Too much money and not worth it..

[George]

Yeah, I don't think it's in line with Six Flags. It's more or less in line with Universal, though, which is a better comparison. Also, the food at Universal is considerably worse than the food at Disney while being equally pricey. While the quick service burgers at Disney are mediocre and definitely overpriced (as just one example), they taste like a gourmet burger compared to what Universal gives you. Their stuff is almost inedible.

I agree that Universal’s counter serve equivalents are terrible. The table service equivalents have generally been better values. It has been a few years though, so that may have changed.

 

[RustySpork]

If you read the reviews for some of the finest five-star restaurants in the US, you'll find many gripes and complaints. People saying it's overpriced, over rated and that the food isn't to their liking. Doesn't mean that every five-star restaurant is actually terrible; only that different people have different tastes and a very individual sense of value they derive from the experience.

Our family loves the food at Prime Time. As an employee, I'm very proud of it. I'm not lowering the bar by any means. I just don't think that there is a problem to be fixed with this restaurant. Last time I checked, it was extremely popular and I can rarely get in these days. So many people seem to be delighted with the restaurant and what it has to offer.

But I get that different folks have different tastes. I only suggest that folks should eat at restaurants they enjoy. If Prime Time isn't for you, that's fine. We do our best, but we can't please everyone.

As an employee, your opinion is biased and irrelevant.

 

[Happyrebster]

As an employee, your opinion is biased and irrelevant.

Wow. Way to dismiss a viewpoint you can't address on the merits.

I stand by my original positions, but have no desire to argue.

I hope you have a magical day!

 

[larryz]

I can never really relate to this statement whenever anyone says it. Every generation thinks the time they experienced was great. Are we supposed to feel that now our trips are some how lacking? I watch all those old videos of Martin's never saw one that made me say"wow that must have been so cool".
I guess I've been lucky, I've have nothing but spectacular vacations to Disney. I will say though I don't measure my vacation success based on the number of rides I ride so it maybe a little easier for me.

Well, I was there then. And I've been there now.

I much prefer then to now.

 

[RustySpork]

Wow. Way to dismiss a viewpoint you can't address on the merits.

I stand by my original positions, but have no desire to argue.

I hope you have a magical day!

You admitted your bias yourself and spouted the company line. Of course it's busy, what Disney restaurant isn't busy? You don't need quality when you have a limited number of seats and a captive audience.

 

[OneofThree]

If you read the reviews for some of the finest five-star restaurants in the US, you'll find many gripes and complaints. People saying it's overpriced, over rated and that the food isn't to their liking. Doesn't mean that every five-star restaurant is actually terrible; only that different people have different tastes and a very individual sense of value they derive from the experience.

Our family loves the food at Prime Time. As an employee, I'm very proud of it. I'm not lowering the bar by any means. I just don't think that there is a problem to be fixed with this restaurant. Last time I checked, it was extremely popular and I can rarely get in these days. So many people seem to be delighted with the restaurant and what it has to offer.

But I get that different folks have different tastes. I only suggest that folks should eat at restaurants they enjoy. If Prime Time isn't for you, that's fine. We do our best, but we can't please everyone.

First of all, this isn't a matter of personal preference. The poster simply expressed that the food sucked on a return visit. If Prime Time "wasn't for them", why would they return in the first place? Secondly, you're completely lost as an employee if you're out of touch with the fact that by far, the biggest issue with Disney food service is lack of consistency. It's not a stretch to believe that the food really did suck when the poster visited. Lastly, your response as an employee of the company is about as poor as one could hope for.

 

[BeentoallDParks]

I'm not trying to be rude here, but in all seriousness OP, what food did you eat?... yeah, of course you're going to be upset when you pay theme park prices for standard fast food.

So even the defenders can admit Disney charges too much. The problem starts at the low end of the budget. Guess what? The cheapest food used to be delicious! No longer.

 

[BeentoallDParks]

There are probably plenty of people who no longer go.

Yep. “It’s too expensive now” is a common thing people are saying about Disney. This is how bad reputations are built, and bad reputations can over time drag down companies.

I think that rather than defending the company, I’ll open my ears and hear that this is a problem that guests ARE having. These complaints are like warnings that the experience is losing magic. Disney can ignore it at its own peril.

A lot of its business relies on coasting on adult feelings of nostalgia. What happens when the next generation comes up, and they have these mostly negative associations with the parks that today’s adults did not grow up on. It matters. Disney should heed the warnings that we are all seeing here on the board.

 

[George]

Can confirm! I spent years working front desk in a large national park. I really did love my job and helping out guests but the "excellent guest service" version of me is not an accurate representation of my normal self. Not to mention the days that you leave the desk for a minute to get your emotions in check after being yelled at multiple times only to come right back and be happy with the next guest.

We told our employees each year that working hospitality really does require a bit of acting to be truly good at it.

Not me. I love each and every person I have ever met as though they were my own mother and I will commit murder in order to ensure that they have the best experience possible.

