I never got sit down dining in WDW parks...

Craig & Lisa

Active Member
The fine dinning offered by Disney is part of the trip experience IMHO. Where else can you get good food that's not slamed in front of you like you were at a wedding, EAT IT!! You have your choice of different cultures and many flavors. We have eaten at Japan, Morocco, England, Canada. Had outstanding sea food, my younger son had duck and tore it apart!! So much to choose from and still after 19 visits, (20 coming in August) will still have not eaten in every place. How can you pass up something like that?
 

TubaGeek

God bless the "Ignore" button.
My family regularly makes time for sit-down meals (we ALWAYS do at Epcot), and we only make it every three or four years.
My girlfriend's family makes it down less, and they always eat on the run.
I dunno' if my stomach could handle that, personally, and we've always found time to do everything that we wanted to do as long as we made reservations before hand.
I guess when we get married we'll have to hybrid our methods...
but we will sit down for every meal when we're at Epcot!
 

mickeymatt

Active Member
Also, for those who do like dining, DW is a training ground for culinary arts. Some of the best food you will put in your mouth can be had at DW. I think for me it is an age thing. I used to run from ride to ride but now that I am a dad the character meals are important for my little girl and certainly a great opportunity to rest her little legs. When you have kids your priorities at the park change. I now can go and not ride SM or other thrill rides because I am more interested in providing the best experience for my 4 year old daughter who would much rather attend storytime with Belle.
 

WDWRLD

Active Member
For us it offers a chance to take a break. You could do Pecos Bills or ABC Commissary but when you finish eating you still feel like you just finished running a marathon. Take a break at Coral Reef or the Plaza and its nice to be able to sit down and relax without people hovering over you waiting for you to think about leaving so they can grab your table. The whole experience at some of the resturaunts is also the reason we sit down. Not that counters are themed very well but there just isnt a counter with a 20 foot tall fishtank that you can sit next to and have some decent seafood or a waitor/waitress that treats you like a mom and hounds you about your elbows of cleaning out your plate. How about sitting in a booth thats moving around a big circle slowly as you eat...nope not a counter either. The same could be said for the various tours or boat rentals. You could just see it from the outside or from the ferryboat but isnt just nice sometimes to see the inner workings or from another angle.
 

goodtimes5286

New Member
Original Poster
For us it offers a chance to take a break. You could do Pecos Bills or ABC Commissary but when you finish eating you still feel like you just finished running a marathon. Take a break at Coral Reef or the Plaza and its nice to be able to sit down and relax without people hovering over you waiting for you to think about leaving so they can grab your table. The whole experience at some of the resturaunts is also the reason we sit down. Not that counters are themed very well but there just isnt a counter with a 20 foot tall fishtank that you can sit next to and have some decent seafood or a waitor/waitress that treats you like a mom and hounds you about your elbows of cleaning out your plate. How about sitting in a booth thats moving around a big circle slowly as you eat...nope not a counter either. The same could be said for the various tours or boat rentals. You could just see it from the outside or from the ferryboat but isnt just nice sometimes to see the inner workings or from another angle.
I always wanted to eat at that place (in the land at epcot right), but it didnt have anything on the menu that i really wanted, doesnt it serve all natural food or something (i thought it had some food theme)? I've been to V&A and to be honest (the sufflee aside), i dont really like it. Does it have chicken fingers?
 

jakeman

Well-Known Member
Also, for those who do like dining, DW is a training ground for culinary arts.
This is a great point. I know there are some who have commented (and are partially right) that Disney dining is on the down swing right now, but it would be hard to find another place in the world where so many different styles and types of cusine are so readily available.

WDW is a great place for exploring new types of foods and taking that back home with you and expanding on it.
 

erikwatts

Member
I never used to do the sit down meals, we were always on the go. Now we have more fun taking things at a slower pace. I guess whatever feels right, do it!
 

tigsmom

Well-Known Member
Vacations are for relaxing and part of that is taking time out for a nice meal.
You do not have to see everything/do everything there is each time you visit WDW, save something for the next time. :lol:
If you are constantly running from place to place how can you possibly enjoy yourself and destress from the real world?
 

