Need to vent on 'Ohana experience

[nkereina]

I think one of the challenges of Disney is that they create such a high standard of expectation once you experienced their customer service, that’s it’s so easy to get disappointed over such small things...

I think this is true, but its also because these trips happen infrequently for most of us - once a year, once every couple years, once in a lifetime. Because of this, we have high expectations and want everything to be perfect. If something happens to ruin an experience, we end up disappointed over sometimes small things because we have been anticipating and looking forward to something. It makes us more sensitive. I bet if this happened on an normal Saturday night out at home, most of us would have shrugged it off or not cared as much.

 

[Baduist]

I think this is true, but its also because these trips happen infrequently for most of us - once a year, once every couple years, once in a lifetime. Because of this, we have high expectations and want everything to be perfect. If something happens to ruin an experience, we end up disappointed over sometimes small things because we have been anticipating and looking forward to something. It makes us more sensitive. I bet if this happened on an normal Saturday night out at home, most of us would have shrugged it off or not cared as much.

Of course.

As someone who flies From the other side of the world to get to WDW I can totally relate.

The trick is to make it a point to enjoy no matter what. Because ‘you can’t control the weather’

 

[Nancyg56]

But no other high-demand restaurant onsite serves the way 'Ohana does - not even Whispering Canyon et al.

I don't care HOW a restaurant serves. If I ask for a moment to get settled, look at the cocktail menu and then begin my meal, that is what I expect. WDW restaurants charge a premium for dining "experiences" and that is how many are categorized: Experiences. I am willing to pay that inflated cost but I am not willing to compromise reasonable expectations. A few yes ago I took my girls to 1900 Park Fare. This is a character buffet so you can pace your own meal, however we had not even had the chance to remove our outerwear and put our umbrellas down when the server came to tell us to get ready for the character. I told her we had not even been able to take our seat and was told that was the time. We needed to be ready. No. She told us this was the only opportunity to see that character so if we were not ready we would miss that character. I kindly explained that we would see all of the characters during the meal, bank on it.

There is a sense of urgency for some of these busy restaurants to move folks in and out as quickly as possible. I get it. I was a server for years and supported my family that way. I will never accept that as a WDW patron I need to pay an exorbitant price for a meal and be happy to inhale it at the pace that is set by management on any given day or night. I would not do so anywhere else and will not there. I have been dining in WDW for almost 15 years and have had a variety of levels of food and service. I usually attribute an off meal to an off night for the staff and let it go, however I do know the difference between that and a directive from management to move 'em out. That server at 1900 PF honestly thought I was going to make my dripping girls meet Lady Tremaine rather than wait for the next round. At that price? no.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

High demand is no excuse for a rushed dining experience.

We have had similar issues with 'Ohana dinner. For our first handful of visits, it was a nice pace and a great time. Our last visit was a speed dining experience. We tried to slow things down, but there was no stopping it. I remember being on our second round of meat when I finally got my drink...and I ordered it as soon as we were seated. It made me wonder if Disney upped the number of ADR slots because of said demand, meaning staff has to rush diners in order to accommodate an increase in ADR slots (which may have already been noted in the last 6 pages). All in all, it may still be a high demand meal for the masses, but the quality of the experience on this last visit was bad enough that we'll be skipping it for a while.

 

[Disneypro1]

Bottom line is: some people are too darn pokey at eating.
It isn’t thanksgiving at grandmas. Eat and move on.....

 

[Nancyg56]

Bottom line is: some people are too darn pokey at eating.
It isn’t thanksgiving at grandmas. Eat and move on.....

For some reason you seem to need the last word on this subject. We are all not going to agree, and that is the real bottom line.

 

[Disneypro1]

For some reason you seem to need the last word on this subject. We are all not going to agree, and that is the real bottom line.

So you want the last word? Come on. It not that easy.

 

[Nancyg56]

So you want the last word? Come on. It not that easy.

No. I am just pointing out that you cannot arbitrarily determine that your way of thinking is the right way.

 

[Disneypro1]

No. I am just pointing out that you cannot arbitrarily determine that your way of thinking is the right way.

I didn’t. If someone feels I did. That’s their problem.

