Differing Palates Of WDW Guests

[Phonedave]

I may be remembering backwards, but didn't the DDP come before the Epcot after 4?

It may have been around the same timeframe, but the DDP was not in its current form. It was not pushed as heavily, and "free dining" was not offered on an annual basis.

Or, you may be thinking about The Disney Dining Experience, which did start around that time, but was later renamed Tables In Wonderland. That is the 20% off just about all Table Services card that you can buy if you are a local (or DVC). An other case in point, for many years I paid for (and used) a DDE/TIW card. Not any more.

 

[RustySpork]

It may have been around the same timeframe, but the DDP was not in its current form. It was not pushed as heavily, and "free dining" was not offered on an annual basis.

Or, you may be thinking about The Disney Dining Experience, which did start around that time, but was later renamed Tables In Wonderland. That is the 20% off just about all Table Services card that you can buy if you are a local (or DVC). An other case in point, for many years I paid for (and used) a DDE/TIW card. Not any more.

I was thinking the precursor to TiW, I forgot it was called DDE and not DDP.

 

[WDWTrojan]

Does food quality decline with the shear volume of people being served. I can remember the Garden Grill years ago when it was the Good Turn Restaurant (walk right in no reservations needed) and it was a la cart the food was excellent and prices reasonable. Last time I ate at the Garden Grill (character meal) all you could eat (no a la cart) IMO it was terrible

It's partially the volume, but that stems from the DDP. Since guests have prepaid for all these meals, they need to places to eat them. Which creates packed restaurants, booked months in advance. No longer can the local chefs in each restaurant create menus based on what is fresh or interesting to them, but rather they must curate far more limited menus that can be prepared en masse, more akin to banquet-style food prep.

Garden Grill and 'Ohana breakfasts are a good example of this. Now they use powdered eggs, frozen tater tots, bread baked off-site, etc.

Dinner at 'Ohana is another example. The 4-5 skewers of years past is down to three, with the cuts they are using significantly cheapened (dark meat chicken, rump meat). The trio of home made sauces is now two, both now bottled.

 

[RustySpork]

It's partially the volume, but that stems from the DDP. Since guests have prepaid for all these meals, they need to places to eat them.

I don't know why these guests can't eat on trash cans like everyone else!

Which creates packed restaurants, booked months in advance. No longer can the local chefs in each restaurant create menus based on what is fresh or interesting to them, but rather they must curate far more limited menus that can be prepared en masse, more akin to banquet-style food prep.

Garden Grill and 'Ohana breakfasts are a good example of this. Now they use powdered eggs, frozen tater tots, bread baked off-site, etc.

Dinner at 'Ohana is another example. The 4-5 skewers of years past is down to three, with the cuts they are using significantly cheapened (dark meat chicken, rump meat). The trio of home made sauces is now two, both now bottled.

..while raising the prices more and more because they can.

 

[Phonedave]

I was thinking the precursor to TiW, I forgot it was called DDE and not DDP.

I think that is why they renamed it. Disney Dining Plan and Disney Dining Experience confused a lot of people.