 

[Tom Morrow]

So even the defenders can admit Disney charges too much. The problem starts at the low end of the budget. Guess what? The cheapest food used to be delicious! No longer.

I criticize Disney regularly on here. And also no, it didn't, you were just a kid excited to eat junk food. The overall food quality has improved all around from the 90's and earlier and there's much greater variety.

 

[George]

Seriously? You get char siu pork in a college cafeteria? What college serves marinated shrimp on tangy slaw as an appetizer? Did your alma mater serve ooey gooey toffee cake?

I have a feeling your last name might be Bicker.

I work on a college campus and the modern dining halls are full of crap like that. We got to one every year during the holidays as a lab for a group meal.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Not me. I love each and every person I have ever met as though they were my own mother and *I will commit murder in order to ensure that they have the best experience possible.*

Hey George, nice to meet you. Now that we've met, can I ask you for a favor?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Again not sad. My intricate planning (I'm OCD and Type A personality) actually allowed me to tailor this to perfection by redefining what perfection is for my family. Reducing rides and expectations is nothing bad. Going to WDW does not mean doing every ride, eating every kind of food imaginable and be out all day until the point of exhaustion. This makes sense for uber fans, but not for a lot of people.

I'm glad to read that, because after reading your posts on other threads and then previous ones on this one, I was concerned you were starting to self-sabotage a bit.

Personally, I very much enjoy our relaxed trips - but we mostly have those because we've done everything already. If I remember correctly, that's not the case for you guys.

So my only advice is: FP can be easily canceled, but hard to get. You might want to book a few extra while you can, and then decide on the day whether to use them or not. Think of them as a backup plan rather than an obligation.

That said, we very often book FP's on property in the morning, or the night before - including Haunted Mansion, Pirates, even Peter Pan. We know we're unlikely to get one for Mine Train, but it's not impossible.

If you're just walking around and you have one or two FP's, and then you guys decide you want to try something after seeing it in person, but it's a half hour wait - you might be able to just go on the app on your phone, and book that FP for a half hour to an hour from that moment. Then you avoid the line and can do something else for a bit.

Sometimes I'll change mine on the fly. I planned Peter Pan, but don't feel like walking all the way over from CoP, so I'll change it to a later Peter Pan or to something else. These are all viable options. Very easy to do on your phone.

But certain things like 7DMT, you will be unlikely to make that decision on the spot, so I'd try to book it in advance if you haven't already, and then cancel it or change it to something else if you don't want to use it. (Unless you already have a "no rollercoaster" policy or something.)

I'd hate to see you come back here, with no plans to go again anytime soon, and say you really wanted to try Frozen in Epcot, but it was a 45 minute wait and how ridiculous that is, when you could have booked a FP now, but probably not on the day of.

I'm all for winging it and do it more often than not, but booking a few things can be helpful.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Our family loves the food at Prime Time. As an employee (of Disney, not of Prime Time), I'm very proud of it. I'm not lowering the bar by any means. I just don't think that there is a problem to be fixed with this restaurant. Last time I checked, it was extremely popular and I can rarely get in these days. So many people seem to be delighted with the restaurant and what it has to offer.

But I get that different folks have different tastes. I only suggest that folks should eat at restaurants they enjoy. If Prime Time isn't for you, that's fine. We do our best, but we can't please everyone.

We eat and drink at the Tune-In almost every trip. While it's obviously subjective, my opinion is it is way, way better than Applebee's. (You'll be hard-pressed to get me to set foot in an Applebee's unless someone gave me a gift card.) The pot roast at 50's is fab. The meat loaf is very good. The fried chicken is meh IMO, so maybe they ordered the fried chicken and that was their impression as a result.

Then go to Applebee's.

I very much appreciated your post about being an employee and loving your job, and defending it. I'm guessing some cast members come here and do not identify themselves as such. But once you have, is it appropriate to say something to a guest here that would be inappropriate to say in person to their face?

 

[mdcpr]

I'm glad to read that, because after reading your posts on other threads and then previous ones on this one, I was concerned you were starting to self-sabotage a bit.

Personally, I very much enjoy our relaxed trips - but we mostly have those because we've done everything already. If I remember correctly, that's not the case for you guys.

So my only advice is: FP can be easily canceled, but hard to get. You might want to book a few extra while you can, and then decide on the day whether to use them or not. Think of them as a backup plan rather than an obligation.

That said, we very often book FP's on property in the morning, or the night before - including Haunted Mansion, Pirates, even Peter Pan. We know we're unlikely to get one for Mine Train, but it's not impossible.

If you're just walking around and you have one or two FP's, and then you guys decide you want to try something after seeing it in person, but it's a half hour wait - you might be able to just go on the app on your phone, and book that FP for a half hour to an hour from that moment. Then you avoid the line and can do something else for a bit.

Sometimes I'll change mine on the fly. I planned Peter Pan, but don't feel like walking all the way over from CoP, so I'll change it to a later Peter Pan or to something else. These are all viable options. Very easy to do on your phone.

