The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[willtravel]

IMO, I wish they would make Crystal Palace just a sit down, non buffet, non character restaurant. Tony's, I ate there once.....

 

[doctornick]

There's not really a lack of Table Service options at the MK. It's just that they break out, so it seems like there's not a lot of real choices. Crystal Palace and Cindy's are characters and hard to get into, so they're out. Tony's always has such a bad reputation and it's not convenient. I think people plain, just forget about the Plaza, so then that leaves Liberty Tree and BOG dinner. That's 6. Studios has 5, but somehow it feels like they have tons more than MK. Epcot is an entirely different kettle of fish. While MK, probably could use another non-character, centrally located TS option, making Tony's and the Plaza real choices for people would go a long way.

And isn't Liberty Tree "family style" for dinner? It's not exactly a typical order a la carte off the menu.

I do agree that having another table service in MK would be good. Adventureland or Tomorrowland would both be good options given that they do not have table service and, gosh darn, they both have unused food areas that could be easily modified for the purpose.

 

[Cesar R M]

There's not really a lack of Table Service options at the MK. It's just that they break out, so it seems like there's not a lot of real choices. Crystal Palace and Cindy's are characters and hard to get into, so they're out. Tony's always has such a bad reputation and it's not convenient. I think people plain, just forget about the Plaza, so then that leaves Liberty Tree and BOG dinner. That's 6. Studios has 5, but somehow it feels like they have tons more than MK. Epcot is an entirely different kettle of fish. While MK, probably could use another non-character, centrally located TS option, making Tony's and the Plaza real choices for people would go a long way.

probably because MK as like 4X times the people in a normal day?

I always seen all the sit down restaurants bursting with minimum waits of 45 minutes.

 

[BrerJon]

People feel adventurous when they eat British food... "oh look at me, I'm sitting in the Leaky Cauldron eating British food". Believe me, what they are serving in the Leaky Cauldron can not hold a candle to what is served in real pubs in London, Edinburgh or elsewhere in the UK.

Everyone has different opinions on food of course so it's not quantifiable, but I found the food as good as any you'd get in a real pub, and the drinks and exclusive items really make it. Nicer food than BoG? Not sure, but the atmosphere and organisation is a million times more pleasant and relaxing than the Meat and Greet.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Comcast quarterly earnings: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-comcast-earnings-20141023-story.html

For the first 9 months of the year, Uni's Theme Parks capital expenditures (capex) was 25.7% of revenue. For the quarter, it was at 23.4% despite the 18.7% bump in quarterly revenue.

Looks like Universal continued to invest in its theme parks even after the opening of Diagon Alley.

 

[BrerJon]

I'll agree with you on this somewhat. It's not the hybrid model that's not working at BoG. It's the general lack of highly themed eateries.

No, MK has *plenty* of eateries shuttered, ignored and never open, so they don't need to build anything new, just open what they've got.

 

[BrerJon]

Same thing with cinnamon rolls at Gaston's. How does that fit the French provincial tavern theme?

Because, Starbucks.

 

[BrerJon]

Like the seasonal Tomorrowland Terrace, Adventureland Veranda* and Tortuga Tavern?
EDIT: *Closed

You forgot Golden Oak. I'd love to know what Disney considers seasons to be, seeing as most of those seem to be open for less than 5 days a year.

 

[BrerJon]

That's why your first point is so crucial about taking time away from WDW. Take your business elsewhere.

If DLR wasn't going to have a very heavy refurb season this winter for the 60th, they would've gotten our Disney winter dollars two years in a row.

Here's a question for the financial experts - if we take our dollars away from WDW, but only to other divisions of Parks & Resorts like Disneyland, or the Cruise Line, is anyone at Disney remotely bothered? Or does it not matter because wherever we're spending them, Mickey is still getting those bucks?

 

[asianway]

IMO, I wish they would make Crystal Palace just a sit down, non buffet, non character restaurant. Tony's, I ate there once.....

How about a non character sit down breakfast? I hear Tonys used to have one

 

[Mickey_777]

There's not really a lack of Table Service options at the MK. It's just that they break out, so it seems like there's not a lot of real choices. Crystal Palace and Cindy's are characters and hard to get into, so they're out. Tony's always has such a bad reputation and it's not convenient. I think people plain, just forget about the Plaza, so then that leaves Liberty Tree and BOG dinner. That's 6. Studios has 5, but somehow it feels like they have tons more than MK. Epcot is an entirely different kettle of fish. While MK, probably could use another non-character, centrally located TS option, making Tony's and the Plaza real choices for people would go a long way.

