So How Do We Feel About the Changes to Be Our Guest?

[JerseyJanice]

@Zooey72 I liked your post not because I agree with all you said, but because I like your spunk! LOL!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Escargot isn't a new item for BOG.

Maybe it was there previously but it’s not now. I was excited there for a minute.

Yay for TP reservation finder. It got me our ‘Farewell to BOG Dinner’ ADR this morning for May. We had not planned on eating dinner at BOG this trip but since it will be our last opportunity to eat there in a while I’m happy to have gotten it. We’ll have a Disney adult next year and no way is she going to be willing to eat any of the prix fixe adult options. If they let in between kids choose adult menu or child menu (and charge accordingly) I would definitely consider it but no way am I paying $55 for my Disney adult to eat off the child’s menu. If it were just DH and I, I would definitely be excited for the change but with our family as it is, BOG prix fixe is nowhere on the horizon for us.

I don’t think it’s a good change for families. Requiring a minimum purchase seems like it would have been a much better way to deal with the cupcake crowd.

 

[mckennarose]

It would never occur to me to order a cupcake and water for a dinner ADR. I think that people who have done that should be ashamed of themselves. They took available tables away from families like mine who would order dinner and a dessert. That’s disgusting. I understand Disney’s response to this.

Disney created the issue when they didn't make BOG dinner prix fixe from the beginning. The cupcake crowd technically wasn't breaking any Disney rules, not that I agree with the practice. I had an issue with people getting TWO hard to get ADR's in one night, for example California Grill or Ohana for dinner and BOG for cupcakes for dessert. I fully expect some ADR's are hard to get and understand they are first come-first serve, however I'm sure it made it harder for those who wanted to eat ONE dinner at ONE popular location. Add that to the ADR hoarding, and no wonder people get up in arms about the hard to get ADR's. I really didn't think it was a practice so widely promoted on other boards and sites until I saw some posts about it here.

And I'm wondering....since I have never done the dining plan....but if someone was on the dining plan and chooses to eat a dessert at a restaurant rather than use a dining credit, can they use a snack credit for the dessert/cupcake? I guess even if they paid OOP it still saves a dining credit. ??? I can see how the practice became popular, not that I think it's right.

..... Requiring a minimum purchase seems like it would have been a much better way to deal with the cupcake crowd.

I feel like Disney covered their bases by requiring an entire meal. If they would've put a minimum monetary purchase people would've complained that Disney was forcing them to order more when all they want is an appetizer or a dessert. Or that they had to pay .... let's say $15 per person... and all they ate was a cupcake and saw the Beast. Nothing is going to seem like a good deal when people were promoting the "value" of a character experience in a beautiful restaurant at BOG for the cost of a cupcake. The way they changed it leaves no room for people to assume the restaurant is for anything except a full meal.

I am interested in hearing more about the new menu and most of all, reports of food quality once this gets going. MK is not my family's favorite for good food choices and this menu sounds good to us so far.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This is another attempt at Disney pawing at my wallet and I am 1/2 tempted to cancel my entire vacation there because of it. Had I not told the kids we were going it would be a def. As is I may still say to hell with Disney and go to Universal instead.

I have come to grips with having to spend a lot of $ going to Disney, but when they do things like this it is like taking the hood ornament off a Porsche and putting it on a VW bug and charging 75k for the car. If they wanted to be more honest about it they should worn a ski mask and used a gun when they announced the change.

You really should cancel your trip. You will not enjoy.

 

[DisBuckMan]

And I'm wondering....since I have never done the dining plan....but if someone was on the dining plan and chooses to eat a dessert at a restaurant rather than use a dining credit, can they use a snack credit for the dessert/cupcake?

No. Snack credits are not accepted at TS meals.

 

[Keels]

I'm incredibly excited for this change! Usually, I go to BoG at least once a trip (I'm almost always by myself) and I always feel bad for the servers there. I usually order a glass of bubbles or wine, an appetizer, an entree and then I get a Grey Stuff to go to eat at home, or if I stay to watch the fireworks somewhere out in the park, so the $55 price for the menu is already in line with what I usually pay - the difference will be booze cost, but if the apps/entrees are elevated ... it's a deal to me! I love the vibe, the relatively exclusivity, just everything magical that comes with dining at dinner at BoG.

But the last few times, I've been surrounded by large tables (I'm talking 6-8 tops) that are in for dessert or the charcuterie and out in less than half an hour, their only purpose for this prime ADR being to meet the Beast.

One of the great things about dining at Disney is the service staff - I personally know many servers that have been at CRT and HBD since Day 1, and love what they do. The problem comes when servers aren't making a decent wage at a restaurant where they have been given a certain expectation of doing so - it becomes almost impossible to staff full-time, especially for the small hours that BoG offers as an actual service restaurant (the food runners and bussers stay the same across all meals, but the actual servers only get dinner hours). Why should a server work at Disney for server wage and dessert-only tips when they can work at a non-Disney restaurant and make a livable wage? My last three times at BoG (all within the last three months), my servers have been new College Program employees. WHAT?!

And, unfortunately, since Disney prefers the ADR system and leaves it up to the discretion of the restaurant itself to accommodate walk-ups/wait list (some do, but BoG for dinner doesn't), those big tables sit empty after thirty minutes for the allotted 60 to 75-minute or whatever dining period the system has programmed for that specific table when it plans reservation spots.

