MK New Beak and Barrel - Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge

[lazyboy97o]

My entire question - and I believe that of others - is whether current capacity is insufficient (not just less) and needs to be increased in order to meet a level acceptable to guests while also taking into account the business considerations of Disney.

Everyone knows by now that total dining capacity is lower, that you believe mobile ordering doesn’t help and that people are waiting in lines.

The dining venues were built to support 10 million guests per year by a much smaller company with more pressing business considerations. The park now sees 17 million guests per year. That’s an average of over 19,000 more people per day while the park has not increased its dining capacity. That’s not a small number. That’s not a few extra people in line. Hong Kong Disneyland doesn’t even get that many visitors. It’s a decently busy day at the brand new Epic Universe down the road. A whole extra theme park’s worth of guests now visit from Magic Kingdom and somehow that doesn’t even warrant reopening existing venues that were built to serve less demand? That Buzz Price completely screwed up and had Disney waste money building more than double what they actually needed in dining capacity?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’d also mention that cosmic Rays used to be 3 different menus at each “bay” - you could get a rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes for example. Or a BBQ pork sandwich.

 

[easyrowrdw]

Has Disney been moving popular restaurants into smaller spaces? I remember they would open additional rooms in the Pecos/Tortuga location when it became too crowded.

I don’t find CS dining as much of a problem now that we use mobile ordering. It really hasn’t been an issue our last few trips. I haven’t seen the kind of super long lines we saw in past years. Maybe there’s a good balance of mobile ordering and cashier ordering. The kitchens seem to be keeping up.

I’ll say that mobile ordering was noticeably slower on my recent trip. Waits at Connections and the resort took close to 15 minutes after saying “I’m here.” All the orders were for times that had immediate pick-up, but I generally had 5 minutes between placing the order and clicking I’m here.

Maybe it was just bad luck. But I also wondered if they were setting pick-up times at rates that were too ambitious. Either way, it was pretty frustrating. I’ve typically been pleased with mobile ordering from an ease and seeming predictability standpoint.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’ll say that mobile ordering was noticeably slower on my recent trip.

I’m not sure how recent your trip was but I noticed the same thing with ordering from the register so I don’t think it’s mobile order specifically but maybe less staff or less efficient staff?

I also felt like maybe there were lots of new CP’s still learning the ropes.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Why don’t keep going with the straw man of no lines? You claim to not be making excuses but keep lying about my position. I have never said no lines. Earlier I even stated that you do not want your design capacity to match your peak demand.

I actually did a spit take on this one.

You...who can't seem to cite to any piece of date/evidence/or even ancedotal report of there being not enough capacity/offering for food at MK talking about straw men?

I mean i thought overnight maybe you might find something. ANYTHING that points to a lack of food offerings at the parks today. But instead you just keep beating this dead horse about places that closed 30 years ago. Other than making some stupid call backs to days of yore, point to something that would tend to show based upon attendance TODAY, that they need more food capacity. I don't want to hear about 1994, or 1971. I don't want to hear about attendance increasing or decreasing from some arbitrary date in the past. No one cares, and its irrelevant to the question/issue. If i had 10 widgets 20 years ago, and now i only have 10, but my current operations only require 8....i am not under capacity, even if i have reduced the number of widgets available by 50%.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I’m not sure how recent your trip was but I noticed the same thing with ordering from the register so I don’t think it’s mobile order specifically but maybe less staff or less efficient staff?

I also felt like maybe there were lots of new CP’s still learning the ropes.

How do you judge mobile ordering being "slower?"

Are you looking at from when you put in the order to when you get the notification that its ready? Or from when you get the notification its ready to when you actually have food in hand? Or the whole process?

Its probably a bit subjective of an issue. One of benefits of mobile ordering is not having to "waste" your time in line waiting to order then waste the time waiting for the food to be prepared and given to you. So once i put the order in on the app, i can still be doing other things, so subjectively i don't really look at the time between that and when i get the ding that its ready, as a wait as i am using that time for other things. But i could see how some people are judging from when you first order to when you get the food.

 

[wdwmagic]

Disney Sets Reservation Dates for Beak and Barrel Pirates Tavern at 2025 Very Merry Christmas Party​

Disney Sets Reservation Dates for Beak and Barrel Pirates Tavern at 2025 Very Merry Christmas Party

Disney Sets Reservation Dates for Beak and Barrel Pirates Tavern at 2025 Very Merry Christmas Party

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[CaptJackSparrow]

Leaving aside the argument about dining capacity, which this place was never meant to address….

I think it looks exactly how I’d expect it to look, menu and all. It’s a pirates themed Ogas and it appeals to the exact same demographic.

I’m sure it’ll he slammed 24/7/365. I for one can’t wait to check it out in November. And yes I’ll be bringing my kids, and if they don’t want anything from the menu, they can just take in the atmosphere and relax for an hour.

