Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But there are three ways I can see where the DDP has become a bad thing. First is occupancy, the fact that they just don't have the supply to meet the demand. I'm all for Disney opening new restaurants like Via Napoli and the new offerings in Epcot's Mexico to try to meet that demand. Second is menu selection. Menus have been cheapened and shortened as more folks, folks who aren't used to fine dining, demand simpler fare. And it's easier for Disney to serve 7 simpler items in a restaurant than the previous 22 more exotic items. Third is price. With the dining plan being offered either for free or at a fixed price, it increases the perceived value of a meal if the prices on the menu are raised. I mean, if you could order a $15 steak or a $30 steak for the same low price, wouldn't you opt for the $30 one, even if it was EXACTLY the same as the $15 steak? And for those of us who don't use the DDP, we now have to pay $30 for a $15 steak, all to make the value of the DDP look better.>> All of this ... so true.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I think it was Spirit who asked why are more people not eating off property.>> More rhetorical,KT. I know what the reasons are ... whether I agree with the 'logic' behind some are another matter. <<The reasons are easy. Let's face it Disney has some pretty kewl, well themed restaurants.>> True enough. Although many aren't nearly as special as some would have you believe. <<Definately NOT the typical "chain" anywhere USA restaurants found outside. Now obviously outside WDW the restaurants are going to have more options and better tasting food since they have to compete with each other for customers.>> See, this is where I got issues ... for being a 'premium brand' and world-reknowned resort, Disney should have MORE choice and certainly high quality food. Don't serve me a $40 steak with 4 oz of fat wrapping it. Don't serve me a $23 hamburger at a French fine dining locale. Don't have a pork chop, chicken breast and steak on the menu at a premier seafood location, but no lobster and maybe 2-3 entrees that actually well ... hail from the seas. Don't have the gall to serve me an Italian pasta dish in a theme park that's over $25 a la carte for lunch. <<Disney doesn't have that problem, when on property your a captured audience. They know they got you so they have higher prices, etc. >> Higher prices are not the real problem. Quality, variety and value for the $$$ are ... and the availability factor too. <<As far as DDP is concerned, I think it was dramatically changed the dining experience on property. Everyone seems to be focusing on the times when DDP is offered "free". I never visit WDW during the hurricane season. Typically I visit WDW in October... and I still can not walk into any sitdown restaurant in the Magic Kingdom or DHS. EPCOT is a different story.... you can always find a table somewhere in the WS, it might be China or Morocco but you can find a table.>> Well, as I posted (think it was this thread) 'free dining' is being offered about nine of the next 12 months, so it's not going to be just a 7-8 week hurricane season problem. But your point is well taken. On my last visit, we walked into Nine Dragons for dinner at 9 p.m. with no PS (on an EMH night after being turned away from Tokyo Dining) ... so there are certain cuisines that are going to be easier to wander in for. I'll give you a hint ... steak won't be one. <<I use to eat at least one sitdown meal a day while vacationing at WDW. Now, I might eat 1 or 2 sitdown meals on property and I'm talking on property. So, Disney is definately loosing money with me.... well they make it up with the frozen margaritta and Grand Marnier slushies.... >> I used to eat at least one sitdown meal (often two) at WDW locations and since my visits probably average 8.3 days that's a lot of food and money. Now, I can go for that length and may hit 2-3 total. <<It use to be that one of the great experiences of a Disney vacation was some of the onsite restaurants. I think for more and more people this is becoming improbable now. Disney simply has no intention of providing reasonable sit down table service.>> On that, we totally agree. It's all about selling the DDP to as many folks as possible. I just wish the ignorant masses would wake up and understand that the DDP is Walmarting World Dining, but that's just not going to happen!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<again have them all at home- why go 1200 miles to eat there ? >> I've traveled around the world and I'll still walk into a McD's in Milan, a Pizza Hut in Beijing, a Church's Chicken in San Juan and an Outback Steakhouse in Kowloon (and have done all of the above). I'm not saying I'd ever eat the majority of my vacation meals at places I have at home, but some folks think if they dropped into the LBV Subway it would kill them. So they'll pay four times the price for crappy QS at Disney. <<and in order- OLive Garden (ew- that's what passes for Italian? and price point is ridiculous for quality IMHO))>> Olive Garden is what it is. But as much as I enjoyed Tutto Italia, I won't be going back without a significant discount (the $30 B-Day deal would do it!) ... If I want Italian on-property, I'll eat at Il Mulino at Swan or Andiamo at DD Hilton using $25 restaurant.com certificates and I won't likely even need a ressie ... certainly won't have to book six months in advance or have to worry about being turned away at 5 p.m. if I show up and offer to wait. <<Cracker Barrel ( have never been to one so won't comment)>> Good basic Southern (even though I hear they are all over now) comfort food. Great salads and desserts! And just about 2-3 miles from Disney on both 192 East and West! <<Chili's - (best of the bunch but overrated )>> Not a big fan. A step above Applebee's, small step. <<Denny's (um-no )>> Always good for a 3 a.m. breakfast ... or a break when you are supposed to be watching monorails switch tracks!