DCA's Hollywood Lounge Shut Down By County Health Inspectors

[TP2000]

You could just chuckle at this story like some have, and say "Gross!", like some have.

But then you stop and think for a moment. They charge like $150 bucks to get in these days. And this is a booze stand selling gross blue cocktails for $20 a pop. And they opened for the day without running water and without the ability for food service CM's to wash their hands, or wash off a tray, or wash a utensil? And some 24 year old Dockers-clad manager allegedly trained by a "World Class" hospitality company thought it was okay to open the food location that way?

How did all of those checks and balances get ignored? What other food locations at Disneyland don't have running water? The OC Health Authority seems primarily focused on the grungy, grimy restaurants and food stalls in downscale strip malls and unfashionable neighborhoods. But maybe it's time to focus more on Disneyland?

Of course, this could just be one giant unfortunate coincidence. And only a few minutes before the County health inspector arrived for their annual inspection the water shut off for some weird reason. But that seems like a stretch.

Don't you think?

 

[dlr74]

And some 24 year old Dockers-clad manager allegedly trained by a "World Class" hospitality company thought it was okay to open the food location that way?

I think this is what this story boils down to. A bad call made by a food & beverage manager who probably hoped maintenance could come and fix the issue before it was noticed.

Hopefully that individual was held accountable, and hopefully bad decision making like this isn't a widespread issue across the rest of the resort...

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think this is what this story boils down to. A bad call made by a food & beverage manager who probably hoped maintenance could come and fix the issue before it was noticed.

Hopefully that individual was held accountable, and hopefully bad decision making like this isn't a widespread issue across the rest of the resort...

A bad decision that is considered perfectly normal in other contexts. It’s ridiculous pearl clutching from a competitive pearl clutcher.

 

[dlr74]

A bad decision that is considered perfectly normal in other contexts. It’s ridiculous pearl clutching from a competitive pearl clutcher.

You're right that this thread is wildly overdramatic but I do think folks have come to expect more from Disney than other food & beverage venues.

I go to the county fair understanding that the food vendors might not have running water to wash their hands regularly. Maybe they're using hand sanitizer. But I definitely expect the people at Disney to have clean hands when handling my food or drinks.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You're right that this thread is wildly overdramatic but I do think folks have come to expect more from Disney than other food & beverage venues.

I go to the county fair understanding that the food vendors might not have running water to wash their hands regularly. Maybe they're using hand sanitizer. But I definitely expect the people at Disney to have clean hands when handling my food or drinks.

County fair booths are supposed to have running water. They’re also selling freshly prepared foods. This particular location mostly sells bottled and premade drinks, things that you are allowed to offer as self-service where any random person is free to touch them.

 

[CaptinEO]

I'm surprised some people are cool with a Disneyland place remaining open when employees can't wash their hands especially when they are making drinks.

It definitely was the wrong call to keep it operating and can only hope the lesson is learned.

County fair booths are supposed to have running water. They’re also selling freshly prepared foods. This particular location mostly sells bottled and premade drinks, things that you are allowed to offer as self-service where any random person is free to touch them.

I thought they are mixing drinks from the photos shown?

 

[CaptinEO]

Yeah, exactly.

I just did an 8 second Google search just now and found the report. There were actually several problems the inspector found, but it was the lack of running water and the inability for CM's to wash their hands during food service that caused this booze stand to be shut down.

"Inspector Comments: Observed the handwash sink to be inoperable resulting in no means of washing hands. Maintain potable water at all food facilities."

The other issues you can read in the inspector's report that suspended their restaurant license were;

"Inspector Comments: Observed single use champagne flutes being stored at the back area that is not fully enclosed. Discontinue this practice. Store all food, utensils, and food contact surfaces in a manner and location that protects from potential contamination."

And

"Inspector Comments: Observed the interior of the wooden storage cabinets to be deteriorating. Maintain all equipment in good condition."

Which led to this result from the health inspector that day...