I agree revamping the menu's at Tony's and the Plaza would go a long way to meet TS demands. The american palate has changed. Food is just better now and MK has some catching up to do. Don't even get me started on Nine Dragons at Epcot...but I selfishly wish the Plaza would stay relatively unknown too

 

[BrerJon]

How much of a bump did they want? If the reports are true that management was not happy with the bump they got from Potter 2.0 what were they expecting? It seems like a pretty healthy increase to me.

Profits schmofits. Do they have MagicBands? I think not.

 

[asianway]

Here's a question for the financial experts - if we take our dollars away from WDW, but only to other divisions of Parks & Resorts like Disneyland, or the Cruise Line, is anyone at Disney remotely bothered? Or does it not matter because wherever we're spending them, Mickey is still getting those bucks?

The bonus package for mgmt most likely consists of business unit, segment, & total company financial targets. So yes, but there is most likely a dilution effect

 

[BrianLo]

Even with those factors I am assuming that at least 10% of the 18.7% revenue bump Q3 2014 over Q3 2013 was due to attendance increases. How much of a bump did they want? If the reports are true that management was not happy with the bump they got from Potter 2.0 what were they expecting? It seems like a pretty healthy increase to me.

No doubt an investment that will continue to pay out over many quarters to come. These projects are not completely front loaded. I'd expect DCA to still see a significant rise in their 2014 attendance from their 2012 rebuild, in a park that has remained fairly untouched since. Diagon Alley will likely pay out in a similar fashion, which is why its actual attendance projections cannot be properly determined until they have 2-3 quarters under their belt.

Perhaps internally they wanted to pass one of the Disney parks? That's still several million guests they needed to pick up, not realistic in a single year, especially against the Frozen bump to DHS. In the next couple of years though? Absolutely.

 

[BrerJon]

I was very happy to see this on the menu. So much of WDW fast food is limited in variety and across the board poor from a quality standpoint, not just at places like Cosmic Rays. It's why I tend to splurge on table-service meals when I go. At least you feel like you're getting real food there.

I'm actually quite impressed with the improvement in QS offerings recently - lots of places seem to be offering brocolli as an alternative to fries, Disney do seem to be making more of an effort with their menus (while table service standards continue to plummet in inverse proportion to prices). I had a great meal at Columbia Harbor recently, so that's one area maybe we should be giving them plus marks for.

 

[Bolna]

I had the same epiphany at the Biergarten

I am actually from Bavaria and the nearest real Biergarten is a block away from my house. I found the Biergarten to be a pretty good representation of German food with a few quirks that were strange to me... I really enjoyed it!

 

[1023]

No doubt an investment that will continue to pay out over many quarters to come. These projects are not completely front loaded. I'd expect DCA to still see a significant rise in their 2014 attendance from their 2012 rebuild, in a park that has remained fairly untouched since. Diagon Alley will likely pay out in a similar fashion, which is why its actual attendance projections cannot be properly determined until they have 2-3 quarters under their belt.

Perhaps internally they wanted to pass one of the Disney parks? That's still several million guests they needed to pick up, not realistic in a single year, especially against the Frozen bump to DHS. In the next couple of years though? Absolutely.

Certainly true. Let's not forget that the failure to give a solid opening date until after most guests planned their holidays probably hampered that bump too. I fully expect those numbers to climb and I will personally be contributing soon.....

*1023*

 

[the.dreamfinder]

You'll never guess who visited the Walt Disney Family Museum!
http://instagram.com/p/ugv8EGFa0o/

 

[Nubs70]

I am actually from Bavaria and the nearest real Biergarten is a block away from my house. I found the Biergarten to be a pretty good representation of German food with a few quirks that were strange to me... I really enjoyed it!

But the schnitzel??? For years I frowned on it as bland and boring. Then I spent a semester in Germany, I could not get enough of it in all its variations. The humble schnitzel to jeagerschnitzel and the best of all, schnitzel with egg paired with kertoffel, spargelweiss, and a Krombacher.

Then I had the schnitzel at the Biergarten at Epcot. ...

 

[ford91exploder]

I am actually from Bavaria and the nearest real Biergarten is a block away from my house. I found the Biergarten to be a pretty good representation of German food with a few quirks that were strange to me... I really enjoyed it!

Curious what was strange to you, DFIL did an exchange program with Lufthansa in the 70's and he commented that the Biergarten was a representation of a more 'upscale' Biergarten than the ones ordinary Germans frequent.