Recent menu changes we don't like....

[nursejackie]

BOG has the braised pork on their lunch menu. I was just checking today for our upcoming trip.

We have dinner booked and it is now braised beef instead of braised pork. I will still try it but I tend to overload on beef products in WDW so it was nice to have a change but c'est la vie

 

[nursejackie]

Thank you for the "heads up." I'm disappointed that the braised pork is gone from the dinner menu. I was able to get a lunch BOG and canceled my dinner ADR today.

The child in our party loved meeting the beast so we are stuck with dinner.

 

[nursejackie]

Good idea, although it's not open throughout the whole of our stay but usually by the second week so will keep it in mind.

DELETED

 

[nursejackie]

You can get hot dogs at the lunching pad almost right outside Cosmic Rays so it isn't too much effort to split the party in half.

I've just realised you said 'lunching pad' and I saw 'tomorrowland terrace' in my mind. It's that place that's not open during our whole stay as it's seasonal. The lunching pad is always open of course. DOH

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Whoa, you lost me here. I guarantee Disney makes more money off of me using the Deluxe plan than me not using it. So why do they need to "make up the costs" somewhere? I just use it for the convenience. We don't use it when on trips with just the wife and I, but with grown kids it works out best as we are all in different places at times and meet for sig dinners later on.

I think you may be referring to the "FREE DINING"?????? of which I have never used.

1) Do not think of DISNEY losing money, and having to "make up the costs".
2) Think of the individual eatery losing money, and having to make up the costs.
3) That is what counts.
4) Each eatery gets X-Amount of dollars reimbursement per entree-dessert-drink (and appy for DxDP).
5) The restaurant manager and chef must make money from that reimbursement amount.
6) If the profit margin is not there, they have to make changes to retain the profits.
7) Should they not keep the margins, their career is in serious jeopardy.

NOTE: In your case, if you don't use all the DxDP coupons, DISNEY keeps the rest and makes money. Your credits are simply kept in the DISNEY treasury as unspent cash. It does not affect an individual eatery. However, when you do use a coupon, the restaurant must make an acceptable profit margin. THAT is where reimbursement amounts and food costs come into play. Besides, there are more and more non-Disney-owned eateries, so they must make a profit from the reimbursements, and don't share in any profits of non-used credits/coupons.

 

[focusondisney]

1) Do not think of DISNEY losing money, and having to "make up the costs".
2) Think of the individual eatery losing money, and having to make up the costs.
3) That is what counts.
4) Each eatery gets X-Amount of dollars reimbursement per entree-dessert-drink (and appy for DxDP).
5) The restaurant manager and chef must make money from that reimbursement amount.
6) If the profit margin is not there, they have to make changes to retain the profits.
7) Should they not keep the margins, their career is in serious jeopardy.

NOTE: In your case, if you don't use all the DxDP coupons, DISNEY keeps the rest and makes money. Your credits are simply kept in the DISNEY treasury as unspent cash. It does not affect an individual eatery. However, when you do use a coupon, the restaurant must make an acceptable profit margin. THAT is where reimbursement amounts and food costs come into play. Besides, there are more and more non-Disney-owned eateries, so they must make a profit from the reimbursements, and don't share in any profits of non-used credits/coupons.

Very good explanation. Thanks for the info!

 

[Tigger's ally]

1) Do not think of DISNEY losing money, and having to "make up the costs".
2) Think of the individual eatery losing money, and having to make up the costs.
3) That is what counts.
4) Each eatery gets X-Amount of dollars reimbursement per entree-dessert-drink (and appy for DxDP).
5) The restaurant manager and chef must make money from that reimbursement amount.
6) If the profit margin is not there, they have to make changes to retain the profits.
7) Should they not keep the margins, their career is in serious jeopardy.

NOTE: In your case, if you don't use all the DxDP coupons, DISNEY keeps the rest and makes money. Your credits are simply kept in the DISNEY treasury as unspent cash. It does not affect an individual eatery. However, when you do use a coupon, the restaurant must make an acceptable profit margin. THAT is where reimbursement amounts and food costs come into play. Besides, there are more and more non-Disney-owned eateries, so they must make a profit from the reimbursements, and don't share in any profits of non-used credits/coupons.

OK, so I get you there, but I still don't comprehend why a restaurant would sign up for the Dining Plan and then try to "make up the costs" later. Seems to me they haven't exactly been pro-active at all. With restaurants like those at Swan and Dolphin not being on the plan, it seems more restaurants should either be proactive and know what is going to make money or be like those and don't accept the plan.

Thing is, it will never work with me as I usually get a big steak. Profit margin on those is probably low. However, I always have a big bar bill and profit margin there is always good (especially for me, the beer drinker). So, I get the head barkeep rehired and I get the chef fired. Well, If I have to have one or the other while I am down there, glad the barkeep will still be there!

 

[Lisa F]

Well I am happy to see that Narcoossees brought back the bbq shrimp and grits and added a 2 butter poached lobster tail option with the same sides as the whole steamed lobster.

I also love the changes to CA Grill's menu (it happened a little bit ago but within the last month) - black truffle and carmelized onion risotto with the filet? YUM. I had been targeting the wagyu ribeye but it got meh reviews so back to an old standby for me.

I have BoG lunch booked so glad they still have the braised pork then (I already preordered it!)

Everything else I have booked has held steady for the most part.