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
I always wanted to eat at that place (in the land at epcot right), but it didnt have anything on the menu that i really wanted, doesnt it serve all natural food or something (i thought it had some food theme)? I've been to V&A and to be honest (the sufflee aside), i dont really like it. Does it have chicken fingers?

Does V&A have chicken fingers? :lookaroun :lol:

Only if you ask for "Doigts de Poulet" with a french accent.
 

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
I like to think of Disney as a vacation destination and not just a collection of amusement parks. Like others have said, this has changed over the years for me since I have been on every attraction many many times. But now I like to take in everything and not just the rides. I like to relax at the pools, explore the details of the parks and resorts, rent watercraft, eat in the restaurants, and just have a good time. I used to rush around a lot more, and I am sure one day when I have kids I will be doing it again. Now I like to enjoy all the different aspects that Disney has to offer.
 

yankspy

Well-Known Member
I like to think of Disney as a vacation destination and not just a collection of amusement parks. Like others have said, this has changed over the years for me since I have been on every attraction many many times. But now I like to take in everything and not just the rides. I like to relax at the pools, explore the details of the parks and resorts, rent watercraft, eat in the restaurants, and just have a good time. I used to rush around a lot more, and I am sure one day when I have kids I will be doing it again. Now I like to enjoy all the different aspects that Disney has to offer.
This is pretty much how we are too. My wife does not love the rides as much as I do so we take a slower pace and we even skip the parks on a few days. I have to say that it is much more enjoyable now. It seems that renting boats and resort hopping is just as much a part of our Disney vacation as HM or SSE.
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Its just the way some people are I guess. Im with the op, I am usually going at a pretty fast pace, burning calories, darting from one ride to the other always trying to beat the crowds. Just about everybody in my party has a hard time keeping up with me. But thats just the way I roll, lol. Of course I have my fastpasses and stuff and try to plan in my head accordingly about which one to get and all that other stuff, bla, bla lol. And its not because I rarely get there, I live in Texas and Im the only person I know from here that goes as often annually as I do.

But there are times when I slow it down for whatever reason, maybe I want to get something to eat, my feet are hurting really bad(which suprisingly rarely happens) But its rare. Im usually doing atleast 2 WDW parks a day with naps inbetween, and I have it down so well where I can hit almost every major ride lol. I honestly cant see why anyone would want to go to the sit down restuarants at WDW. To me thats like wasting valuable ride time. But I dont have kids, and usually its just me and my dad, so Im sure those same people cant see why anyone would want to dart from ride to ride lol.

But yea, its all about preference. I wouldnt worry about those people who vacation the way they do. Everyone experiences the magic of disney differently, and the way they do it makes it special to them. And its the same with me.

It is just a different point of view. For me, the part i bolded about - about naps - just boggles my mind. I leave the resort in the AM and return after park close. The last day is usualy allocated to the pool, but aside from that much of my time is out and about.

You claim that sitting down for a dinner is "wasting time" - I say a nap is more of a "waste of time" I get by just fine on 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night. But again, if you like naps and dont like dinners, thats your call and just how you do things.

When I am on vacation at WDW, its a vacation. I expect to come back at least semi-relaxed. My job inolves taking care of multiple projects "commando style" all week long. The last thing I want to do on vacation is have visions of Microsoft Project resource allocationa and power point presentations. I have been there enought times that noting is really a "must see gotta do that" unless it is new. I go to relax. Part of that relaxing is eating food off of real plates served to me at a real table with real silverware. The food at WDW used to be somthing special. Now many places have just become good. But its still nicer and more relaxing than a basket of fries in a paper dish.

-dave
 

WDWRLD

Active Member
I always wanted to eat at that place (in the land at epcot right), but it didnt have anything on the menu that i really wanted, doesnt it serve all natural food or something (i thought it had some food theme)? I've been to V&A and to be honest (the sufflee aside), i dont really like it. Does it have chicken fingers?