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<To me, part of the fun is deciding where to eat at WDW. OK it's not as good as it was. But it's still better than anything where I live and I don't have to cook it. Works for me. >> Sorry, don't buy that ... Boston blows WDW away in cuisine. WDW has a few amazing locations and a lot of mediocrity at best (with some pixie dust tossed on top!)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Disney food is not the greatest in the world, but it is better than it was 20 years ago. >> I would disagree. Disney food was quite good in 1990 (although still on the uptick as the 90s were definitely the best decade for dining). You had great variety at all locations, fair portions (they actually included soup or salad with dinner at FS locales) and price points that were only slightly higher than real world. <<Does anyone else remember the handwich at the land - a cone of bread stuffed with filling?>> Yep. Those were interesting. And tasty! <<I also remember a particularly disgusting plate of meatballs and spaghetti at Tony's Town Square when I was in high school.>> Can't comment beyond I've never had a particularly good meal there since they stopped being the Town Square Cafe and stopped serving breakfast. <<On our last trip, there were only two meals that I didn't enjoy - the shrimp scampi at Sci-Fi and the baked mahi-mahi at Garden Grill (I have a thing about seafood). Other than that, I've had some very good meals at Disney. Chefs de France has been excellent the last three times we've visited, which is why we keep going back.>> Chefs to me is very, very average these days. Great onion soup, wine and desserts. But a very Walmarted menu ... mac n'cheese, quarter chicken and mashed taters and veggie lasagna are NOT fine French cuisine. <<Liberty Tree and the Plaza are always enjoyable as well.>> My faves at MK too!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Disney food is not the greatest in the world, but it is better than it was 20 years ago>> <<Maybe, but it's a hell of a lot worse than it was just 5 years ago.>> Sure is ... and that is strictly attributable to the DDP.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey The handwich, IMHO, was gross. I remember I threw most of it away. I had many more issues with Disney dining 20 years ago than I do now. It's not as great as it was, but it's still better than it was in my high school days - though I do miss the thick crust pizza at Tomorrowland Terrace .
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I'm not saying I'd ever eat the majority of my vacation meals at places I have at home, but some folks think if they dropped into the LBV Subway it would kill them. So they'll pay four times the price for crappy QS at Disney. ----------- I don't do counter service for exactly that reason. If all I was ordering was what we got the one night at the commissary I would agree with you-...but that's not what we do-- we're eating moore than decent to very very good sit down meals -- relaxing at the time to have conversation as a family - and enjoying our vacation time together. Except for my one hot dog at Casey's every trip because it is more like tradition.... burgers& fries are off the menu for the time I am there. Maybe that makes more sense ?
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey Dropping into the LBV Subway WOULD kill me. Subway is disgusting! Why do some of you have such issues with people like me who don't leave property to eat? Don't you have better things to worry about then what I'm doing with MY money? Mayhap you should keep your noses in your own beeswax.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Dropping into the LBV Subway WOULD kill me. Subway is disgusting! << Disgusting compared to what? Cosmic Ray's? McDonald's? The Roadkill Special some guy is selling in the back of his truck in Kissimmee? >> Why do some of you have such issues with people like me who don't leave property to eat? Don't you have better things to worry about then what I'm doing with MY money? Mayhap you should keep your noses in your own beeswax. << I don't care if you eat Disney's food. But I also completely understand people not wanting to pay out the wazoo to get magically mediocre food on the holy property of Walt Disney World. (And I agree with you that twenty years ago WDW's food left a lot to be desired. I actually thought it was a well-established joke among long-time visitors that Disney's food back then was horribly subpar.) But who here said they have an issue with you eating on property? It's your money. No, wait. Strike that. It's Mickey's money, so as a stockholder I say spend liberally! Please!
