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Character Dining changes coming
- Thread starter drew81
- Start date
Richie248
Well-Known Member
So long as the food at LTT stays the same, I am fine. I don't go there for the characters, I go there for the overall ambience, and to be honest, I thought the charaters took away from that. But thats just my opinion. In regards to cost, 28.99 doesn't seem that bad for a full dinner especially during a vacation. It will also be nice to have another sit down dining option in the MK that doesn't include characters.
wickedfan07
Member
I hope they open the Garden Grill for lunch, just without characters.
Why are they closing restaurants for certain meals (like GG)? ADRs are difficult to get. You'd think they'd want to increase capacity, not shrink it. What is WDW management smoking lately?
Why are they closing restaurants for certain meals (like GG)? ADRs are difficult to get. You'd think they'd want to increase capacity, not shrink it. What is WDW management smoking lately?
RiversideBunny
New Member
We used to eat breakfast at the Garden Grill and it was great.
We would get to EPCOT early, ride the big rides, and then go for breakfast at the GG. Then they stopped serving breakfast there.
They have tried several things for the Garden Grill, including an ice cream social and a sit down, up scale menu.
Now they are stopping lunch.
It's hard to figure why the Garden Grill is not more popular, popular enough that they would keep it open for all three meals each day.
Maybe the fact that it's inside The Land and doesn't stand out causes people to overlook it. It's also next to the food court.
Inside the building you see only a part of it as it revolves around so some people may not realize that it is, in fact, a nice table service restaurant. Someone can be standing right next to it and not realize what it is.
More visibility would help.
Maybe even a name change. 'The Garden Grill' may not be the best name to indicate that it is a very nice restaurant with normal food, and not some specialized veggie place.
Maybe a more zippy name would help, like 'Goofy's Eatin' Place' or 'Mickey's Big Glider Grill'.
That restaurant should be very popular, particularly now that Soarin' is bringing vast numbers of guests into The Land building. They just need to promote it right and offer a good alternative to nearby food places such as The Electric Umbrella.
I wish they would bring back breakfast there. EPCOT needs more places for breakfast.
We would get to EPCOT early, ride the big rides, and then go for breakfast at the GG. Then they stopped serving breakfast there.
They have tried several things for the Garden Grill, including an ice cream social and a sit down, up scale menu.
Now they are stopping lunch.
It's hard to figure why the Garden Grill is not more popular, popular enough that they would keep it open for all three meals each day.
Maybe the fact that it's inside The Land and doesn't stand out causes people to overlook it. It's also next to the food court.
Inside the building you see only a part of it as it revolves around so some people may not realize that it is, in fact, a nice table service restaurant. Someone can be standing right next to it and not realize what it is.
More visibility would help.
Maybe even a name change. 'The Garden Grill' may not be the best name to indicate that it is a very nice restaurant with normal food, and not some specialized veggie place.
Maybe a more zippy name would help, like 'Goofy's Eatin' Place' or 'Mickey's Big Glider Grill'.
That restaurant should be very popular, particularly now that Soarin' is bringing vast numbers of guests into The Land building. They just need to promote it right and offer a good alternative to nearby food places such as The Electric Umbrella.
I wish they would bring back breakfast there. EPCOT needs more places for breakfast.
Magic Kingdom and the MK resorts mostly offer character meals for dinner. Part of the reason from what I heard was there wasn't enough regular meals for guests looking for non-character dining, so that's part of the reason why LTT won't have characters anymore.
po1998
Well-Known Member
I agree with the earlier poster who stated that they should be adding MORE character meals, not taking some away. They are wildly popular regardless if they are at the resorts or in the parks. The often requested villian or toy story/pixar character meals would be huge successes. Maybe one of these meals will end up at DtD as part of the PI makeover, but I wouldn't count on it.
I am now disappointed that I canceled our LTT dinner reservations during our last trip.
I am now disappointed that I canceled our LTT dinner reservations during our last trip.
redkoala245
New Member
Those are the 2 places I eat at when I'm in WDW. I don't mind Garden Grill I eat there for dinner. But that is terrible for Liberty Tree Tavern.