 

[LSLS]

Leaving aside the argument about dining capacity, which this place was never meant to address….

I think it looks exactly how I’d expect it to look, menu and all. It’s a pirates themed Ogas and it appeals to the exact same demographic.

I’m sure it’ll he slammed 24/7/365. I for one can’t wait to check it out in November. And yes I’ll be bringing my kids, and if they don’t want anything from the menu, they can just take in the atmosphere and relax for an hour.

See, that's where I have a slight problem with this. It has significantly less drinks for both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. My top care on it is if they made it large enough. I have NO idea at this point, just really hope they did.

 

[CaptJackSparrow]

See, that's where I have a slight problem with this. It has significantly less drinks for both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. My top care on it is if they made it large enough. I have NO idea at this point, just really hope they did.

They didn’t. Whether that’s by design or because of lack of space, I don’t know. I do know it’s going to be packed, and very difficult to make reservations.

 

[JD80]

On the capacity argument, the only question that needs to be answered is:

Does that Magic Kingdom need more dining capacity today? If yes, how are you determining that?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

On the capacity argument, the only question that needs to be answered is:

Does that Magic Kingdom need more dining capacity today? If yes, how are you determining that?

Right, even if there are reduced number of locations (though not sure as things like Be Our Guest, Gaston's Tavern, etc) .... But if people's dining needs are met it isn't really an issue

And for how people want to dine today, which can be very different than in the past - what people look to do as far as QS vs Snacks ca TS vs brining from home, wanting to eat in the park vs taking breaks vs exploring MK area resorts, etc

Obviously just anecdotally but was in MK this mast Wed and never saw long lines for food (longest I saw was for the beignet stand ) and plenty of TS openings within the next hour when I looked around lunch time even at CRT and BoG

 

[lazyboy97o]

On the capacity argument, the only question that needs to be answered is:

Does that Magic Kingdom need more dining capacity today? If yes, how are you determining that?

By knowing the math and point to blatant examples sitting in the middle of the park.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Right, even if there are reduced number of locations (though not sure as things like Be Our Guest, Gaston's Tavern, etc) .... But if people's dining needs are met it isn't really an issue

Once again, quick service has about 2x - 3x the hourly capacity of table service given the same area. Be Our Guest and Gaston’s Tavern are not that large. Be Our Guest reduced its capacity by switching to all table service. Gaston’s Tavern is more in line with a kiosk than a full QSR. The number of additions/replaces is small and known.

And for how people want to dine today, which can be very different than in the past - what people look to do as far as QS vs Snacks ca TS vs brining from home, wanting to eat in the park vs taking breaks vs exploring MK area resorts, etc

The mix of venue types might change but people still eat. Snack oriented venues get a partial count towards the meals per hour metric in meeting a park’s capacity goals but it is only a partial count. They too don’t have anywhere near the capacity of a full QSR. People wanting more table service and more snacks would mean there is a need for even more venues and dining space.

The Magic Kingdom does not lose at least a third of its visitation around lunch. That is what would be required for people to be going elsewhere.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Does that Magic Kingdom need more dining capacity today? If yes, how are you determining that?

But you said it lacks quality and diversity - how are you determining that?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Once again, quick service has about 2x - 3x the hourly capacity of table service given the same area. Be Our Guest and Gaston’s Tavern are not that large. Be Our Guest reduced its capacity by switching to all table service. Gaston’s Tavern is more in line with a kiosk than a full QSR. The number of additions/replaces is small and known.


The mix of venue types might change but people still eat. Snack oriented venues get a partial count towards the meals per hour metric in meeting a park’s capacity goals but it is only a partial count. They too don’t have anywhere near the capacity of a full QSR. People wanting more table service and more snacks would mean there is a need for even more venues and dining space.

The Magic Kingdom does not lose at least a third of its visitation around lunch. That is what would be required for people to be going elsewhere.

But where was it before?
.... If they had 140% of what was needed before and lost 40% then they are still fine

Obviously more is better and there is less (QS specifically) now, but doesn't mean it is a "issue" now

 

[JD80]

But you said it lacks quality and diversity - how are you determining that?

That's my personal opinion. Others may have different ones.

Some people may think the food at Pecos Bills is good. @TheMaxRebo will never go again. Opinions.

 

[JD80]

But where was it before?
.... If they had 140% of what was needed before and lost 40% then they are still fine

Obviously more is better and there is less (QS specifically) now, but doesn't mean it is a "issue" now

Or with the consolidation of ingredients, smaller menus, better trained staff, different equipment, varying portion size a kitchens output can change over the decades.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Some people may think the food at Pecos Bills is good. @TheMaxRebo will never go again. Opinions.

Add me to that list! It’s really bad.

 

[JD80]

By knowing the math and point to blatant examples sitting in the middle of the park.

You have not brought any math to the table. Closing a restaurant in the past says nothing about the abundance or lack of food service capacity in the parks currently.