News Artist Point to become Storybook Dining character experience

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Chef Mickey's was good... 10 years ago. The food went into the toilet, figuratively, maybe 6-7 years ago? It's a familiar refrain with Disney dining. Restaurants are good, they started changing things, and ... *flush*. Costs go down, profits go up, and the rubes keep paying.

they brought back prime rib when they relocated to the convention center late last year. Does anyone know if that continued on?

Honesty...the breakfast quality is also diminished...

Which means I’d dare not go to a buffet for lunch or dinner...
You have to have a way bigger commitment to qualify and it doesn’t seem to be there.

So this is where the loss of a place like artists point is a huge double gut punch.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Speaking as someone who had never gone before the redo, I was shocked at how the food was. Maybe my expectations were off the charts due to the reviews I had heard, but our app (meatballs) were a bit dry, my steak was cooked fine, and it was good, but it wasn't blow me out of the water good. Desert was really good. But for the $115+ we spent for 2, I expected more.

Same with Boma for that matter. Boma was good, but based on all of the raving people did, it wasn't quite as good as I expected. Honestly I'd take the food on the cruise ships over either of these 2 places. I have nothing to base Artist Point on, but it sounded like it followed the same California Grill model. I don't know, I just want really good places to eat, especially at the price. I agree Disney Springs is the place to go to eat, they have great meals. And they are somehow cheaper as well.

Boma is still pretty decent, I think. If only because the uniqueness of their menu necessitates that most things are made from scratch.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Boma is still pretty decent, I think. If only because the uniqueness of their menu necessitates that most things are made from scratch.

But again...it’s not what it was...

Went for dinner about 2 years ago and I can’t even guess how much less the quality was than say 2002.

The problem is that price and quality are heading on a parabolic arc in opposite directions...

 

[monothingie]

Honesty...the breakfast quality is also diminished...

Which means I’d dare not go to a buffet for lunch or dinner...
You have to have a way bigger commitment to qualify and it doesn’t seem to be there.

So this is where the loss of a place like artists point is a huge double gut punch.

Boma is still pretty decent, I think. If only because the uniqueness of their menu necessitates that most things are made from scratch.

Just a question, how many times have you visited in total Boma, Chef Mickey's, Ohana, etc?

I have found that it's not the food quality, it's the expectations that diminish. When I go, either alone or with the family, we always have our traditional places we always do, Boma, Tony's, Ohana, Chef Mickey's, California Grill, Biergarten, Le Celier. While we always enjoy going, it takes on a certain routineness to it, which for some may take away from the experience.

I know for my upcoming trip, I am debating about canceling Le Celier in favor of just hitting the F+W Kiosks.

 

[LSLS]

Boma is still pretty decent, I think. If only because the uniqueness of their menu necessitates that most things are made from scratch.

No I agree. It was good. But people made it sound like it was out of this world, and it just wasn't Good stuff, but not what people made it sound like.

 

[asianway]

Just a question, how many times have you visited in total Boma, Chef Mickey's, Ohana, etc?

I have found that it's not the food quality, it's the expectations that diminish. When I go, either alone or with the family, we always have our traditional places we always do, Boma, Tony's, Ohana, Chef Mickey's, California Grill, Biergarten, Le Celier. While we always enjoy going, it takes on a certain routineness to it, which for some may take away from the experience.

I know for my upcoming trip, I am debating about canceling Le Celier in favor of just hitting the F+W Kiosks.

The food at chef mickeys was never that great but they did have prime rib up until ten years ago, so that plus the parm mashed could make a decent meal

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just a question, how many times have you visited in total Boma, Chef Mickey's, Ohana, etc?

I have found that it's not the food quality, it's the expectations that diminish. When I go, either alone or with the family, we always have our traditional places we always do, Boma, Tony's, Ohana, Chef Mickey's, California Grill, Biergarten, Le Celier. While we always enjoy going, it takes on a certain routineness to it, which for some may take away from the experience.

I know for my upcoming trip, I am debating about canceling Le Celier in favor of just hitting the F+W Kiosks.

Well...character places not so much...but some of the “core” restaurants many times.

But spread out over 30 years and always on rotation.

I’m not the “we always go to ____” Guy. That’s crazy. Nothing there is good enough for that kinda treatment.

This i do know: the prices are waaaayyyy up under iger and the quality is simply down. Most menus are near exaclty the same. That’s to save money...not because the Mac and cheese is “that good”

 

[MisterPenguin]

You honestly can’t trust any dining reviews from Disney fans now...it wasn’t always that way.

One would presume that people who are eating at Disney venues are fans of Disney because they're at a Disney park. So... that's just about everyone. So, who can you trust for a review of food at a Disney restaurant?

