Taking us for granted

[JIMINYCR]

I feel they don't have to try to impress because: a- many already paid for the meal via the dining plan or b- if you want to eat in the parks they are the only game in town.

Too bad you were served a meal that was too peppery, that doesnt equate with WDW not trying to impress you. It just says your taste for a meal seasoned that way wasnt to your liking.
And yes if you want to eat in the parks, as you say.. Disney is the only game in town. You need to be more selective in choosing the restaurant and menu choices. There are restaurants that are rated as being better than others and sites where guests have rated menu choices. Next trip youll know better. There are places I wont go back to because I've learned they dont fit my taste.
As far as more tables and seating areas being needed, I agree with you there. Many times crowded conditions or eating during prime times allow less available seatings. I've had to wait for a table or come back and ordered food when theres seating. Using a dirty tray... well thats your fault for picking one up that was apparently left behind by a previous diner, not Disneys .. Its also suspicious that your request for clean silverware was ignored. I've never run into a server that wouldnt jump on that. If my request was ignored I would have brought it to my servers attention until they brought me clean sets or I'd get up and get the Mgrs attention. The Mgr refunded your meal, so they tried to make up for a meal you werent happy with. Hopefully your next dining experiences will be more to your liking.

 

[kbelle]

Seems odd to me, too. If someone was truly that out of line, I would need to see a manager. Even Taco Bell would give you a replacement spork.

It looked like there was a booger on the knife. When the waitress came to get our drink orders I asked her if she could please replace it. She never brought back a new one. I grabbed one from the next table.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It looked like there was a booger on the knife. When the waitress came to get our drink orders I asked her if she could please replace it. She never brought back a new one. I grabbed one from the next table.

So she didn't refuse to bring one back. She forgot. Quite the difference.

 

[sxeensweet]

So she didn't refuse to bring one back. She forgot. Quite the difference.

Yes sometimes they are busy and frankly they are human so they are allowed to forget. Lol. I would have just politely asked again. I have had to do that at many restaurants before for different things.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

So she didn't refuse to bring one back. She forgot. Quite the difference.

this

 

[kbelle]

So she didn't refuse to bring one back. She forgot. Quite the difference.

She also forgot to refill our drinks, make sure our food was ok, etc. We could see her giving more attention to the neighboring tables. We did nothing to antagonize her. We came in knowing what we wanted and placed the order.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Too bad you were served a meal that was too peppery, that doesnt equate with WDW not trying to impress you. It just says your taste for a meal seasoned that way wasnt to your liking.
And yes if you want to eat in the parks, as you say.. Disney is the only game in town. You need to be more selective in choosing the restaurant and menu choices. There are restaurants that are rated as being better than others and sites where guests have rated menu choices. Next trip youll know better. There are places I wont go back to because I've learned they dont fit my taste.
As far as more tables and seating areas being needed, I agree with you there. Many times crowded conditions or eating during prime times allow less available seatings. I've had to wait for a table or come back and ordered food when theres seating. Using a dirty tray... well thats your fault for picking one up that was apparently left behind by a previous diner, not Disneys .. Its also suspicious that your request for clean silverware was ignored. I've never run into a server that wouldnt jump on that. If my request was ignored I would have brought it to my servers attention until they brought me clean sets or I'd get up and get the Mgrs attention. The Mgr refunded your meal, so they tried to make up for a meal you werent happy with. Hopefully your next dining experiences will be more to your liking.

Wow, what an amazingly condescending post. Do you talk to everyone like they are a five year old who has never left their room?

I am pretty sure the OP has eaten at restaurants both inside and outside of WDW before and had somewhat reasonable expectations going in. Coming out she was disappointed. Make all the excuses you want for the Mouse, but I have to believe that kbelle is now less inclined to throw a KIA worth of cash at the Mouse for her next respite from the daily grind.

 

[unkadug]

She also forgot to refill our drinks, make sure our food was ok, etc. We could see her giving more attention to the neighboring tables. We did nothing to antagonize her. We came in knowing what we wanted and placed the order.

That's quite telling right there: "We could see her giving more attention to the neighboring tables."


What was it about your group that would make her totally ignore your table while fawning over the other tables?

She obviously wasn't taking the other tables for granted.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

That's quite telling right there: "We could see her giving more attention to the neighboring tables."


What was it about your group that would make her totally ignore your table while fawning over the other tables?

She obviously wasn't taking the other tables for granted.

Just a guess, larger party/bigger tip.

 

[unkadug]

Just a guess, larger party/bigger tip.

Larger parties are guaranteed tips...they don't even have to try.

 

[ToTBellHop]

She also forgot to refill our drinks, make sure our food was ok, etc. We could see her giving more attention to the neighboring tables. We did nothing to antagonize her. We came in knowing what we wanted and placed the order.

That's foodservice in general. I get treated like that about half of the time I go to chain restaurants, which lets face it, most Disney restaurants are very nicely themed chain restaurants. I hope you ignored the recommended 18-20% gratuity.

 

[erasure fan1]

I feel they don't have to try to impress because: a- many already paid for the meal via the dining plan or b- if you want to eat in the parks they are the only game in town.

