doctornick
Well-Known Member
A lot of guests who go to Disney don't like or want big coasters. Nothing wrong with such rides but they don't generally go with the overall spirit of Disney park's. At least to many guests.
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Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres
- Thread starter WDW1974
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A lot of guests who go to Disney don't like or want big coasters. Nothing wrong with such rides but they don't generally go with the overall spirit of Disney park's. At least to many guests.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I think he was referring to Nemesis at Alton Towers.
Are you saying that Nemesis is a good/bad coaster with good/bad theming?
I like it, although it's been a few years since I've been...
I see this has morphed into a roley coaster debate. I'd ask that we table that ... at least until I start raving about the great coasters just a short drive away in Tampa.
I was about to talk about a subject near and dear to most of us ... Starbucks. No, I was kidding. I was going to start talking about food. But first a trip back to the Wonder to talk about guest service and exceeding guests' expectations.
If you want to understand what I am talking about when I say that WDW is average at best in this area, then you have yet another reason for a Disney Cruise because the guest service they show is truly top notch, very close to what I would consider a true 5-star product.
Everyone cares. Everyone wants to make sure that you are happy and that you are having a truly MAGICal experience. Crew will approach you and ask how the voyage is going and what, if anything, they can do for you. They approach with eye contact and a smile and don't walk in the opposite direction or look down like they don't want to be bothered ... what I often encounter at WDW.
Whether it's having ice waiting in the cabin for you or knowing you like real Cherry Cokes with meals or simply your names, it is obvious these folks aren't going through the motion. No need to welcome you home or tell you to have a MAGICal day 56 times in 24 hours ... Nope, not when you provide a real top quality experience.
NOTE TO DISNEY: giving me a room at the All Star Music this summer for $107 a night isn't a deal, but an atrocity. (just a comment on my targeted banner ad here)
I was about to talk about a subject near and dear to most of us ... Starbucks. No, I was kidding. I was going to start talking about food. But first a trip back to the Wonder to talk about guest service and exceeding guests' expectations.
If you want to understand what I am talking about when I say that WDW is average at best in this area, then you have yet another reason for a Disney Cruise because the guest service they show is truly top notch, very close to what I would consider a true 5-star product.
Everyone cares. Everyone wants to make sure that you are happy and that you are having a truly MAGICal experience. Crew will approach you and ask how the voyage is going and what, if anything, they can do for you. They approach with eye contact and a smile and don't walk in the opposite direction or look down like they don't want to be bothered ... what I often encounter at WDW.
Whether it's having ice waiting in the cabin for you or knowing you like real Cherry Cokes with meals or simply your names, it is obvious these folks aren't going through the motion. No need to welcome you home or tell you to have a MAGICal day 56 times in 24 hours ... Nope, not when you provide a real top quality experience.
NOTE TO DISNEY: giving me a room at the All Star Music this summer for $107 a night isn't a deal, but an atrocity. (just a comment on my targeted banner ad here)
71jason
Well-Known Member
And they don't want prime rib on their buffets, that's just too many choices of what to eat.
With the exception of Toy Story Mania, or Splash Mountain on a hot day, the longest lines are always at the four main coasters. Put in a borderline off-the-shelf coaster, e.g. Raging Spirits or California Screamin', it would have equally long lines.
71jason
Well-Known Member
Agreed, there's nothing like being seated on the second night and having your drink of choice already waiting for you. But while providing top notch service, they still manage to be friendly, not stuffy, even at Palo. I imagine guests too intimated to walk around the lobby of the Grand Floridian (you may have missed that thread while you were gone) would still feel quite comfortable.
CBOMB
Active Member
Doing good. Hope everything is fine with you. I wasn't sure if this was a Spirit thread or not at first. For about five pages I thought I was in a tread about the Hebrews heralding the return of Moses to take his people to the promise land.
luv
Well-Known Member
DD was much better before they stopped the Dueling aspect, which was before the HP re-do, I think. Loved riding up front for that! Wish they'd bring it back.
Is it the longest queue in Orlando?
I honestly wonder which ride/attraction has the longest queue.
Eta: oops, sorry. Didn't know we were now discussing DCL food, about which I know nothing, not being a cruise kind of person.