Yes thats the Garden Grill at the Land. The food there is just like anywhere else. It has as I remember some flank steak, pulled pork, chicken and vegtables. Cant remember anything about chicken fingers unless its on the kids menu. V&As to me was good but too stuffy. The food was good and the sufflee was excelent but the time it took overall to eat was too much for me.
 

yankspy

Well-Known Member
Yes thats the Garden Grill at the Land. The food there is just like anywhere else. It has as I remember some flank steak, pulled pork, chicken and vegtables. Cant remember anything about chicken fingers unless its on the kids menu. V&As to me was good but too stuffy. The food was good and the sufflee was excelent but the time it took overall to eat was too much for me.
That's the thing. You don't go to V&As to eat. You go there to dine.

Just a joke, I understand different strokes for different folks.
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
1 time, YEARS ago, we went to the sci fi diner, it was alright and all, but they only showed trailers and it REALLY ed me off. even if i jumped in the middle of one movie, and half way through the next, i wouldnt care. I just want to FEEL like im at a sci fi drive in, not the sci fi trailer reel

If they showed full-length movies, the tables would turn-over at a much slower rate as people stayed to watch the end of the movie... By limiting the loop to cartoons, previews, etc they ensure that people don't linger at the tables... (Though I do think that the overall film loop should be about 10-15 minutes longer...)

i guess it's different for a guy who lives in FL and goes up for a day or 2. But even when we go up for a week, we usually only go to the parks 3 days, the other 3/4 are spent lazying around, so i guess i just punish my dad for his 'chill time' by busting from park to park to park.

yeah thats the way i roll 2, i go so fast people get lost in crowds behind me even when im not running. lol i dont take naps though, ima lil too young for that, but i can def hit 2 parks in a day and get EVERYTHING i want in (even if it's MK and DHS which is the worst combination in my experience if you want to 'do it all', lines at DHS amount of rides at MK).

OK, so just so I'm reading your comments correctly, when you go to WDW for a week-long trip, you rushrushrush around the parks for about 3 days, and then be lazy for the other 3 or 4...

How about on your next week-long trip you try something different... Go to the parks for 5 or 6 days. (If you don't have APs, three extra days on your ticket is a whopping $9 per person...)
*DON'T* rush around the parks, but rather take it easy. Enjoy the parks without rushing from one attraction to the next. Have your fast food lunch, catch a a show, stop to watch the Streetmosphere actors in the Studios or DeVine in AK, and then have a leisurely sit-down dinner. Eat at Le Cellier in time to go out and catch Illuminations afterward. Or 'Ohana in time to catch Wishes from the Polynesian beach.
Take a full day off mid-week to be a lazy bum by the pool.

Trust me, even though you're in the parks most days, you can still relax while being in the park. You'll still get in the same number of attractions, but they're spread out over the week and you won't feel the need to be lazy by the pool to offset the theme park commando mode of the other three days.

-Rob
 

toystory 3

New Member
I love running around the park searching for the best wait time and riding as many rides as possible but, being from Dallas, eating at great restaurants is an everyday thing but that search for the best one is part of the fun. Our last trip (3/27/09=3/30/09) we ate at the T-Rex cafe was awful, we waited 45 min to sit in a corner by the bar and the food was horrible, but the next day we ate at Portobello's Crab House and it was fabulous. Sometimes a good sit down meal is a good chance to escape the heat and the crowds and a chance to recharge and get back to those amazing parks.
 

the-reason14

Well-Known Member
It is just a different point of view. For me, the part i bolded about - about naps - just boggles my mind. I leave the resort in the AM and return after park close. The last day is usualy allocated to the pool, but aside from that much of my time is out and about.

You claim that sitting down for a dinner is "wasting time" - I say a nap is more of a "waste of time" I get by just fine on 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night. But again, if you like naps and dont like dinners, thats your call and just how you do things.

When I am on vacation at WDW, its a vacation. I expect to come back at least semi-relaxed. My job inolves taking care of multiple projects "commando style" all week long. The last thing I want to do on vacation is have visions of Microsoft Project resource allocationa and power point presentations. I have been there enought times that noting is really a "must see gotta do that" unless it is new. I go to relax. Part of that relaxing is eating food off of real plates served to me at a real table with real silverware. The food at WDW used to be somthing special. Now many places have just become good. But its still nicer and more relaxing than a basket of fries in a paper dish.