50. Permit Suspension - Imminent Health Hazard

Inspector Comments: IMMEDIATE HEALTH PERMIT SUSPENSION AND CLOSURE The permit to operate the above named food facility is hereby temporarily suspended, and the facility is ordered immediately closed under theauthority of Sections 114405 and 114409 of Division 104, Part 7, Chapter 13, Article 3 of the California Health and Safety Code

https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/orange-county/print/?task=getPrintable&path=orange-county&pKey=177BD540-2093-49FC-8D83-F4D55353EFF4

You can look up any restaurant closed by health inspectors and read their findings here at this handy County website. It's almost always a naughty list of mom-and-pop greasy spoons and odd little places in OC's grungy strip malls. It's rare to see a corporate chain restaurant, fancy place, or franchise shut down.

And it's unheard of to see a Disneyland restaurant shut down!

https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/orange-county/restaurant-closures

Pretty crazy and who knows how long they have been without running water there for the sink.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm surprised some people are cool with a Disneyland place remaining open when employees can't wash their hands especially when they are making drinks.

It definitely was the wrong call to keep it operating and can only hope the lesson is learned.

I thought they are mixing drinks from the photos shown?

Are you not cool with self-serve soda fountains or coolers? Actually mixing drinks and using the soda fountain would require running water…

 

[Touchdown]

Are you not cool with self-serve soda fountains or coolers? Actually mixing drinks and using the soda fountain would require running water…

Mix drinks maybe not. You would just need bottles of seltzer water and premade ice.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Mix drinks maybe not. You would just need bottles of seltzer water and premade ice.

And you’re allowed to have bottles and drink ingredients available in a self-serve format.

 

[Disney Irish]

I thought they are mixing drinks from the photos shown?

This is not a full bar. Its some margarita machines and pour spouts, with a few bottles of rum and tequila. So its primarily premixed drinks, with a few cocktails where they free pour rum or tequila. So no they aren't really mixing drinks.

 

[CaptinEO]

Are you not cool with self-serve soda fountains or coolers? Actually mixing drinks and using the soda fountain would require running water…

The sink could've not had running water while the fountains still could have. No way to know the full story.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The sink could've not had running water while the fountains still could have. No way to know the full story.

Soda fountains run off the same potable water supply as sinks.

 

[TP2000]

I think this is what this story boils down to. A bad call made by a food & beverage manager who probably hoped maintenance could come and fix the issue before it was noticed.

I think you are probably right. It's a minor booze stand in a backwater corner of DCA; it's not a high profile location, and it's management team probably finds it easy to ignore while they focus on Award Weiners. Some 24 year old Dockers-clad manager made a really bad judgement call by letting this location open that day without running water, and then just by chance that day the OC Health Authority inspector showed up for their annual surprise inspection. Oops!

That's the best case scenario however. The more problematic scenario is that this location hasn't had running water in days or weeks, and some fed up hourly CM called the OC Health Authority as a whistleblower and that's why the inspector wanted to see that location last week. Double Oops!

Hopefully that individual was held accountable, and hopefully bad decision making like this isn't a widespread issue across the rest of the resort...

I would hope so. As I mentioned earlier, when I lived in OC I had been an avid reader of that weekly Restaurants Shut Down By Health Inspectors column in the OC Register for about two decades. It was always fun to read the names of these places that just sounded like a grimy strip mall, and occasionally I'd see a name that I actually knew of.

But never, NEVER, in my two decades of reading do I remember a Disneyland or DCA restaurant ever being in flagrant violation of health codes such that the inspector forced the restaurant or snack bar to be shut down. That was what caught my eye immediately!

And like you, let's hope this was just a one-off mistake made by a naughty young manager who has been reprimanded formally, and it will never happen again. Bad decision making like this is simply unacceptable when they are charging $150 bucks to get in, and then another $20 for a slurpee slugged with cheap vodka.

 

[TP2000]

The sink could've not had running water while the fountains still could have. No way to know the full story.