Calvin Coolidge
Well-Known Member
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
@WDW1974 do you remember the Ghost Ship show they had on Disney Magic during its first year? Reading about your negative review of Toy Story makes me wish DCL did more original stuff and not try to shoehorn IPs everywhere because only trademarked Disney stuff counts as "Disney". That would be my one complaint about DCL. At least Palo exists.
luv
Well-Known Member
Distance. Sorry, wasn't clear! I'm thinking it has to be Kali, Harry or DD/DC. I wonder if anyone actually knows the details, though.
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
We went on the Wonder last year for a Western Pixar Cruise. I have to agree, that cruise put WDW service and quality to shame. The room service food was far better than any CS meal and beat most TS at WDW. I do have to disagree as we really enjoyed all the musical offered, even Toy Story. Maybe I'm only comparing to what WDW has offered but the shows were refreshing.
OK, as I sit here chowing down on some Memorial Day pizza, food seems an appropriate topic.
From the sublime (Palo, Flying Fish) to the excellent (Jiko, Hacienda, Il Mulino, rotational dining on Wonder) to the very good (Garden Grove dinner buffet, Biergarten lunch buffet, Portobello) to the awful (Be Our Guest). Didn't eat much quick serve at Disney (or UNI or SW or BGT) because it really makes very little sense when places like Chick-Fil-A, Moe's, Del Taco, and, yes, MC'D's and Wendy's are mere minutes away. I know this makes some fanbois and Pixie Dust addicts cry because they feel there is some MAGIC at Cosmic Ray's that has missed me.
So, with a few exceptions (Mara, Sunshine Seasons, Pinocchio's) I really can't talk about quick serve food at Disney. Oh, Pizzafari too. ... I'll just repeat that if you can avoid quick serve at Disney, do so.
Well, maybe with one exception. The new bakery in France is wonderful, only a bit overpriced and tastes like cafes I have dined in in the real thing. But they have neither enough seating nor a very organized queue and I would suspect the place might be hellish on busy days.
I find it amusing that the place that gets the most hype these days-- Be Our Guest -- was the only lousy Disney meal in weeks both on the seas and at the World. I'm glad the blogging whores who dine for free love it. I'd sooner burn my money before dining there again. Rude server, absurd policies, loud, crowded dining room and mediocre cuisine. I'd have more to say, but I'm having a discussion with a Disney exec this week about the experience, so I'll just leave you with a warning that you really shouldn't dine there. It sucks.
I'll also say that despite Disney dumbing down its dress code yet again, at signature locations, that people were largely dressed appropriately. I'll chalk that up to our not going to the typical, hyped locations. Since the blogging crowd generally stays away from the places we chose, we got a mix of more upscale diners from tourists to conventioners to locals.
I have had fantasies about some of these meals (sans fanbois! ) ... they were simply that great. My feelings are that if you are going to pay a lot for a meal that it should resonate with you beyond the digestion period. I would highly recommend any of the locations we went to. They are also places that, for the most part, you can either walk in or book a few days out. None of that six months ahead and please give a CC bull--&% ...
From the sublime (Palo, Flying Fish) to the excellent (Jiko, Hacienda, Il Mulino, rotational dining on Wonder) to the very good (Garden Grove dinner buffet, Biergarten lunch buffet, Portobello) to the awful (Be Our Guest). Didn't eat much quick serve at Disney (or UNI or SW or BGT) because it really makes very little sense when places like Chick-Fil-A, Moe's, Del Taco, and, yes, MC'D's and Wendy's are mere minutes away. I know this makes some fanbois and Pixie Dust addicts cry because they feel there is some MAGIC at Cosmic Ray's that has missed me.
So, with a few exceptions (Mara, Sunshine Seasons, Pinocchio's) I really can't talk about quick serve food at Disney. Oh, Pizzafari too. ... I'll just repeat that if you can avoid quick serve at Disney, do so.
Well, maybe with one exception. The new bakery in France is wonderful, only a bit overpriced and tastes like cafes I have dined in in the real thing. But they have neither enough seating nor a very organized queue and I would suspect the place might be hellish on busy days.
I find it amusing that the place that gets the most hype these days-- Be Our Guest -- was the only lousy Disney meal in weeks both on the seas and at the World. I'm glad the blogging whores who dine for free love it. I'd sooner burn my money before dining there again. Rude server, absurd policies, loud, crowded dining room and mediocre cuisine. I'd have more to say, but I'm having a discussion with a Disney exec this week about the experience, so I'll just leave you with a warning that you really shouldn't dine there. It sucks.