CA Grill changed it's menu and the risotto is gone now, BOOOOOOO. so I guess I can complain too. Some pearl potatoes and onions and some garlic and an herb butter on top. My planning friend said it was still deeelicious so I will cool my jets about it!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

OK, so I get you there, but I still don't comprehend why a restaurant would sign up for the Dining Plan and then try to "make up the costs" later.

1) Because Disney sets the reimbursement rates in the annual DDP contract.
2) When food costs go up, the restaurant cannot ask for more reimbursement from WDW.
3) So, the price increases have to be made-up from somewhere, such as
. . . menu changes
. . . smaller portions
. . . cheaper ingredients
. . . substitutions of cheaper side dishes
. . . etc
4) There are not many other ways to compensate for price increases other than raising menu prices, which they can't do with DDP.

 

[ArielSRL]

I'm annoyed that WCC took the crab cake app off their menu as I had planned to order that and a dessert for my meal. I'm not a huge fan of much else on their app/entree menu. My DH will love it for the food and my boys for the antics, and we are staying at WL, so I'll still book it.

I'm contemplating ordering the steak as a replacement but the cost difference is quite a bit and I really don't need that much food.

 

[KiniShakenBake]

I'm very sad to see the surf and turf from Narcoossee go away. My husband will be thrilled, but I really quite enjoyed the 2 lobsters for 1 dinner I ended up with because of our accidental DDP on our honeymoon!

See also: Lobster Mac and Cheese at CHH, though we consider the food there more "body and soul glue" than food when we're there for F&W.

I'm also sad that the premium package for F&W went away. We REALLY enjoyed that.

Now I'm planning our next trip and thinking about how much more our budget is going to need to be because of having to actually pay for food out of pocket instead of not thinking about the dollars of it, and instead thinking about whether to pay for it with Quickservice Credits, Snack Credits, Gift Card, or Premium Package entitlements. And yes, we had all four of those at our trip and it became a perverse game for me to maximize them. Plus we liked the seating for the Premium Package. That was awesome.

 

[6loversofdisney]

pecos has been different for a very long time. Cosmic Rays still has burgers and got rid of the "pod" system so you don't have to wait on separate lines for different things.

My last trip was the end of 2014 and it was the same

 

[cgattis]

CA Grill changed it's menu and the risotto is gone now, BOOOOOOO. so I guess I can complain too. Some pearl potatoes and onions and some garlic and an herb butter on top. My planning friend said it was still deeelicious so I will cool my jets about it!

I loved the risotto too, but DH just had this last week and it was as your friend said--deeelicious!! And I got the roasted garlic

 

[emhaile42]

I know it's been gone a while, but I'm still mourning the loss of the pork shank at Gaston's!

 

[Lisa F]

I loved the risotto too, but DH just had this last week and it was as your friend said--deeelicious!! And I got the roasted garlic

I will have to be flexible. or read the menu in its entirety and be surprised by it

 

[ibela]

the new DDP doesn not include dessertsts with counter service meals.. instead, it includes 2 sanck credits per day! yay! so you can have your "dessert" whenever and wherever you want.

we are mourning the "mom's night out" meals at pop century.. the shrimp Lo mein at pop century. ant the wonderful Jalapeno. cheese stuffed pretzels!

That only starts in 2017, correct?

 

[DisneyHardin]

I am upset about the loss of vanilla ice cream for the dole pineapple float or the option of swirl. The only option is now pineapple dole whip with pineapple juice.

You can get vanilla at the Pineapple Lanai at the Poly.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I'm very sad to see the surf and turf from Narcoossee go away. My husband will be thrilled, but I really quite enjoyed the 2 lobsters for 1 dinner I ended up with because of our accidental DDP on our honeymoon!

See also: Lobster Mac and Cheese at CHH, though we consider the food there more "body and soul glue" than food when we're there for F&W.

I'm also sad that the use of snack credits at F&W has been revised, and that the premium package for F&W went away. We REALLY enjoyed that.

Now I'm planning our next trip and thinking about how much more our budget is going to need to be because of having to actually pay for food out of pocket instead of not thinking about the dollars of it, and instead thinking about whether to pay for it with Quickservice Credits, Snack Credits, Gift Card, or Premium Package entitlements. And yes, we had all four of those at our trip and it became a perverse game for me to maximize them. Plus we liked the seating for the Premium Package. That was awesome.

How has the use of snacks at Food and Wine changed?

 

[kmb584]

Noooo to the braised pork being taken off the BOG dinner menu! It's not my favorite place to eat, but the rest of my family loves it so we have an ADR there on 12/10 and the braised pork is the only menu item I like. In fact, it's what 90% of our dining party ordered every single time.

 

[KiniShakenBake]

How has the use of snacks at Food and Wine changed?

From what I understand, they made some of the more expensive and savory options not snack credit eligible. I could be totally wrong, but the value for us in the dining plan (that happened to be the only "discount" we got while staying for our honeymoon, but it was included so yay?) was wrapped into the Premium Package in 2015, because of where we paid when we used the premium areas. We converted quickservice credits at the premium areas and were able to order from three of four kiosks while at one register. With the premium package gone, it's a lot harder to make that quickservice credit work with only two people at one kiosk, which makes the dining plan very hard to make work economically. I was getting $20+ per credit in food value, though, in some of the transactions by being strategic with hubby and using those areas.

Since we're going back in 2017 for another round, and this time likely without the dining plan or the premium package, it will be a much more simple equation. Also, we can think more about the dinners we choose to do table service for, instead of choosing the most expensive and nicest signatures (which were awesome...) because they are the most "bang for your buck" in Signature dining.