Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[jray21]

Even comparing just Epcot to the entire DLR it's no contest. Now I'm all depressed thinking of Epcot and food and wine.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Even though the DLR failed to even come close to Food and Wine at EPCOT I still wish they would bring it back here.

[Wes]

Even comparing just Epcot to the entire DLR it's no contest. Now I'm all depressed thinking of Epcot and food and wine.

 

Plus you can walk over to Boardwalk and go to Flying Fish, Kouzzina, or to Yacht Club to Steakhouse, or Swan&Dolphin to bluezoo...grrr...now I'm hungry.

[Meteornotes]

DLR has a longgggg ways to go before it's anywhere close to WDW.

 

Wes is wise.

 

dt

[Jew]

If we were just comparing Disneyland straight up to Magic Kingdom, I would agree that Disneyland wins. But WDW just has so many options throughout the resort, it is impossible to say DLR comes anywhere close to WDW for overall food quality and selection.

[dylanreich]

I went to the parks today for the first time since the week before the re-opening of DCA.

Here's my late thoughts:

I was not impressed much at all with the refurbishment of the Matterhorn (besides the awesome outside of the mountain), mainly due to the new trains. I also had what seemed like slow ride (this was on the left side?). Screamin' was running really well, along with Big Thunder Mountain. I was really surprised with Ghost Galaxy, whose outside effects on the outside of Space Mountain along with the audio playing in the queue line impressed me. I still loved the effects on the ride as I did last year, and the ride was actually providing some good airtime.

I finally got to ride Radiator Springs Racers and visit Cars Land. I thought it was very immersive and is probably the most immersive between the two parks. I thought the ride was absolutely amazing (and my car won). The animatronics were awesome, particularly the mouths of the cars. I didn't feel the cars were particularly slow, they felt just fast enough to me to simulate racing.

[jray21]

I wish they did something similar to ghost galaxy for the rest of the year. It really is a fun effect.

[azza29]

Picked up the Finding Nemo blu-ray today - it has a 15 minute feature on the submarine ride. Some interesting bits and pieces about the technology used to animate the characters, and how they stop the coral in the lagoon from fading.

 

Apparently the boats have another 50 years of working life left, so no hope for any faster loading vehicles any time soon...

[BeemerBoy]

If we were just comparing Disneyland straight up to Magic Kingdom, I would agree that Disneyland wins. But WDW just has so many options throughout the resort, it is impossible to say DLR comes anywhere close to WDW for overall food quality and selection.

Yeah, and realistically speaking, just jump on the Monorail and you've got California Grill, The Wave, Kona Cafe, 'Ohana, Narcoossee's, and Victoria and Albert's all within a few minutes of the front gate. Truth be told, I've never actually felt the desire for grand dining while spending a day inside the Magic Kingdom. The other parks, yes...but the MK doesn't have that same feel to it.

[robbalvey]

Epcot (and WDW in general)'s food has gone from great to merely good ...

 

quality in general has gone downhill over the past decade or so.

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I think it's safe to say most of the planet would disagree with this.

 

If anything, the dining at WDW at greatly IMPROVED over the last ten years! With all the new additions to food & wine, the improvements made to Epcot restaurants like China , Italy, & Japan; the addition of the new restaurants in Mexico & Italy, lots of new quick-serve options, etc....

 

Anyone who has visited Epcot in the last ten years would know this!

 

On top of that, so many improvements have been made resort-wide... The fact that Magic Kingdom has new quick serve options (waffle place, FTW!), a sit-down restaurant that doesn't suck (Tony's menu has been re-vamped), and the new offerings in Fantasyland (with alcohol!), that park has SERIOUSLY upped its game in the last 18 months.

 

And this isn't even mentioning things like newer restaurants such as Yak & Yeti, T-Rex, Kouzzina, the constantly changing menu at Boma, the pasta bar at Art of Animation, or many of the other changes/additions resort-wide.

 

Unless you have zero taste buds, are blind or ignorant to all the new changes, or are just a die-hard Disneyland fanboy with blinders on, I don't see how anyone could say that WDW's food options have gone downhill.

 

That statement, while I realize is an "opinion", just doesn't even make logical sense.

 

--Robb "Are you sure you weren't thinking about Mythos or Universal???" Alvey

Edited November 5, 2012 by robbalvey

[cfc]

^I don't understand how anyone can believe that, either. While I agree that food choices have improved quite a bit at DLR over the years (I remember when the only good food at the park came from either the Tahitian Terrace or the Blue Bayou), WDW (and particularly Epcot) is still far superior.

 

I am looking forward to trying the new restaurants at DCA, though.

[Sir Clinksalot]

And people who are Disneyland Fanboys don't get that this is a HUGE reason why I prefer WDW to DL. The dining experience is as much a part of the overall experience to me as a ride on Mission: Space or Expedition Everest is (Probably no surprise coming from me).

 

Some of our most fond memories of our WDW trips have nothing to do with attractions at all, but with the awesome dining experiences and the people we had those experiences with. Even something as simple as Crystal Palace Pooh's meal was great. Not to mention all the meals at Ohana, Biergarten, CA Grill, Alfredo, Teppan Edo, Rose and Crown, Sci Fi, 50's Prime Time, etc.

 

When we get back to WDW the things we are looking forward to most are new restaurants or ones we haven't tried yet (Yak and Yeti, Boma, New FL stuff) etc.

 

It just doesn't compare. AT ALL!!

[COASTER FREAK 11]

And people who are Disneyland Fanboys don't get that this is a HUGE reason why I prefer WDW to DL. The dining experience is as much a part of the overall experience to me as a ride on Mission: Space or Expedition Everest is (Probably no surprise coming from me).