LongtimeReader
Active Member
It's always sad to see someone's favorite go, but seeing as though Tony's is the only remaining table service restaurant that doesn't have characters (well, the Plaza too, but that is much more cafe' than full-blown restaruant), I for one am pleased. Though had they still offered ONE meal seating that was character free in Cinderella Castle, I'd be ecstatic (does anyone remember that amazing gorgonzola steak? Ah, the peaceful days of a good dinner in the castle...) But seeing as that the revamped PI will probably eventually feature some kind of character restarant, it's nice to get a "regular" table service back into the MK fold and they can (eventually) maintain their character restaurant roster.
yankspy
Well-Known Member
Yes, I long for those days. I enjoy an occasional Character meal but I like to see a balance.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
I'll vouch for Drew being on the money. His entertainment sources are better than my own anymore.
And yes, they have waaaaay too many character meals in MK.
Ausdaddy
Active Member
I'll agree with that. The LTT was the wrong choice, however. Crystal Palace would have been a much better choice. You can see that gang around the parks. The Fab 5's attire was unique.
Disneykidder
Well-Known Member
I have never been to LT but I have friends who never go without eating there. They will be crushed.
I have been to GG once and the food was awful. Sorry to everyone who enjoys it. Maybe it was an off day.
I have been to GG once and the food was awful. Sorry to everyone who enjoys it. Maybe it was an off day.
LandBoatride
New Member
This is just to confirm that LTT will indeed be losing the characters in January. I can also confirm that the menu AND price will remain the same, a la carte menu at lunch and family style buffet at dinner.
Disney brass is revenue-driven and they are gambling that LTT will still remain busy and perhaps do better numbers (families will eat quicker with no character interruptions). This location is a multi-million dollar revenue generator annually, and yet Disney execs want to trim expenses by eliminating characters. It has nothing to do with offering guests "non-character" options - they are keeping the price the same but reducing the value (namely making magic for kids of all ages).
The staff and entertainment performers are extremely shocked and saddened by this decision. :brick:
Disney brass is revenue-driven and they are gambling that LTT will still remain busy and perhaps do better numbers (families will eat quicker with no character interruptions). This location is a multi-million dollar revenue generator annually, and yet Disney execs want to trim expenses by eliminating characters. It has nothing to do with offering guests "non-character" options - they are keeping the price the same but reducing the value (namely making magic for kids of all ages).
The staff and entertainment performers are extremely shocked and saddened by this decision. :brick:
mickeymouse090
New Member
I can agree with this & can understand why people may not want to have character dining & need other options for dinner, but for those of us who do this is disappointing. Honestly I rather would have had them change the Crystal Palace to a non-character meal first. I have nothing against Pooh & his friends, as you can see from my photo with Tigger, but I want to see the "classic" characters when I go to Disney. I grew up loving Mickey & Minnie & their friends so it is disappointing to hear of these changes to the Liberty Tree Tavern. I enjoyed the Crystal Palace, but I would chose to eat where the classic characters are first & on my last trip we couldn't get into eat at LTT so we ate at the CP with Pooh & his friends. I was really looking forward to eating at the LTT and enjoying the character experience on my trip in January.
I love dining with the characters as many other people do to, it is another tradition when visiting Disney & by removing this is takes away some of the "magic".
Disneykidder
Well-Known Member
We are eating at CP in August. I am looking forward to it. My husband is a Piglet fan and does not know where we are eating. I am glad that Pooh+ are there. There are so many character dinings with the Fab 5 so this is nice to be able to go to. Plus, it is another character dining meal for boys other than the Fab 5, which Disney really lacks in.
mickeymouse090
New Member
Well for Disney's sake I hope it works, but speaking for fans of character meals they will be thinking twice before making their dinner reservations now. I know I will be...I eat at many non-character meals away from the parks so when I come to the MK I want the choice to dine with the characters & by Disney taking that away makes me look elsewhere to dine with those characters. LTT will probably still do well because the menu is staying the same, but for me I don't have any reason to dine there now that the characters will be gone.
Tiggerfanatic
Well-Known Member
dhoywdw20x
Member
I am so upset by this announcement. I believe that this must be false, for every time we eat at those two restaurants they are always packed. I could imagine removing Mickey from Garden Grill because he is such an icon. But, we make it a habit to go to the Liberty Tree Tavern once every trip. It is our favorite experience on the entire property followed by BOMA.