First, you are aware that Florida is not all sun and heat the entire year. Have you been down there during the late fall and winter? It can get pretty cold. However, as I pointed out, noddles are not necessarily something that has to be hot, heavy, or exotic. In fact, they are simple food that can be cooling or warming. Also, there is a lot more to healthy eating than carbs and diet trends. People today are looking for less greasy, non-meat alternatives. NOt for special diet considerations, but as a wholesale change in eating habits.
Cooling noodles? Come on, you really are reaching here. Besides, that's not what Noodle Station was selling.
What you are missing is that you are not typical of a Disney visitor. People looking regularly
specificly for non-meat alternatives are in the extreme. (However, it's ironic you'd mention that because it's much harder for someone to find high protein/lower carb dishes at WDW than it is to find non-meat dishes.) While I've personally known quite a few vegitarians because of my background, but if you take a look at the statistics only 1-3% of Americans subscribe to that lifestyle consistently.
That doesn't mean that the other 97% of families eat meat every single meal, but just the sheer chances of an entire familiy choosing that at once are why Noodle Station was not popular. This was coupled by the fact that there was no variety there; again, if the Noodle Station had been a booth at Cosmic Ray's it would have done better. But in that location, with only one product (however you want to dress it with spices, it's still a cup of noodles), are why it wasn't popular.
Now, again, notice I said families. That's because the TYPICAL visitor is part of a group of friends and/or family (usually the latter). I am not a typical visitor, because I go several times a year, sometimes even by myself. But I recognize that I am not typical, and don't think that Disney is going to cater to me. I expect them to cater to their largest audience, because that's what a business does. I don't believe the larger audience at WDW comes there to find exotic fast food - and, btw, just what kinds of food do you want that aren't available? You keep being so abstract, but when I go to AllEarsNet and look at the menus I find food for every taste you could imagine. What aren't they giving you that you want, besides noodles?
If it comes back, great. I don't care. I've been replying because the way you have presented your arguments has been rather offensive, as someone who enjoys the food at WDW and as an American since you keep using that as a slur for "simple minded". I agree, there are a lot of sheeple out there, but that's as offensive as assuming all rude people are French.
There are a number of (perhaps now ex-) Disney World fans who enjoyed coming to the parks not just to go on rides and meet characters, but because we enjoyed a magical world, walking around, spending time enjoying our meals, and enjoying shopping. But over the last 10 years that has significantly eroded away. I am trying to point out that park decision makers are not giving that market enough attention and when they do it is half-hearted at best.
Then write them letters. You seem to have a real big overall problem with how Disney runs things that is far beyond noodles, and not a discussion I feel the need to have with you as it's not really the topic here.
I think you are missing the little picture here when it comes to FAST FOOD. That is the discussion at hand, not your gripes with how Disney runs itself over the past decade. If you look beyond fast food (even though there are great, healthier options at most of the fast food locations that you continually ignore in this discussion), there are many, many options at WDW for those that want more adventureous tastes. Apparently they aren't "exotic" enough for you, but to the average American I really believe they are. If you are looking for experimental haute cuisine and that's your #1 concern, then Walt Disney World may not be the first vacation destination of choice. I wouldn't go to New York City looking for the world's best theme park, but I would go there if I was looking for exotic, authentic non-typical cuisine.
I'm not trying to discourage you from going to WDW, far from it, but in this thread I keep hearing about all the variety in most cities now, and that's great; Walt Disney World is a resort destination based around theme parks, and an entirely different audience than is available in, say, Chicago or Boston. Remember, we are weird in that we love WDW, LOL - most adults don't think about WDW as a vacation destination without children. Now, I don't have kids and I love WDW, no need to tell me people like us exist by giving me a link to another thread,
, but you can't ignore that the LARGER audience at WDW, the ones that bring in the majority of the bucks, are families with kids, unlike a city where the typical visitor and resident is looking for something much different.
People also make different choices on vacation. I am a definate meat eater, but I don't get burgers at home very often, and I can't remember the last time I had a chicken finger (or where I'd even get them). That kind of conventional, comfort food is what people are looking for in fast food FOR THE MOST PART. No everyone, all the time, but for the most part. People eat food on vacation they wouldn't at home, and sometimes that means more exotic, and sometimes it means eating a hamburger and worrying about being healthy the other 51 weeks out of the year you aren't on vacation. When they want more exotic, World Showcase, Boma, Brown Derby, the deluxe resorts, etc., are usually enough to satisfy people in a theme park setting.
I realize that for you that the noddle station was an insignificant location, and that the meal selection is not a big deal to you. For some of us Disney has lost a lot of the magic and special elements that we so loved. Instead of simply drifting away and joining the ranks of the Disney haters, I want to speak up about it so that others who also may start loosing their faith in the parks might have a bit of hope that things will get better.
You see, again, I'm not going to argue about the larger issues, and I don't entirely disagree in some ways with the fact that they aren't always going in the right direction. However, arguing with me isn't going to help that cause. I'm not against variety, and I never had anything against the noodle station being there; I simply didn't go there as a cup of noodles is not what I want in the Florida sun, or ever, really. However, in this thread I've recognized the reasons why it didn't do well and was never open, and how I feel the variety at Disney is there, and you are looking for something that I don't believe a whole lot of people are when it comes to fast food specificly. You believe otherwise, and you need to speak up to Disney if that's the case.
As I said in my last post, it's the arrogance of how you have presented the fact that you are not satisfied with the food at WDW. You have consistently called it "simple minded" and gone on about "Americanization". I hate to break it to you, but NOTHING is more American than Disney. Americanization is a scary thing that happens to native cultures when exposed to American culture, not something that happens to fast food at an American landmark theme park.
So be dissatisfied, and let your wants be heard. You haven't made any suggestions in all these posts, just debated noodles until we finally got to the bottom of the fact that you don't like a lot of the direction Disney has taken. What kinds of food do you want them to have? What don't they offer that you want? Let them know that, it's completely your right. But sitting here and using buzz-words like Americanization that don't really apply (it's actually an oxymoron in this case, the "Americanization of Disney Theme Park Food"), and implying that people that enjoy the food offerings at WDW are simple-minded and unhealthy simply because they eat some typical fast food on a theme park trip isn't necessary.
So instead of arguing, how about listing some of the things you wish they would give you. Make some ideas of what WOULD satisfy you. Be pro-active. Stop thinking about the big picture for a moment, and think about the realities : walking into the MK, what kid of fast food do you want them to have for you? See if other people agree and would like those choices as well. Just be careful to keep in mind that AP holders, locals, and people that travel to WDW more often than once per year (i.e., the largest audience at this message board) are not always going to want the same things as your average theme park guest. We're weird that way.
And when you've come up with some ideas of what you'd like, let Disney know. It might make you feel personally satisfied to debate it on a message board, but the only way you are going to see real change is if you, and others, contact them directly. They do read boards like this, but with the knowledge that while they can get some good information here, but by the very nature of the medium the visitors here (people that would actually regularly go to a site about a single vacation destination) are not automatically typical guests.
AEfx