I do agree with this. The dining plan really gives Disney a license to not have to try. Not every place is bad but I have noticed a real decline in service and quality overall since the dining plan started. Even places we have always loved, like Ohana, have slipped. Our last 2 times have just not been up to par. We have never had issues with getting the food but the last 2 times it was like pulling teeth to get more of something. Or my wife likes her steak well done and we had to ask multiple times and then wait 10min for it. The other issue is when a restaurant is in really high demand, like Chef Mickey. They know everyone wants to eat with Mickey and the gang so who cares about quality and service because everyone is more concerned about getting their pictures.

 

[Phonedave]

I do agree with this. The dining plan really gives Disney a license to not have to try. Not every place is bad but I have noticed a real decline in service and quality overall since the dining plan started. Even places we have always loved, like Ohana, have slipped. Our last 2 times have just not been up to par. We have never had issues with getting the food but the last 2 times it was like pulling teeth to get more of something. Or my wife likes her steak well done and we had to ask multiple times and then wait 10min for it. The other issue is when a restaurant is in really high demand, like Chef Mickey. They know everyone wants to eat with Mickey and the gang so who cares about quality and service because everyone is more concerned about getting their pictures.

I also wonder how much of it has to do with giving the bulk of the customers what they are asking for. Maybe it is me, but I see quite a few posts on these boards along the lines of "Is this place good, my family are picky, we don't eat fish, vegetables, or anything with a sauce on it and nothing 'strange' like polenta." Apparently WDW gets a lot of people who will not stray from the steak or chicken plus some kind of potato meal. Just look at all the rave reviews for "filets" that get flung around here (word to the wise, filet mignon is one of the least flavorful cuts on the whole cow, it may cut with a knife and melt in your mouth, but so does unflavored gelatin). Put something on the breakfast menu besides liquid chicken from a pail, bacon, and waffles topped with caramel colored sugar water and people get all sorts of antsy.

I really think it is a combination of not having to care, because their customer base is locked in, and the fact that a good portion of their customer base does not care anyway.

I used to love dining at WDW. I ate out every night, had a different menu to choose from, and get a pretty fair deal. Not it is all overpriced steak/chicken with one poor quality fish dish thrown in, and then a dessert offering that is built around the concept of "how much overly sweet garbage can we jam on one plate, because more/bigger is always better"

-dave

 

[JIMINYCR]

Wow, what an amazingly condescending post. Do you talk to everyone like they are a five year old who has never left their room?

I am pretty sure the OP has eaten at restaurants both inside and outside of WDW before and had somewhat reasonable expectations going in. Coming out she was disappointed. Make all the excuses you want for the Mouse, but I have to believe that kbelle is now less inclined to throw a KIA worth of cash at the Mouse for her next respite from the daily grind.

Condescending??? Heck no, and I'm not covering for the mouse. Just responding to the post. Lets gripe about receiving dirty silverware, too spicy food, using a dirty tray to eat off of. Addressing the issues brought up that supposedly shows Disneys taking guests for granted. I didnt agree. Simple things that could have easily been fixed had they spoken up and taken action to allow Disney the opportunity to fix instead of complaining afterwards.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Condescending??? Heck no, and I'm not covering for the mouse. Just responding to the post. Lets gripe about receiving dirty silverware, too spicy food, using a dirty tray to eat off of. Addressing the issues brought up that supposedly shows Disneys taking guests for granted. I didnt agree. Simple things that could have easily been fixed had they spoken up and taken action to allow Disney the opportunity to fix instead of complaining afterwards.

80% of people won't complain to management about inferior service. They take their money elsewhere.
I don't get paid as a Disney Quality Control Consultant. I don't have the desire to do it for free. And considering the prices Disney charges, I am not going to pay Disney for the privilege of being their consultant. Nope, the OP experienced the product offered and was unsatisfied. End of story.

 

[englanddg]

80% of people won't complain to management about inferior service. They take their money elsewhere.
I don't get paid as a Disney Quality Control Consultant. I don't have the desire to do it for free. And considering the prices Disney charges, I am not going to pay Disney for the privilege of being their consultant. Nope, the OP experienced the product offered and was unsatisfied. End of story.

I'm in that boat. I rarely complain. I just make mental notes.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I'm in that boat. I rarely complain. I just make mental notes.

I rarely complain. I just don't go back. I complain just enough to get done what I'm doing. Then leave and don't go back.

 

[englanddg]

I rarely complain. I just don't go back. I complain just enough to get done what I'm doing. Then leave and don't go back.

I don't complain often...but when I do, if it's not fixed, it goes beyond a mental note to a mental black mark.

I have several reasons why I will be leery to stay at POFQ again, for example, because of a few situations like this.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

My last stay at a Disney resort was an awful stay at the Poly in 2006. Mildew stained wallpaper, urine stained lumpy old mattresses, and bath towels so thin you could see through them all for a modest $630/night. People were like, "Did you complain?" No. No I did not. Then they tell me it's my fault I got a crappy room. No, it's not my fault that that is the quality of product that Disney is passing off as "Deluxe". Then they say that I should give them another try because the Poly got an extensive rehab in 2007. Ummm, yeah, no.

The good part is I now stay at much nicer, quieter resorts that have actual 4 star service and amenities for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Matt_Black]

Squeaky wheels get the grease.