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Le Cellier.....Up to the Hype?
- Thread starter Todd L
- Start date
What Chickie said...
I just dined there last week. We used to love going to Le Cellier, especially for lunch, but the quality has declined since they went to "Signature" status. First, some of the drinks they used to offer were gone. We also found out that they no longer offer smoothies and have taken away milkshakes for the kids. Second, we were handed a flismy sheet of paper as a menu, no doubt the result of frequent changes but not something you would expect from a signature restaurant. At lunch, old favorites like the burger are gone completely.
The other thing we found odd was that Le Cellier is turning away guests who walk up to the restaurant with no reservation but while we dined, the place was mostly empty. In the past, there would be a crowd waiting in the lobby area and every table would be taken, but we found ourselves mostly alone in the section where we were seated. We weren't eating at an off time or anything, our reservation was for 12:30. When we left, there were people in the lobby waiting to be seated as well but more than half of the restaurant was empty and another group who was 15 minutes early was being told to come back 5-10 minutes before their reservation time. It just seemed very odd to me. Why would you turn a restaurant which was drawing huge crowds and needing to grab a reservation 180 days+ out to one where the place is at least half empty and still turning away walk ups?
Our server wasn't exactly rude or unpleasant but she also wasn't very accommodating. We wanted to know about an ingredient in the pretzel bread as we had a person with an allergy in the party and she said she would let us know before bringing out the bread, but she never got back to us and there was no bread served. We actually didn't see her again until after the entrees were served.
The worst part is that my Mom decided she wanted to eat here for lunch as it was her birthday, and she fell quite ill shortly after we left. She had the symptoms of food poisoning. We had been planning to go to Hollywood Studios after lunch and were on the boat but had to stop at the Yacht Club and catch a cab back to our hotel because she was feeling so awful. She was sidelined for the rest of her birthday.
We are planning another trip for later in the year and had a reservation for Le Cellier but I have already cancelled it. There are much better places to eat in Epcot, never mind the places in nearby hotels.
The other thing we found odd was that Le Cellier is turning away guests who walk up to the restaurant with no reservation but while we dined, the place was mostly empty. In the past, there would be a crowd waiting in the lobby area and every table would be taken, but we found ourselves mostly alone in the section where we were seated. We weren't eating at an off time or anything, our reservation was for 12:30. When we left, there were people in the lobby waiting to be seated as well but more than half of the restaurant was empty and another group who was 15 minutes early was being told to come back 5-10 minutes before their reservation time. It just seemed very odd to me. Why would you turn a restaurant which was drawing huge crowds and needing to grab a reservation 180 days+ out to one where the place is at least half empty and still turning away walk ups?
Our server wasn't exactly rude or unpleasant but she also wasn't very accommodating. We wanted to know about an ingredient in the pretzel bread as we had a person with an allergy in the party and she said she would let us know before bringing out the bread, but she never got back to us and there was no bread served. We actually didn't see her again until after the entrees were served.
The worst part is that my Mom decided she wanted to eat here for lunch as it was her birthday, and she fell quite ill shortly after we left. She had the symptoms of food poisoning. We had been planning to go to Hollywood Studios after lunch and were on the boat but had to stop at the Yacht Club and catch a cab back to our hotel because she was feeling so awful. She was sidelined for the rest of her birthday.
We are planning another trip for later in the year and had a reservation for Le Cellier but I have already cancelled it. There are much better places to eat in Epcot, never mind the places in nearby hotels.
PhilharMagician
Well-Known Member
The quality went down well before it went to signature status. The DDP and more so the free DDP drove the menu to be more cost effective and move the restaurant away from what made LeCellier so popular. The only thing the Signature status did for the restaurant is to make it even less of a value to the guests which makes corporate happy specially when the minions that dine there still rave about it.
BTW, my understanding is the pretzel bread is not made on site and that it is purchased from an outside supplier. I am sure someone there should know the ingredients.
Sorry your mom got sick. I once had a stomach something while at WDW and it took me down for about a day and a half and it was no fun.
HM Spectre
Well-Known Member
Did I enjoy it? Yeah, sure, it was good. Did it feel like a "signature"? Not really. The filet was good but not mind-blowing, I've had many better steaks for that price. I enjoyed the soup and pretzel bread like most but it seemed like it fell a bit short of a true signature. As a 1 credit DDP, I'd feel like it's an absolutely amazing deal but for 2, it fell a bit short of the hype.
Shelliemay
Member
I don't think its up to the hype. The steaks were just medicore , and the restaurant feels to dark and cramped for us. Yachtsman Steakhouse is a lot better and I think it is worth the 2 DDP credits, especially if you order the 24 oz Porterhouse! 
BigTxEars
Well-Known Member
Lots of hype, it's hard for anything to live up to as much hype as it has IMO. It's good and I would suggest everyone try it but it was not my family's favorite meal on the trip we ate there although I was "sure" it was going to be. Turns out we all liked Ragland Road better. We also ate at Yachtsman same trip and the food was equal, the environment was better at Le Cellier. If you are going on the DDP I would not say it's worth the two credits over Yachtsman.
I think it's all personal preference at the end of the day. The thing is you will never know until you try it so go ahead!
I think it's all personal preference at the end of the day. The thing is you will never know until you try it so go ahead!
BigTxEars
Well-Known Member
I don't think its up to the hype. The steaks were just medicore , and the restaurant feels to dark and cramped for us. Yachtsman Steakhouse is a lot better and I think it is worth the 2 DDP credits, especially if you order the 24 oz Porterhouse!
Is Yachtsman 2 credits now? It was a single credit when we ate there in 2011.
BuddyThomas
Well-Known Member
Not to start a cheese soup frenzy, but it doesn't seem as high in calories as I thought it would be. I've looked up imitations of it on various sites and it rarely tops 300 calories for 8 ounces. Of course the sodium and fat content is another story, but all in all, not as decadent in calories as I thought it would be. I guess if you add it to a ginormous steak, potatoes and pretzel bread, one might be on his way to being fatsy fatsy loo loo pants, but it's vacation, so what the hell. Fun today. Treadmill tomorrow.
scarr13311
Active Member
Le Cellier is one of our favorites we go there when we get in. The Filet Mignon with the Mushroom Risoto is one of my favorite. Unlike the our experience at Monsuier Paul would not recomment this place over priced bland food because it is in a French atmosphere. Get better Filet at Le Cellier. Enjoy!!
71dsp
Well-Known Member
Been two credits ever since we started going in 2010, and we've gone every year since.
wdwfan4ver
Well-Known Member
I think you are mistaken. I know a person outside the internet that used 2 credits on Yachtsman in 2011. I also remembered going to Yachtsman in 2006 and it was 2 credits at the time also.