 

[Lilsia]

We had the opposite experience on our last meal there. It was a few years ago but our server was so overworked that we could not get anything delivered to our table. No refill, no more meat skewers, etc. We watched her run around like a mad woman, sweating and trying to serve all of the tables she was assigned. I felt horrible for her and told the manager that the servers are way over worked and it is killing the guest experience. We are staying at the Poly on our next trip and I think that I will just order the meal from room service.

 

[Nancyg56]

I didn’t. If someone feels I did. That’s their problem.

I give up

 

[Disneypro1]

I give up

Truce. No last word. The next post will be. Lol

 

[B-Ride]

I have only two comments:

• Speeding turnover isn't only about money. It is about making tables available to the hoards of people waiting. 'Ohana is popular and a tough ressie to get.
• That said, we just refuse food that we aren't ready for. At least that is how we did it 6 years ago (the last time we went to 'Ohana). Not sure if that is still an option.

I guess the great equalizer is when people stop going because of the lousy service and the demand drops and they don't have to rush people through. They can make up for the lost revenue by raising prices. They seem to have gotten away with that so far.

 

[Baduist]

I’ll add something to the discussion: customer service all around WDW drops in quality when the parks are packed.

Cast members smile less. Are less patient. Etc..

We make a big effort to visit on less busy days, and enjoy every single aspect of the vacation more.

 

[Lilsia]

I’ll add something to the discussion: customer service all around WDW drops in quality when the parks are packed.

Cast members smile less. Are less patient. Etc..

We make a big effort to visit on less busy days, and enjoy every single aspect of the vacation more.

I imagine that they get a lot of crap from the guests and are probably under staffed. It gets hard to keep a sunny disposition like that, no matter how much, or little you get paid.

 

[Disney & ME]

I think every visit is different because every variable is different, i.e. servers, schedules, time, etc. We have had both relaxed and rushed meals, good servers and inattentive ones, and good and bad experiences (including one with no grilled skewers since they had a grill fire!). It is really a personal decision to make as to what is the point of no return. We are going to try again with a big family group this fall for their first visit and hope for the best.

 

[hereforthechurros]

I’ll add something to the discussion: customer service all around WDW drops in quality when the parks are packed.

Cast members smile less. Are less patient. Etc..

We make a big effort to visit on less busy days, and enjoy every single aspect of the vacation more.

So true.

I really appreciate your point of views in this thread

 

[ArtieRyder]

Dang. OP here. I really hit a chord.

It feels good that others share the opinion, but then its upsetting to see that so many people have had the experience. I guess if I was the only one, then my experience could have been a one-off. Unfortunately, it seems its more of the norm.

I can't imagine not going back to ohana on my next trip. But it is TBD.

To one poster's point, I did refuse the meat skewers. When they dropped the app platter, it was a complete hit and run situation. The runner didn't even look at us. I'm not sure his feet even stopped moving. I was surprised when he dropped it, so I didn't respond immediately. But, I really don't think I could have gotten his attention before he ran off.

To another's question, I'm not positive how long we were there, but we looked at time stamps on pictures and from that it looks like it is between 40 and 50 minutes. Roughly $11/minute.

 

[Baduist]

It feels good that others share the opinion, but then its upsetting to see that so many people have had the experience.

I can't imagine not going back to ohana on my next trip.

Remember that Ohana serves thousands, may tens of thousands of people every single month year round. Even if 5% experience problems it’s still gonna be a lot of people.

And yeah I think you *should* go back. Not going back is just punishing yourself. Go back, expect the worst, and hopefully be pleasantly surprised

 

[TeresaWen]

Bottom line is: some people are too darn pokey at eating.
It isn’t thanksgiving at grandmas. Eat and move on.....

This wins the most absurd comment on this subject. There is a huge difference between lingering overly long after desert has been served. I expect time to review the cocktail list and be serviced the drink I ordered before any food is brought. If I ask for time to enjoy my appetizers and salad I expect this and some time to digest these and maybe actually talk to the people I am dining with. Then the rounds of food can begin. And DO NOT dump desert on the table with out asking if we are ready. I expect to be offered a chance to order more drinks during my meal. These are not high expectation. The restaurant being discussed is not a fast food chain. It is a high demand fairly pricy meal that many families look forward to for a long time. They deserve sufficient time to actually enjoy it. It is most certainly not their responsibility to eat fast & move along so the next group can be herded in. to think otherwise lets management off the hook for good service. Disney should actually be held to a much higher standard. To me the brand still represents superior customer service. They need to continue to earn this and be called out when they fall short.