-dave

And thats how you do disney, and thats fine. But that doesnt work for me. I would rather take naps and be rested and see and do more in a day than sit down at a restuarant and waste time. Both can be a waste of time, its just how you move and what you do with it. And the naps, for me, works. As of now, sitting down and eating doesnt, simple as that. So you waste your time, and Ill waste my time, lol. :cool:
 

goodtimes5286

New Member
Original Poster
You will understand when you're 40+ and have been going twice per year since college. :D
The answer to everything, ive been going since i was an embryo, sometimes 8x a year and if anything ive gotten faster (then again i am in my college years)
Does V&A have chicken fingers? :lookaroun :lol:

Only if you ask for "Doigts de Poulet" with a french accent.
na na na, ive been 2 V&A's i was asking about the garden grill lol
Yes thats the Garden Grill at the Land. The food there is just like anywhere else. It has as I remember some flank steak, pulled pork, chicken and vegtables. Cant remember anything about chicken fingers unless its on the kids menu. V&As to me was good but too stuffy. The food was good and the sufflee was excelent but the time it took overall to eat was too much for me.
Ehhh, i think the main thing is that ima really picky eater, i dont like any of that stuff to be honest, and since my dad makes me check the menu's now (b/c i used to just jump into a cool place n then end up drinking water the whole time....wow that makes me sound like a complete moron, but yeah hes always like 'theres the menu').

As for V&A's it's an experience I'll never forget, my dad made me a deal that if i saved enough money to pay for my portion we'd go, so i worked n worked for 3-4 months n we went, i was like 12/13. The sufflee was (excuse my lingo) a freekin ORGASM, ive never had, nor do i think i ever will have a desert THAT good
If they showed full-length movies, the tables would turn-over at a much slower rate as people stayed to watch the end of the movie... By limiting the loop to cartoons, previews, etc they ensure that people don't linger at the tables... (Though I do think that the overall film loop should be about 10-15 minutes longer...)



OK, so just so I'm reading your comments correctly, when you go to WDW for a week-long trip, you rushrushrush around the parks for about 3 days, and then be lazy for the other 3 or 4...

How about on your next week-long trip you try something different... Go to the parks for 5 or 6 days. (If you don't have APs, three extra days on your ticket is a whopping $9 per person...)
*DON'T* rush around the parks, but rather take it easy. Enjoy the parks without rushing from one attraction to the next. Have your fast food lunch, catch a a show, stop to watch the Streetmosphere actors in the Studios or DeVine in AK, and then have a leisurely sit-down dinner. Eat at Le Cellier in time to go out and catch Illuminations afterward. Or 'Ohana in time to catch Wishes from the Polynesian beach.
Take a full day off mid-week to be a lazy bum by the pool.

Trust me, even though you're in the parks most days, you can still relax while being in the park. You'll still get in the same number of attractions, but they're spread out over the week and you won't feel the need to be lazy by the pool to offset the theme park commando mode of the other three days.

-Rob
Yeah I figured that was the reason, turnover, but what is the average table turnover, b/c whatever it is im sure they could fine tune it 2 run sci fi episodes (like the twilight zone), if table turnover is 50 minutes, schedule people every 25 minutes.

Sorry i didnt explain this but the only reason i laze around for 3/4 days is b/c it's my dads vacation too, so if i get to run for 3 days he gets to rest. he likes to rest on vacations, but since hes such a great dad he still goes to disney to clown around the parks with me. last time he went up without me i dont even think he went to any parks to be honest. i could be in disney for a year and never need down time for running full speed, its just the people around me that slow me down. my dad kept telling me 2 bring my friends 2 disney to 'wear them out', after a couple universal trips i finally convinced them.....yeah they wanted to leave 4 hours before close and i had to beg for 1 last ride. needless to say i feel sorry for my future wife, that's a mariage doomed for divorce after a couple vacations :(

To be honest i dont watch any shows or parades, its not my style it just kind bores me, but im happy when it happens b/c then the lines go down. i cant stand the water, plus while my dad does that i either sit in the hotel enoying stacy's countdown (for some reason i can ALWAYS guess number 1) or i go jump on the public transportation n go look around at things b/c i cant sit still on vacations. last time i decided to go over to the board walk so i could run around the boardwalk, through the hotels, out the backdoors, to the epcot back entance, around again and to the DHS entrance, n then back on the bus for home. goodtimes goodtimes.
 

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