But certain things like 7DMT, you will be unlikely to make that decision on the spot, so I'd try to book it in advance if you haven't already, and then cancel it or change it to something else if you don't want to use it. (Unless you already have a "no rollercoaster" policy or something.)

I'd hate to see you come back here, with no plans to go again anytime soon, and say you really wanted to try Frozen in Epcot, but it was a 45 minute wait and how ridiculous that is, when you could have booked a FP now, but probably not on the day of.

I'm all for winging it and do it more often than not, but booking a few things can be helpful.

Thank you for the advice. All the FPs that we wanted I was able to get, any other rides are just icing on top. We will probably end up doing rides/attractions that are not totally popular that will be enjoyable for the family like the Riverboat and the Carousel.

No one is big into rollercoasters, and the youngest said she's perfectly happy with Barnstormer.

The plans are all set. Now I'm waiting for WDW's entertainment schedule to come out. We do have to see Casey since my son is an avid piano player. And I think my husband might get a trip at the Main St. Barbershop (or whatever it was called). Let's just say we're a different type of family with quirks all around.

And as I said before, after my trip, I doubt it I'll come back again.

 

[George]

I criticize Disney regularly on here. And also no, it didn't, you were just a kid excited to eat junk food. The overall food quality has improved all around from the 90's and earlier and there's much greater variety.

I dunno. I think that's very dependent on location. Artist Point had gone down hill before the character addition and has not yet risen to its previous levels. Liberty Tree Tavern has gone up and down over the years. I think Coral Reef has improved significantly and no one knows about it...I could go on but you get the point. There are also things that are consistently excellent - all the counter serves at DAK. In fact, Satuli may be my favorite counter serve on property and it joined and already stellar line up. On the other hand, I have never enjoyed an experience at Starlight Café. I will say (and my recent PT experience ties in with this) there is less consistency than there used to be. I don't know if we've ever been in a time where all the food was getting better or worse.

 

[Lilofan]

One of my biggest misses is when Port Orleans had their long ago all you can eat breakfast buffett with hot sugary beignets!

 

[George]

Then go to Applebee's.

First of all, I'd like to say that you have as much right to your opinion as anyone else. I think there may be some who are expecting me to be a snarky jerk to you (based on my prior posting history). However, I think you know that your post was unfair, but I know my criticism was harsh and didn't have any explanation (also unfair). Thus, I am more than willing to take some of the blame. Further, I wholly understand being a proud employee.

I ordered the fried chicken. Had never gotten it before. The breading had no discernible flavor, the chicken was dry and overcooked, and my sides were molecule sized. I also have latent disappointment related to PT getting rid of one of my all time favorite entrees at the World - the tuna casserole. You got a slice of tuna steak on a bed of noodles that was bathed in this delicious tangy sauce. I will admit I am getting older and that was probably a decade ago now. My wife got the meat loaf. She was OK with it, but I make a bad meatloaf. In fact, the whole family rarely gets meatloaf or any pork product in the restaurant setting because of my mad skillz. Don't remember what the kids had, but it was just OK. Our waitress was fantastic and was the saving grace.

So, that was my worst PT experience ever. In June of 2019, I had my best experience ever at Sci Fi which I really wasn't looking forward to going to with regards to our past dining experiences. However, the kids (now 16 and 14) LOVE sitting in the car and watching the movie.

I do find the prices a bit much and we do eat in our one bedroom DVC unit more than we used and we do adventure out into the greater O'town area for food more than we used to. They've reached a point where I don't feel very smart for paying them. So, we compromise. With less Disney meals each trip, when one disappoints it really stands out.

 

[Happyrebster]

I very much appreciated your post about being an employee and loving your job, and defending it. I'm guessing some cast members come here and do not identify themselves as such. But once you have, is it appropriate to say something to a guest here that would be inappropriate to say in person to their face?

I had no intention to insult anyone. My statement was misinterpreted in this respect. I love our parks and restaurants. Many ordinary traveler reviews (on TripAdvisor and elsewhere) agree with me; but others don’t. I hope that everyone will select and enjoy a restaurant that provides them with the food and the experience they prefer. If they prefer to dine off-property - at Applebee’s or elsewhere - then I hope they have a lovely time!

At the same time, I know that Disney will continue to do everything we can to make our own dinig experiences the best that they can be. If anyone has an experience with our service that they don’t enjoy, I hope they will inform our cast members so we can do everything we can to help you have a great day!

I’m just a low-level cast members, but these are my honest beliefs and values.

 

[George]

We eat and drink at the Tune-In almost every trip. While it's obviously subjective, my opinion is it is way, way better than Applebee's. (You'll be hard-pressed to get me to set foot in an Applebee's unless someone gave me a gift card.) The pot roast at 50's is fab. The meat loaf is very good. The fried chicken is meh IMO, so maybe they ordered the fried chicken and that was their impression as a result.



I very much appreciated your post about being an employee and loving your job, and defending it. I'm guessing some cast members come here and do not identify themselves as such. But once you have, is it appropriate to say something to a guest here that would be inappropriate to say in person to their face?

Just catching up and you nailed what I ordered.