 

Some of our most fond memories of our WDW trips have nothing to do with attractions at all, but with the awesome dining experiences and the people we had those experiences with. Even something as simple as Crystal Palace Pooh's meal was great. Not to mention all the meals at Ohana, Biergarten, CA Grill, Alfredo, Teppan Edo, Rose and Crown, Sci Fi, 50's Prime Time, etc.

 

When we get back to WDW the things we are looking forward to most are new restaurants or ones we haven't tried yet (Yak and Yeti, Boma, New FL stuff) etc.

 

It just doesn't compare. AT ALL!!

 

Some of us Fanboys do get it..

 

CA will never match FL, it cant, but hopefully over the coming years we get some of the same awesome food offerings that WDW has to offer!

[ernierocker]

^A sensible DL fanboy?!?!? I thought there was no such thing.

[Swimace]

Epcot (and WDW in general)'s food has gone from great to merely good (thanks in my opinion to the quantity over quality that has resulted from the discounted dining plans).

 

Unless you have zero taste buds, are blind or ignorant to all the new changes, or are just a die-hard Disneyland fanboy with blinders on, I don't see how anyone could say that WDW's food options have gone downhill.

 

That statement, while I realize is an "opinion", just doesn't even make logical sense.

 

--Robb "Are you sure you weren't thinking about Mythos or Universal???" Alvey

 

Overall I agree 100% that WDW's food offerings have only improved over the last decade.

 

However, after reading his initial argument, I think that this poster is one of many visitors that feel sort of "pushed out" by the Disney Dining Plan. I am going to go out on a limb and say that this guy doesn't usually stay on property and get the packages. With that, many day guests and off-property guests do tend to feel like it's impossible to get reservations during busy times of the year. I think he is using that frustration to illogically say that WDW's food has declined, when he truly is more frustrated with having to compete with hoards of DDP guests during peak times. He would be correct in saying that DLR does not have this issue.

[Sir Clinksalot]

I've NEVER had any issues getting a reservation at WDW (granted I've never done the Cinderella thing, etc).

 

But we basically plan our "park days" around our dining reservation. For example, if we want to eat at Le Cellier then we are going to do EPCOT that day. If we are going to eat at 50's Prime Time or Sci Fi then we do DHS that day. As long as you do some planning prior to your trip you shouldn't have ANY issues getting into your chosen restaurant.

 

I've made CA Grill, Narcoossee's and other fine dining reservations a week or so in advance of our trips with no issues whatsoever.

 

There certainly are exceptions that you have to make sure you book the day they come available but for the most part you can get a reservation pretty easily in my experience.

 

In fact, one year for Gay Days (one of the busier weekends) we ate at 'Ohana, Alfredo and Rose and Crown with no issues.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^^ If you book in advance its easy, if you do it while youre there, its more difficult but still possible. I have never gotten the dining plan either, and I still make it all work.

[dylanreich]

I forgot to mention during my account of my day at the resort yesterday that tons of fluid was leaking from the right arm of the Buzz Lightyear animatronic in the line for Astroblasters all over the platform he stands on. It was really weird. Anyone ever see something like that before?

[Swimace]

As long as you do some planning prior to your trip you shouldn't have ANY issues getting into your chosen restaurant.

 

Right. As a local I agree 100%. However, not all WDW guests really plan out there vacations. A lot of people still just come to property and try to get "day-of" reservations.

 

I'm just going to put it this way: you would probably have a lot more luck calling Blue Bayou and asking for a table at dinner tonight than you would calling Ohana. That bothers some people. (Note: I am not one of those people. Just playing devil's advocate to the TONS of clueless WDW visitors that don't plan anything in advance).

[COASTER FREAK 11]

I forgot to mention during my account of my day at the resort yesterday that tons of fluid was leaking from the right arm of the Buzz Lightyear animatronic in the line for Astroblasters all over the platform he stands on. It was really weird. Anyone ever see something like that before?

 

Yeah, a hydraulic line just busted, it happens. If you told a Cast Member they'd have gone to shut it down.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^^ Probably the same people who go on a Disney Cruise and don't feel they need to do any research prior regarding meals, dress codes, etc.

 

I'm not about to feel sorry for people who do no sort of pre-planning or research prior to their vacations.

[robbalvey]

As long as you do some planning prior to your trip you shouldn't have ANY issues getting into your chosen restaurant.

 

Right. As a local I agree 100%. However, not all WDW guests really plan out there vacations. A lot of people still just come to property and try to get "day-of" reservations.

I'm also going to assume that most people who would read this site, probably are smart enough to do the research or know how to either use the DDP plan to their advantage, or get around some of the issues that it has caused.

 

That being said, some of the new resources made available, like the WDW iPhone App have been GREAT for making reservations and planning. Even before I was a local, if there was someplace we wanted to dine at around the WDW resort, we knew how to book it.

 

Agreed that there are many WDW guests that don't plan, or just flat out don't want to have to, but I'd really hope that anyone reading TPR would know better.

 

--Robb "And if not...that's what we're here for!" Alvey

[jray21]

When I would visit WDW, and stayed on property the DDP was great! It took some work to figure out how to get the absolute most value out of it, but that's what you always have to do to get the best deals. Of course for me, it wasn't too much food as I could eat all my food, and anyone else's!

 

I really do like the apps that they have now. It saves so much time! No more waiting on the phone for the dinning people, and no more walking across the entire park to see what the lines are like.

[Reuschini]

If I didn't know better after reading the last couple pages of this thread I would have thought I was in the Disney World Resort thread.

 

It's like going in the Universal Hollywood thread and repeatedly saying that Universal Orlando's food selection is better. What?

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Here is a itty-bitty, tiny update from DCA:

 

MintCrocodile

 

CHRISTMAS!