Originally Posted By RoadTrip I agree that it is a shame that there are times a person is unable to get a reservation at a restaurant in the hotel where they are staying. On the other hand, I don't know that reservations are as difficult to obtain as some people claim. If I wanted to eat at the World Showcase tonight I could have had reservations at: Akershus Biergarten Bistro de Paris Chefs de France Nine Dragons Marrakesh Teppan Eddo Tokyo I did this search between 4:00 and 4:30 PM Florida time and had no problem getting same-day reservations. Claims that the DDP have made same-day reservations impossible are incorrect. Sure, you are not going to get same day reservations at LeCellier, San Angel Inn or Tutto Italia. But if you show some flexibility in where you are willing to eat it will not be a problem.
Originally Posted By Bolna Thanks for the links to the videos, I finally got around to watch them and really enjoyed them. The thing that struck me the most was the style of the films. I guess today's equivalent would be the Stacey (or Tracy??) video playing on the hotels' TVs? Those older videos were so much more informative. They just presented the information (of course in a very positive way) while today you are told about what is best and what you have to love. It seems like in the past people were trusted to form there own opinion while today they need to be told what to think. I found that most obvious in the way people in ride vehicles are portrayed. In the old videos you can see people riding, but in the modern version you see a lot of over the top reactions from the riders.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""the idea that Mary Poppins or Goofy could casually stroll through the MK today is a fantasy."" It happens at the 4 other MKs, so please.....
Originally Posted By MPierce >> I do believe the government would (and should) have a problem with fat lazy redneck Texans who sit on their arses all day drinking beer and playing with their towel pets ;-) << I paid my dues. Now it's time for me to be one of the dredges of society. There's nothing like sitting here at the computer drinking beer while Winky rolls around on his bounce fabric softner sheet. <<After we fix all those fat people what should we eliminate next?>> >> Tattoos ... I honestly can't believe what people do to their bodies today and they don't look good ... on anyone ... discuss! << Let's go after body piercings, and wearing flip flops in public too.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Let's go after body piercings, and wearing flip flops in public too. << So you've got a problem with 95% of Floridians?
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Hmmmm, I'm thinking we may need to eat at Mara next time we're in Fla, even though we aren't actually going to a Disney park. I saw the first video and half of the second. I have to say I like the pace and tone of them much better than Stacy telling us what we must love and can't miss. But I am so glad those shorty-short men's tennis shorts are best left in the past (along with the ugly orange upholstery I saw under a family sitting on a sofa). So short answer: yes, much classier than the current resort video loop.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> On the other hand, I don't know that reservations are as difficult to obtain as some people claim. If I wanted to eat at the World Showcase tonight I could have had reservations at: Akershus Biergarten Bistro de Paris Chefs de France Nine Dragons Marrakesh Teppan Eddo Tokyo << Try getting same day reservations for 7:30 or 8:00.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> So you've got a problem with 95% of Floridians? << No, I just like telling other people how they should live their lives.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Try getting same day reservations for 7:30 or 8:00.>> If you are looking for a same day reservation you better have some flexibility on either time or cuisine! If you want to eat at a table service restaurant at Epcot on the spur of the moment you can walk into Marrakesh and Nine Dragons at almost any time without a reservation and be seated in a reasonable time.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> If you are looking for a same day reservation you better have some flexibility on either time or cuisine! If you want to eat at a table service restaurant at Epcot on the spur of the moment you can walk into Marrakesh and Nine Dragons at almost any time without a reservation and be seated in a reasonable time. << Yes you can on some days, but they are the exception rather than the rule around the Parks. Especially when they are offering free dining.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<On the other hand, I don't know that reservations are as difficult to obtain as some people claim. If I wanted to eat at the World Showcase tonight I could have had reservations at:>> Using one park which happens to be restaurant heavy to imply or give the illusion that guests can eat at any Disney sitdown restaurant they want at any time they want is grossly missing the point. The Disney dining plan is all about Disney staffing allocation and does nothing to enhance the guest dining experience.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<Hmmmm, I'm thinking we may need to eat at Mara next time we're in Fla, even though we aren't actually going to a Disney park.>> Absolutely hit Mara! It has an abreviated menu of what is found in Boma.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Other than Boma. Jiko, California Grill and 'Ohana, I can't really think of any of the resort restaurants that are extremely difficult to book. I never said that you could get a reservation anywhere on property that you want. I do know at the MK it is often difficult to book any table service restaurant. I've never personally had a problem at the AK, but with so few table service restaurants there, that might be difficult at times too.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Oops... forgot Wilderness Lodge. There it can be difficult to book both Artist's Point and Whispering Canyon.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Leave a thread for the day and it morphs into what locations at WS were available tonight for dinner ... UGH!!! ... Who knows where it will be by the time I can get back here. Oh ... and tell Pierce I wouldn't let people with mutiple body piercings (like say ... him!) allowed into WDW if I controlled the World!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Sorry Spirit, but any discussion about diminished quality of WDW inevitably includes many negative references about the DDP. Generally the biggest complaint is that it has made it impossible to get same-day reservations. That has just not been my experience. I could have told my OPINION, but opinions are like bellybuttons... everyone has one. I decided it would be much more informative to provide current factual data. As you could see, except for the most popular Epcot restaurants it WAS possible to obtain same-day reservations... even late in the day. It doesn't surprise me you didn't like it, seeing as how you are one who has often said the DDP makes same-day reservations impossible. You are correct... at SOME restaurants, not all!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 You won't find one 400 pounder driving an ECV while chomping on a burger basket or turkey leg in those 1980s videos ... because you wouldn't see one soul like that. ------ I can tell you what's really hard to explain..we are planning our next high school reunion so we circulated pictures of of HS graduating class - circa 1972 of 325 kids there is exactly one who would rate as 'fat' today..and we grew up in a poor area on the southside of Chicago. This was not a group who could afford to eat well (we didn't even know what that meant) - kids grew up on real butter/ real soda real sugar / whole milk / sausages / hamburgers / eggs / cheaper cuts of meat/ potato chips etc..-- so how is it we were not fat ? Parents were not fat. There were no light beers, 'diet' foods tasted odd and were ignored. what the heck has happened ?
Originally Posted By vbdad55 After we fix all those fat people what should we eliminate next? --- I vote for stupid people
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Now everything is over stated, hyped, and out of control. Look at how CALM those videos are. Promotion, bust subtle. And they have pride, too. Now we just get pixie dust, characters and MAGIC shoved down our throats without any different opportunities and openings to other parts of "The World". ------ --- look at tv and movie content then vs now, same for printed media -- politics take your choice-- WDW is a microcosm of how the real world has changed also. I don't like it either but this is not a WDW phenomenon
Originally Posted By vbdad55 . As someone who has stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and did not participate in the Disney dining plan I could not eat at Boma or Jinko as they were fully reserved during my stay. I'm sorry but that is just plain crazy when your staying at a specific resort and during your stay you can never experience any of the sit down ---------------- I wonder if the economy is taking it's toll on this too KT-- I just started planning an unplanned WDW 4-5 days next month - less than 30 days out and I was able to get times at Boma and even Cali Grill. Couldn't get fireworks tie at Cali and Le Cellier was booked each day for lunch..but Prime Time/ Liberty tree / Crystal Palace / Via Napoli / Biergarten & Yak&Yeti were all available and booked.