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Spirit I don't live in Boston. Not about to drive an hour plus to eat. My MIL made better Italian food than the local restaurants.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey <<Disgusting compared to what? Cosmic Ray's? McDonald's? The Roadkill Special some guy is selling in the back of his truck in Kissimmee?>> I don't understand why people like Subway. I've eaten Subway a few times, and each time it has been nasty - the meat didn't taste right. Personally, I rarely eat fast food. If I'm going to eat fast food, 99% of the time it's going to be Chick-Fil-A. So yes, I would much rather eat a burger at Pecos Bill's instead of a "turkey" sandwich at Subway.
Originally Posted By danyoung >Why do some of you have such issues with people like me who don't leave property to eat?< Nikki, I'm completely with you. As I've said, I like the total insulation from the outside world that you get when staying on property. Going off property to the average Subway (which are all over the place back home) not only takes me out of my isolation, but it's just a totally standard meal that I can get anytime. >But I also completely understand people not wanting to pay out the wazoo to get magically mediocre food on the holy property of Walt Disney World.< If I felt that the quality of food in WDW had fallen to an overall mediocre level, then I'd feel differently. But I get a great philly cheesesteak sandwich at Cosmic Ray's, tasty fish & chicken at Columbia Harbor House, and excellent ribs and/or a pulled pork sandwich at the Flame Tree, not to mention all of the excellent food and atmosphere available at the many sitdown restaurants. I'm angry that Disney has simplified their menus due to the DDP, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy my meals in the World. And as to the value, I just don't concern myself with it. I fully expect food to be more expensive at a Disney park than it would at the local Sizzler. But as long as I have the money to spend, and as long as the food and atmosphere and view are things that I can't get at home, then I'm a happy camper!
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper << But I get a great philly cheesesteak sandwich at Cosmic Ray's>> You got problems if you think that slop of a steak sandwich(I refuse to call it a Philly, because it's not) at Cosmic Rays is a "great" cheesesteak. Haha
Originally Posted By vbdad55 >Why do some of you have such issues with people like me who don't leave property to eat?< Nikki, I'm completely with you. As I've said, I like the total insulation from the outside world that you get when staying on property. Going off property to the average Subway (which are all over the place back home) not only takes me out of my isolation, but it's just a totally standard meal that I can get anytime --------------- Well Danny / Nikki - that puts at least 3 of us in this club....( I consider it good company btw )
Originally Posted By vbdad55 You got problems if you think that slop of a steak sandwich(I refuse to call it a Philly, because it's not) at Cosmic Rays is a "great" cheesesteak. Haha ---- never had it so I can't comment- but that's rich in a thread where Denny's is recommended (puke) and Olive Garden - which has an outrageous price point for microwaved pseudo Italian food.agree-- makes a world of difference and with Urlacher healthy- the D is looking real good ( could still use some safety help) The receivers for the most part though look like deer in the headlights trying to run Martz's complicated patterns...there are no rocket scientists in that group..
Originally Posted By vbdad55 sorry for the end of last post ( damn no edit) what happens whe you are typing on 2 computers at once)
Originally Posted By leobloom << But I get a great philly cheesesteak sandwich at Cosmic Ray's>> I don't think I've ever had a great anything at Cosmic Ray's. Outside the parks, the burgers wouldn't even measure up to _fill in the blank with the name of a fast food joint_.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<never had it so I can't comment- but that's rich in a thread where Denny's is recommended (puke) and Olive Garden - which has an outrageous price point for microwaved pseudo Italian food.agree-- makes a world of difference and with Urlacher healthy- the D is looking real good ( could still use some safety help) >> Oh, Olive Garden is trash. Denny's is fine if you are trashed. Neither would be something I'd go to when I'm down there. But with that being said, great Philly cheesesteaks are not found that far away from Philly, especially not in WDW. You may find a passable cheesesteak, but the word great cannot be used.
Originally Posted By danyoung Hokie, I'll agree with you that the Cosmic Ray's philly cheesesteak sandwich is nowhere near what you can get in Philly. But it's tasty and fresh roast beef on a soft roll, and once you load up stuff from the fixin's bar you have an excellent sandwich. I've had maybe 7 or 8 of 'em over the years, and they're always hot & tasty!