I'll also say that despite Disney dumbing down its dress code yet again, at signature locations, that people were largely dressed appropriately. I'll chalk that up to our not going to the typical, hyped locations. Since the blogging crowd generally stays away from the places we chose, we got a mix of more upscale diners from tourists to conventioners to locals.
I have had fantasies about some of these meals (sans fanbois! ) ... they were simply that great. My feelings are that if you are going to pay a lot for a meal that it should resonate with you beyond the digestion period. I would highly recommend any of the locations we went to. They are also places that, for the most part, you can either walk in or book a few days out. None of that six months ahead and please give a CC bull--&% ...
I sorta thought I already did. Some details I am not privy to and others I have been asked to keep to minimal info.
UNI and IOA will both be getting attractions on a pretty much annual basis thru the end of the decade. Some things are already happening like Simpsons and others will start before Potter opens, with others coming later.
As for the island, how about I tell you that it won't be Marvel because Mickey makes the Comcast folks give up Spidey and the Hulk for Phil Holmes and a spinner to be named later!
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Yes, the main dining ballroom at *Be Our Guest* has a cafeteria feel..despite the lovely decor.
When dining, look UP....and it is a much more appealing experience.
When dining, look UP....and it is a much more appealing experience.
janoimagine
Well-Known Member
I think this is hit and miss. But this is the one thing I love about the Disney Cruise Ships, in addition to providing exceedingly great (old school Disney, or Tokyo Disney level) customer service, they enforce the dress code, strictly, with respect to Palo and Remy, as it should be (even though you might be wearing a pair of $300 Diesel Dress Denim).
I would love to see more of this at the parks, however, after seeing a 250lb woman in a Slave Leia outfit last week in line at the Brown Derby ... need I say more?
GenerationX
Well-Known Member
While we thoroughly enjoyed our week-long cruise on the Fantasy in November, I wouldn't say the CMs were much friendlier than those at WDW. You're a captive audience, so you tend to see the same CMs quite a bit around the ship, and you naturally get to know them a little more than at WDW. I have found the friendliness of CMs at all Disney parks and ships to be outstanding.
Funny that you mention the Cherry Coke. This is the one area the Fantasy staff failed miserably. I explained that all I wanted to drink all week was Diet Coke (they got that) with a little shot of vanilla in it. The server, assistant server, and head server had no idea what I was talking about and did nothing to bridge the communication gap. In retrospect, I should have complained to Guest Services. At every WDW table service restaurant, when I've asked for a shot of vanilla in my Diet Coke, I was given exactly what I asked for. Refills had vanilla, too, and without me having to ask again.
I love DAK and feel it is the ONLY WDW park that has stuck to its mission statement and core theme. While crazy fans are riding Space Mountain or Tron Track for the umpteenth time, I love just walking the paths, watching the animals and taking the beauty all in.
That said, I was incredibly impressed by the quality of product in Tampa. BGT isn't nearly as detailed, but the animal exhibits are great, and I saw animals acting much more 'alive' than what I typically see at DAK. But what you also get are rides and beautiful gardens. I only had about six hours there, but loved every minute. From seeing cheetahs chase each other and play (I have yet to see DAK's even move) to watching apes attempt to communicate with me to riding some amazing coasters and a Skyride (remember when Disney had those?), I think it is a great park and can say it won't be 25 years before I am back.
To those folks who spend 2-3-4 days at the MK or EPCOT, I'D say take a day and check out BGT, you won't be sorry.
SPIRITED DISCLOSURE THOUGH NONE IS REQUIRED: I did not pay for admission to BGT or any SW parks. A friend gifted me with a Friends and Family Pass (basically their top tier AP, which gives admission to every park they own in the USA except DIscovery Cove, gives free parking and 30% food and merchandise discounts across the board). I am now trying to figure out how to squeeze in visits to Williamsburg and San Diego this year!
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Name your price for a pic, I'll pay it!
I LOVED the Trek, but with this important caveat: I went with CM friends and received a 50% off discount. At $75, it is a great value. I would have a hard time paying much more than $100 for it.
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