Sage of Time
Well-Known Member
WDW's version of Club 33? Wasn't that a rumor?
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Cinderella's Royal Table closing for lengthy refurbishment in early 2015
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Was there over MLK weekend. The lights were on in the room, but it didn't look like much was changed from what we could see from the outside. Still have same lights, ceiling decorations, etc.
We ate at CRT while at WDW for MLK weekend. Frankly, I wish it would stay at Citrico's. Food was MUCH better (my steak was dinner quality and cooked to perfection), room is much nicer, more open and much more light and best of all, Belle was there! And since CRT was not in the Magic Kingdom, an adult beverage came with your meal. Nothing starts off a day of pampering like a good steak and a mimosa.
We ate at CRT while at WDW for MLK weekend. Frankly, I wish it would stay at Citrico's. Food was MUCH better (my steak was dinner quality and cooked to perfection), room is much nicer, more open and much more light and best of all, Belle was there! And since CRT was not in the Magic Kingdom, an adult beverage came with your meal. Nothing starts off a day of pampering like a good steak and a mimosa.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
I thought there was a rumor that they were updating the kitchen and menu to better compete with BOG, but I could be wrong.
The room itself could use some updating too.
DARN! i hope they do something.Was there over MLK weekend. The lights were on in the room, but it didn't look like much was changed from what we could see from the outside. Still have same lights, ceiling decorations, etc.
We ate at CRT while at WDW for MLK weekend. Frankly, I wish it would stay at Citrico's. Food was MUCH better (my steak was dinner quality and cooked to perfection), room is much nicer, more open and much more light and best of all, Belle was there! And since CRT was not in the Magic Kingdom, an adult beverage came with your meal. Nothing starts off a day of pampering like a good steak and a mimosa.
YESSSSSS very much so! now that there is the other castle restaurant...
SnarkyMonkey
Well-Known Member
Do they really need to compete with BOG or anyone else? Aren't they hugely popular already?
You've not eaten at CRT recently, have you. For the price you pay, the food should be better. Yes, it's in the Castle and yes, you get to meet Princesses, but the food is meh at best. Which is why I said leave it at Citrico's - our breakfast food was amazing - excellent steak and my daughter's shrimp and grits was dinner quality - and the meal came with a mimosa. Plus, Belle was one of the four princesses and the only character dining with her is Akershus. Citrico's is dinner only, so it can handle breakfast and lunch. If I'm paying over $100 (tax & tip included) for a character breakfast for 2 people, I expect quality food.
SnarkyMonkey
Well-Known Member
No. I haven't eaten there recently because I think it's gross. I was in no way uplifting CRT.
I was questioning the thought that Disney is trying to take customers away from BOG and have them go to CRT (which is what it means to "compete"). It makes no sense to try to push customers to a restaurant that is already completely booked all the time.
$$$, $$$, $$$. And, unlike BOG, when you book at CRT, you pay in advance. And I cannot use my Tables in Wonderland card for a 20% discount. Like I said, it's a nice experience, but if I have to pay $50/person for breakfast, that food needs to much better. BOG is also a difficult reservation to get.
SnarkyMonkey
Well-Known Member
I don't think you are understanding what I'm saying. I'm probably not explaining myself well.
If a restaurant is completely booked up all the time, that means that Disney is making the most money they could hope to from it. So, that is already true with CRT. Therefore, improving the food does nothing to make them more money. It simply costs them more money. So can you explain how this refurb will make them more money? I guess that's what I should have asked from the start.
(And the word "competing" threw me off for a number of reasons. 1. They don't have to compete with anyone if they are always booked. 2. Why would Disney have to compete with itself? The money from both goes in the same pot.)
Oh, okay, I understand what you are asking. Yes, for a dining experience that is impossible to get, which is also the same for BOG, why bother improving the food? Because you want to offer guests not just a dining experience, but food that is decent, especially when you charge them $100/person for dinner which must be paid at the time of the reservation?
Don't remember saying the refurb would make them more money, unless improving the kitchen allows faster table turnover. It was several weeks after the announcement of the closing of CRT before Disney announced they would be moving the experience to Citrico's at the Grand Floridian. And I found out because DVC members were giving notice and opportunity before the general public.
Quite frankly, I think CRT should be left at Citrico's - better food and nicer dining room. But then it wouldn't have the cache of the Castle. But that room was small and very much in need of updates. I would hope the 4 month refurbishment includes a redo of the dining room.
SnarkyMonkey
Well-Known Member
I responded to the above by asking why Disney would want to compete with BOG and you responded with a bunch of dollar signs (below). I assumed from you were saying that the refurb would make them money.
And I can understand why they would want to improve the food. That's what I assumed the refurb was about. That's why I was confused about the increased revenue conversation.
Because eating at CRT is more expensive and you pay upfront when making the reservation, which is why I responded with $$$. Breakfast and lunch at CRT is $50/person. I can eat lunch at BOG for much less than that. Plus you now have to pay for the photo package with Cinderella - used to come with the price of the meal. Actually, I can eat for less per person at Akershus and get the same Princesses, but I'm not eating in the Castle. And it only takes 1 TS dining credit on DDP, unlike 2 at CRT.
Believe it or not, I've been in BOG, around the end of lunch service, and the place was empty, by BOG standards. However, that cannot be said about CRT.
I wonder if the refurbs to CRT will result in a price increase. As long as people are willing to pay $100 or more for a dining experience with meh food, Disney will certainly push guests to eat at CRT, rather than BOG which has superior quality food at dinner. And I can also have a nice glass of wine at dinner, too.
SnarkyMonkey
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I would say BOG has a better dinner. They are both pretty bad, in my opinion. But, yes, I could see them making the food slightly better at CRT and charging more. I wonder if we will see a change to the type of food at all or the way it is served. Buffet or family style maybe?
I must disagree on the quality of dinner at BOG. Granted, it isn't on pare with the Signatures, but I think it is better than many in the same price range.
I don't think the size of the room at CRT would accommodate buffet style without sacrificing tables and ambiance. And quite frankly, I wouldn't be a happy guest if I paid $100 per person for a family style meal I could get much cheaper at Liberty Tree or Garden Grill. Even with the Castle cache....
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
Have to disagree with you there. BOG dinner has always been very good in my experience.
SnarkyMonkey
Well-Known Member
TRONorail12
Active Member
People often will associate a restaurant with bad food, only because it doesn't please their individual taste bud preferences. This is the irony of the restaurant industry. Just because one person doesn't like something on a menu, does that mean that the food itself is bad? No. It just means that, that person doesn't like that specific item they ordered based on their own personal taste bud preferences. Also, associating price to food quality does not always follow perception. Price and quality are two separate entities in a business. It is assumed, that higher prices = better quality, but only if a restaurant's business model follows your perception of money. If the business model is based simply on supply and demand, then price has no factor in the quality of the food.