Ever revisit a restaurant and wish you had skipped?

[copcarguyp71]

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant on property and had an absolutely wonderful dining/service/weather/entertainment experience and then gone back on another visit and been really bummed that it did not live up to expectations or recapture that treasured memory?

I know we have made this mistake once or twice but the most memorable one was R&C. We ate there in 2010 and it was one of the best experiences we have had on property. We went last year and although it was okay the fact that it just did not measure up to our previous experience just left us feeling deflated and empty.

So....where have you gone repeatedly that is always good and where have you gone back to only to wish you had left your treasured previous experience alone and kept that magic feeling.

 

[luv]

WCC, which was really hit-or-miss for a while there but seems to be picking up. The one at Ft. Wilderness - name escapes me at the moment - went through many changes, none for the better.

Otherwise, with the exception of the menu changes after the dining plans went into effect, they've all been pretty consistent.

 

[Stellajack]

Whispering Canyon. This has been one of our favorites but our 4th trip last Apr. was not so great. We thought it was a fluke, bad service, etc., so we tried again on our Aug. trip. The service was worse, 'all you can eat' was not very good, and we were seated in the area that is not even in the dining room, where there is absolutely no point in being in the Whispering Canyon at all. We decided that it was our last time there.

 

[MKCP 1985]

Hollywood & Vine

 

[Gonzo79]

The Coral Reef. We ate there for the first time in 2008,and we both had a great experience. The atmosphere was great,as well as the service and food. I had the Mahi Mahi and I still crave whatever kind of sauce they put on it at the time. We ate there again in 2010 and sadly,we had a much different experience.The menu had changed and niether of us really cared for our meal. Mine wasn't bad,but my wife couldn't even finish hers. It was also so noisy in there,plus there were kids just running around,the atmosphere was totaly ruined for us.

 

[littleroo]

The Coral Reed for us as well! Twice I had awesome experiences. Last time it seemed like they added twice as many tables. I felt like the couple next to us was dining with us!! No more for us

 

[Figgy1]

Hollywood & Vine

That's H and Vile! I had one less than stellar experience and the next one was so bad ok enough of my one woman mission to get the board of health to shut the place down!

 

[zurgandfriend]

Hollywood & Vine

Ditto, the first time, many years ago, it was very good. We went again a few years later and it was just awful.

 

[real mad hatter]

First time in 2006 we ate at San Angel in Mexico and really enjoyed the food & atmosphere.Then in 2010 we went back in the spur of the moment due to a thunderstorm and they had a cancellation,so we dined again but we ventured into La Cava for an after dinner tipple.. Oh ma heid.." San Angel,you've been living hell to me."

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

YES. The first time we went to Ohana we loved it. The food was amazing, the service was great, and we didn't wait for our reservation long. The second and last time, the food was terrible and cold and we waited forever for it, the service was absolutely awful, and we waited almost an hour to be called after our reservation time. It'll be LOOOONG before we return.

 

[GoochDSA]

I've dealt with this at a couple of places. Cali Grill and Coral Reef, once upon a time, were fantastic meals. Good food, calming atmosphere, just an all around pleasure. CR is anything but what it used to be. The food is not impressive, service is pretty bad and the atmosphere is chaotic (this is one restaurant where I fully blame the dining plan for ruining). CG, while nice (and of course the view) took a huge turn for the worse when it came to their food. It became just overpriced, unimaginitive bland food (I, for one, hope that they come back with a brand new menu that actually has some flavor after the refurb).

 

[disneycouple07]

In 2007, we ate at Tony's Town Square. The food and service was great! We ate there again in 2010, and it was lousy. The service was slow and the food was fair. DH's plate of spaghetti was much better than my NY strip. I think Tony's is a hit and miss but DH wants to try it again!

 

[JTT]

Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show!

I've have been to many many Disney Restaurants and there is only one I will never ever go to again.

The Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show bad food, warm beer and a bad show that lasts way too long.

 

[tracyandalex]

Le Cellier for us. I think it was almost 2 years ago now and it just wasn't as good as it was a few years before. We have not been back since.

 

[FLYbyNITE]

Our favorite Disney Restaurant used to be Narcoossees. Unfortunately it seems to get worse every year. When my daughter was finally old enough for the adult dinning plan, she ordered her first lobster dinner here. She said she didn't like it and it was bad. We thought she didn't know what she was talking about and ignored her. She kept complaining until we tried it and it was horribly over cooked. Last year, I ordered the lobster and it was terribly under cooked. For only the third time in my life I sent a dinner back (first in Disney) and can still imagine the insulted cook thinking to himself, "so you think this ONE is under cooked, try this ONE!!!" Which was practically RAW.

Call me a glutton for punishment, but we have ADR's for Narcoossee's in August. I intend to mention our previous experience there and will judge our dinner as to weather we ever return again.

 

[FLYbyNITE]

Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show!

I've have been to many many Disney Restaurants and there is only one I will never ever go to again.

The Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show bad food, warm beer and a bad show that lasts way too long.

I've heard the Dessert is really good. We been to the show twice but we've never made it to the Dessert!!!

 

[bethymouse]

Never had a bad experience.Thankfully. We're trying to get to every restaurant on property before we die! LOL.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Never had a bad experience.Thankfully. We're trying to get to every restaurant on property before we die! LOL.

We have never really had a bad FIRST experience but those few times you have a truly superlative first experience and then go back on a successive trip sometimes is a total letdown.

The three places so far that we have had multiple successes have been San Angel Inn, Crystal Palace (bfast) and Raglan Road

 

[HouCuseChickie]

We thankfully tend to have our across the board below average experiences on our first visits. We usually split in all other scenarios. i.e. DH had an avg experience first time, but mine was wonderful- so we return to just to have the reverse. ex. First visit to Cali Grill, I had a pretty good meal but DH's was awesome- so he wanted to return. On our return visit- almost everything was great for me, but his filet was pretty bad and has asked that we take a break...even if I'm tempted to visit post refurb.

 

[Diablo]

For me it's O'hana.
I've been there twice for an early dinner. Overcooked food, bad service, poor management and uncaring staff both times.
Decent dessert and good side dishes aren't reasons to frequent a restaurant.
It's a shame, too. I really want to like the place. So many people list it as a family favorite vacation after vacation.