 

[asianway]

One would presume that people who are eating at Disney venues are fans of Disney because they're at a Disney park. So... that's just about everyone. So, who can you trust for a review of food at a Disney restaurant?

Its called a captive...

 

[MisterPenguin]

Its called a captive...

You're asking and paying for it... it's called solicitation...

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

One would presume that people who are eating at Disney venues are fans of Disney because they're at a Disney park. So... that's just about everyone. So, who can you trust for a review of food at a Disney restaurant?

The point is and was that objectivity is lost.

And plenty of visitors each day are not frequenters or on boards like us.

You know who to honestly ask? Business travelers/conventioneers. They have more objectivity

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You're asking and paying for it... it's called solicitation...

Which proves the point I’m making. The head lies about where the belly has been at night

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

Yeah, California Grill used to be reliable, and I really enjoyed it. I have to admit I'm too cheap to roll the dice on a Disney brunch at $80/person.

So, who can you trust for a review of food at a Disney restaurant?

This is something I was wondering as well. Why can you look online and see so many positive reviews of these places, which we all know are awful? Are they all liars? Have none of them ever eaten previously?

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yeah, California Grill used to be reliable, and I really enjoyed it. I have to admit I'm too cheap to roll the dice on a Disney brunch at $80/person.

This is something I was wondering as well. Why can you look online and see so many positive reviews of these places, which we all know are awful? Are they all liars? Have none of them ever eaten previously?

Many reviews are likely from local bloggers who enjoy the Disney gravy train. Some are likely from customers who reviewed the restaurant after ingesting mass quantities of pixie dust.

If you think about it, if many of us visited these restaurants for the first time, without any history and /or "Disney context", we'd probably give them positive reviews.

I want to make a comment about how stupid people are seemingly becoming these days and how groupthink (particularly around something so public as WDW) and social media ("I'm an expert because I use social media" gets swallowed hook, line, and sinker by many) drives far too much of public opinion, but I digress.

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

Yeah, California Grill used to be reliable, and I really enjoyed it. I have to admit I'm too cheap to roll the dice on a Disney brunch at $80/person.

This is something I was wondering as well. Why can you look online and see so many positive reviews of these places, which we all know are awful? Are they all liars? Have none of them ever eaten previously?

When I’m in the WDW Bubble or any vacation for that matter, I’m subconsciously more forgiving of quality and service. I don’t go on vacations to complain, unless it’s really bad, then I let my DW loose. ;-)

 

[Tinkwings]

Great..... so when can I make my ADR...... Never made it to Artist Point.....all my adventures to the WL. But if this is immersive in the theming I can see it working....no it doesn't necessarily fit into the theming of the resort, but rather once you enter inside you are taken into another theme.....got ressies at CRT for first time ever....wonder if this might be more interesting? Anyone know when this will actually open!!?!?!

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

Many reviews are likely from local bloggers who enjoy the Disney gravy train.

This is one I constantly fight against around here, but I wasn't going to call anyone out by name. It's funny how at least one of those bloggers always seems to eat a different places to me.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Part of it, I think, stems from people going to Chef Mickey's or Garden Grill and loving the service or character interaction. They never assumed the food would be amazing and it isn't. If you read the four and five star reviews, nearly all say "the food was fine," because that is what Disney has made them expect. Few say "omg the food was so good too!" You probably would have seen much more of that 10-15 years ago.

Truly baffles me how anyone goes to 'Ohana and says "these plain scrambled eggs, undercooked potatoes and basic sausage are worthy of a five star review!" Literally cafeteria food at a 3000% markup.

 

[Jambo Joe]

Yup. Kids and I had the flu but didn't know it yet (one of the wonders of traveling in February). We had the worst seat in the house, they squished all three of us in at a 2 seater on the isle, the worst waitress in the house as she didn't bring us water for over 20 minutes, and that's the one thing we craved, and none of the food appealed to us . Now the latter was not their fault, but giving a 9 year old a slab of beef so raw it could have been mooing was the last thing we needed at the table. Left there with $150 bill for water. I adore Jambo & Kidani, but will never pay to go to Boma again.

I love Jiko & Sanna though.

Definitely a bad experience for you. I think the service was just bad luck - we go to Boma every trip - usually the service is attentive and friendly. Everyone had their taste preferences - I can understand if it’s not for you.

 

[Jambo Joe]

You honestly can’t trust any dining reviews from Disney fans now...it wasn’t always that way.

I try to be fair with lower expectations due to higher prices inherent...but it’s tough to fight the headwinds of those that conflate “being in their happy place” with eating good food. One does not equal the other increasingly more.

I will give you one which I posted on the Terralina thread. It was so bad I have dubbed the restaurant ‘Terrablina’ which I will call it until there is future evidence it got better.