I think in this case we should just go with the simple explanation we already have;

The Hollywood Lounge was shut down by an OC health inspector for not having a running water at the snack bar's sink.

There are minor infractions that don't get you shut down, but some things are flagrant enough that they shut you down immediately and you have to remain closed until you can fix it. Not having running water is one of those things. Luckily, DCA has a small army of plumbers and tradesmen on staff so the issue was likely fixed within hours.

Still, I'd hate to be the Dockers-clad manager that okayed opening that location without running water that day.

 

[TP2000]

This is not a full bar. Its some margarita machines and pour spouts, with a few bottles of rum and tequila. So its primarily premixed drinks, with a few cocktails where they free pour rum or tequila. So no they aren't really mixing drinks.

In that picture there's also a couple of beer taps, and their menu reflects draft beer options. I can see some general kitchen equipment and utensils as well. Plus several cash registers with money tills for bills and coins the CM's handle.

Yup, that place needs running water to keep its staff and equipment sanitary throughout the day!

 

[TP2000]

I thought they are mixing drinks from the photos shown?

Yeah, those Instagrammable Moment photos of their drinks show it requires some creation and fabrication work. There's gummie worms to be placed on rims, cotton candy to be spun and set on top, plastic dice to plop in there. Plus whatever the process is to combine the slushy mixes with the hard liquor and the draft beer, plus any mixer or cola.

There's also many drinks they sell that have sugared rims, skewered fruits and vegetables, candy garnishes, etc.

This is not just an ice chest with bottles of Coke in it; it's a booze stand selling a dozen different types of mixed drinks.

God only knows what these things are pictured here, they look unlike any cocktail I know how to make. The one on the left is apparently called a "Pickle Michelada", and the mind boggles. But it took some work and multiple steps by the CM's to create it in that glass, with multiple pieces of fresh food and garnishments involved.

The CM's making these for customers need to be able to wash their hands before and during their shift!

https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/orange-county/print/?task=getPrintable&path=orange-county&pKey=177BD540-2093-49FC-8D83-F4D55353EFF4

 

[Disney Irish]

In that picture there's also a couple of beer taps, and their menu reflects draft beer options. I can see some general kitchen equipment and utensils as well. Plus several cash registers with money tills for bills and coins the CM's handle.

Yup, that place needs running water to keep its staff and equipment sanitary throughout the day!

Yes note I said pour spouts, aka beer taps.

Also do any of those kiosks that sell food, like the popcorn or churro carts where the CM handle actual food and money have running water? No, they don’t. So why the insistence that this site “needs” something when the others that would be more of a health risk don’t. Other than a health inspector notice I think very few on this thread know the specific requirement of what determine what each food and beverage location needs.

Honestly this thread made a bigger deal about this than it probably was, must be a slow week for you.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there was no real plumbing issue and it was just a matter of the water got turned off at the source and just needed to be turn back on, ie a 30 second fix, which is why it was “closed” and reopened same day.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Also do any of those kiosks that sell food, like the popcorn or churro carts where the CM handle actual food and money have running water? No, they don’t. So why the insistence that this site “needs” something when the others that would be more of a health risk don’t. Other than a health inspector notice I think very few on this thread know the specific requirement of what determine what each food and beverage location needs.

ODV kiosks do require running water and do have a small sink available. But ones like the ice cream carts that sell packaged goods are selling something can also be sold in a store that doesn’t have to have running water and a sink.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Why does it matter that this drink stand was closed for a few hours

It’s notable that a Disney food service location was shut down by an Orange County Health Inspector. Why does it matter that hall of presidents just reopened? Or that a construction wall went up somewhere? It’s part of Disney park news!

I go to the county fair understanding that the food vendors might not have running water to wash their hands regularly.

The fairs have to pass the same health inspections.

Soda fountains run off the same potable water supply as sinks.

I’ve seen some sinks “out of order” when other sinks were working at Disney restrooms - it’s possible the hand wash sink itself had an issue.