period, though.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <As to the prices ... well, $59 a person is absurd. But I saw that there is a regular menu with prices that are pretty close (maybe 10% higher on average) than Alfredo's< can't wait for you to check this out Spirit -- even 10% higher is a concern ( but not as much as $59/per ) - as Alfredo's IMHO was overpriced as it was for average Italian. I have no problem paying if the product is worth it - but they're going to have to go away's to convince me the Italian they are going to present is worth 10% more than what Alfredo's prices were....and I am not seeing anyway they can convince me @ $59 for 3 courses - for Italian. Never say never, but I am having a hard time picturing this...
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey <<Joachim Splichal, the guru behind Patina, is an amazing chef. He 'catered' the food that was served to us at the Emmy Awards Governors Ball Sunday.>> Spirit, I know very little of your background (as I would with any Spirit), but this is an intriguing bit of imformation about you. I won't inquire any further because I don't want to invade your privacy, but I will say this: if you ever go to the Oscars, I'd make a great date!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Well, the Europeans may fill the place. It's not the price I worry about (after all a 3 course at almost all the DLP table services charge about the same). My issue is the lack of choice. Spichal is a great chef, so I am keen to read reviews, because if the quality is there it could be worth it. I am looking forward to coming home, as it sounds like dining will be much cheaper for us (we were on the DDP last time at WDW so I didn't take much notice). But with these prices, I would expect dishes like Veal Parmasean and I miss the Spagetti Alfredo being on the menu.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << It's not much of an inconvenience to slip out of the park and get dinner. >> A statement probably spoken by someone who doesn't go to the park with toddlers in tow or toting a stroller around.
Originally Posted By magnet Splichal sounds like a wonderful chef, but the menu Doobie photographed doesn't at all reflect the kind of creativity I would expect to see from him.... I mean, penne caprese? Lasagna? Where's the fettuccine lobster bolognese? But beyond that...to heck with celebrity chefs, is somewhat the way I feel. Cook me something by someone who grew up in Italy, and who is a good chef. I don't want Franco-Italian-American Fusion, I want fettuccine alfredo made with good parmesan - the kind I can't buy at the supermarket at home (imported!). Make it with the rich triple butter that's used in Italy -- and which I can't buy at home. Make the pasta fresh, make it authentic Italian, and then make it affordable. I don't want to pay for some chef's fancy Hollywood lifestyle. No offense, Splichal -- but I can live without your food at those prices.
Originally Posted By magnet In response to #30... Yes, with toddlers and small children it IS much harder to go outside the park...but then that's an even greater reason to be upset about this. And, you know what, if it IS too much trouble, then I guess the additional price is worth it, and Disney has made a smart play.
Originally Posted By magnet I'll just also add that I haven't had to lug a stroller around, but I have pushed my much heavier disabled parent around the World Showcase many times in a wheelchair because she loves the place and couldn't do it otherwise. So, I'm not without empathy....
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey << It's not much of an inconvenience to slip out of the park and get dinner. >> I don't have kids and I go to WDW with adults when I go, but I wouldn't leave property to eat. To me, its an inconvenience, especially when so many food options are available around WDW at different price points. <<And, you know what, if it IS too much trouble, then I guess the additional price is worth it, and Disney has made a smart play.>> I have no plans to eat there. I can get a delicious meal at the Land in either the Sunshine Seasons food court or at the Garden Grill. I can grab a quick, delicious bite from the Boulangerie in France or from any of the other restaurants in Epcot. I'm not going to pay $59 for an average Italian meal.
Originally Posted By Indigo Maybe Disney feels overpriced Italian food is a price point they've been missing.
Originally Posted By JeffG Until I eat at the restaurant, I can't really say whether or not the quality of the food justifies the prices, but I also don't think the prices are necessarily all that out of line for a high-end dining establishment. Having eaten at a few other Patina Group restaurants, the prices here aren't really too far out of line with their other restaurants. Even the $59 price for the "family dinner" isn't really that outrageous for a 3-course prix-fixe meal at a high-end restaurant. As was already pointed out, this is roughly half the price of what you would pay at Victoria & Alberts, to give the top-of-the-line example. It is also a little less than the cost of the "Vintner's Table" meal at Napa Rose at the Disneyland Resort. I also think there is nothing wrong at all with Disney offering dining at different price and experience levels. As was already pointed out, there are plenty of more economical options available at Epcot for those that want them. If someone wants less fancy and less expensive Italian food, there are plenty of other options at WDW for that as well. Two of the other parks actually have mid-range, table-service Italian restaurants (Tony's and Mama Melrose). As I said, I won't know for a few weeks whether or not the food at Tutto Italia is worth the price, but I am pretty optimistic based on my previous experiences with Patina restaurants. -Jeff
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Spirit, I know very little of your background (as I would with any Spirit), but this is an intriguing bit of imformation about you. I won't inquire any further because I don't want to invade your privacy, but I will say this: if you ever go to the Oscars, I'd make a great date! >> I'll keep that in mind. While I'm a regular at the Emmys (Daytime and Creative Arts too depending on schedule) and I've had chances to go to People's Choice and Grammys, I haven't done the Oscars ... well, yet And, no, I don't just go for the food! (and this will shock you, but they don't have a refillable mug program at these events!!!)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<A statement probably spoken by someone who doesn't go to the park with toddlers in tow or toting a stroller around.>> Why would anyone want to ruin their trip by doing that?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Until I eat at the restaurant, I can't really say whether or not the quality of the food justifies the prices, but I also don't think the prices are necessarily all that out of line for a high-end dining establishment. Having eaten at a few other Patina Group restaurants, the prices here aren't really too far out of line with their other restaurants.>> Good point. Patina isn't known for being 'cheap.' But neither are any Disney full-serve locales. And Patina does, for the most part, have wonderful locations in both the OC/LA and Vegas areas. Heck, I love their quick serve/grab-and-go goodies at the Hollywood Bowl. The only place they have that, frankly, is a bit of a disappointment to me would be Naples at DD Anaheim. $40 for a pizza? And the food there is very mediocre ... I'd put it slightly above an Olive Garden. And, again, people here are focusing on the prix-fixe menus and not the other offerings. If you compare the a la carte prices and offerings with Alfredo's they are very, very similar. No one is forcing anyone to do the $59 'deal.' <<Two of the other parks actually have mid-range, table-service Italian restaurants (Tony's and Mama Melrose). >> Very lousy ones in my experiences, though. <<As I said, I won't know for a few weeks whether or not the food at Tutto Italia is worth the price, but I am pretty optimistic based on my previous experiences with Patina restaurants. >> Me too. If it isn't good there's always the new Il Mulino at the Swan, which I've been itching to try. (alas, it isn't on the DDP!)