There was a thread on this very board just a few months ago about a family of 6 that was going to come in, order the "specialty dessert platter" via Private Dining and nothing else at a popular dinner time (I wanna say 7 p.m.) just to meet the Beast - I said it back then, and I'll say it again now ... behaviors like this are why we "can't have nice things".

I feel badly for people that want to experience dinner at BoG but aren't thrilled about the prix-fixe offerings or the kids price, but this is wholly an example of people abusing the system to meet one character and ruining it for the rest of the population. This change isn't arbitrary or to make more money - I honestly believe it's to start making enough revenue to cover the restaurant's overhead, because it wasn't cutting it at dinner service. If people keep abusing breakfast, that will be the next change we see.

The one good thing is that hopefully with a guaranteed price, the restaurant will see more of an ROI on food cost and the quality will go up (I can't imagine how much fresh product they have to get rid of every night expecting a full dining room of actual diners, but getting half diners and half cupcake-only people), as well as the quality of the dining service staff.

I love BoG, and I hope it can be like my other favorite restaurants where I can develop a relationship with a server because I return so often.

Just my dos pesos ...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

True but now they are forcing people to have dessert that normally would not, for example we have two diabetics in our family and normally do not get dessert. With this, all the dessert parties, etc I guess Disney doesn't think this country has a problem with diabetes. So basically I would be paying for something I am not going to eat anyway.

Well you could decline the dessert right? Or as another poster mentioned it's possible and likely probable that another option will be available. I'm sure enough people must appreciate having a full 3 (app, entree, dessert) course as opposed to only app and entree or entree and dessert.

As as someone who grew up with a father who has diabetes that's not an excuse he would give nor would he even think about being annoyed with a place that opted to give their patrons a dessert. He had to watch his health no matter the situation-dessert being included or no dessert being included.

 

[Amber White]

We went twice last year, Once for lunch which I am hoping doesn't change and is still a 1 qs credit, and once for dessert and to meet the Beast, as the dinner menu wasn't something my picky eaters would have enjoyed. Since Dinner was never an option for us, still not feeling the change to a Signature Dining experience, Meeting the Beast was the best part of the restaurant..now many people won't get to experience that with the price increase. Sad.

 

[Runnsally]

This is another attempt at Disney pawing at my wallet and I am 1/2 tempted to cancel my entire vacation there because of it. Had I not told the kids we were going it would be a def. As is I may still say to hell with Disney and go to Universal instead.

I have come to grips with having to spend a lot of $ going to Disney, but when they do things like this it is like taking the hood ornament off a Porsche and putting it on a VW bug and charging 75k for the car. If they wanted to be more honest about it they should worn a ski mask and used a gun when they announced the change.

If I understand this analogy correctly, BOG is currently a VW bug. Also, wearing a ski mask is probably more deceitful than honest.

 

[sbd78]

We will be there in late May. Now I'm REALLY glad I got an ADR since this will likely be our first and last time having dinner there! As a family with 3 kids, I usually avoid the 2 table service credit meals because I don't feel the value is there. We've never eaten at CRT because of this, although we are booked there for our upcoming trip. (And I keep wondering if I should drop it for Akershus.) Now that both BOG and CRT will be 2 credits, I bet most families will choose one or the other vs. doing both.

 

[senadler]

I don't think the price is out of line, and considering there was obviously a problem with people booking an ADR and not actually eating dinner I think Disney had to do something. My issue is with the designation of 2TS credits. There are plenty of TS restaurants that are one credit that would be in that price range, depending on what you order. And other experiences that are 2TS, are significantly higher in price. CG brunch is $80, and the dinner shows are over $70 and include gratuity. Signature restaurants in general are not a good value unless you are on the deluxe plan, but this is not a good value under any plan.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Signature restaurants in general are not a good value unless you are on the deluxe plan, but this is not a good value under any plan.

Exactly the opposite. The DxDP is different, but in general, signature restaurants are a terrible value on the standard DDP if your only measure is $$$ per credit.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Disney created the issue when they didn't make BOG dinner prix fixe from the beginning. The cupcake crowd technically wasn't breaking any Disney rules, not that I agree with the practice. I had an issue with people getting TWO hard to get ADR's in one night, for example California Grill or Ohana for dinner and BOG for cupcakes for dessert. I fully expect some ADR's are hard to get and understand they are first come-first serve, however I'm sure it made it harder for those who wanted to eat ONE dinner at ONE popular location. Add that to the ADR hoarding, and no wonder people get up in arms about the hard to get ADR's. I really didn't think it was a practice so widely promoted on other boards and sites until I saw some posts about it here.

And I'm wondering....since I have never done the dining plan....but if someone was on the dining plan and chooses to eat a dessert at a restaurant rather than use a dining credit, can they use a snack credit for the dessert/cupcake? I guess even if they paid OOP it still saves a dining credit. ??? I can see how the practice became popular, not that I think it's right.



I feel like Disney covered their bases by requiring an entire meal. If they would've put a minimum monetary purchase people would've complained that Disney was forcing them to order more when all they want is an appetizer or a dessert. Or that they had to pay .... let's say $15 per person... and all they ate was a cupcake and saw the Beast. Nothing is going to seem like a good deal when people were promoting the "value" of a character experience in a beautiful restaurant at BOG for the cost of a cupcake. The way they changed it leaves no room for people to assume the restaurant is for anything except a full meal.

I am interested in hearing more about the new menu and most of all, reports of food quality once this gets going. MK is not my family's favorite for good food choices and this menu sounds good to us so far.

I would also say that Disney is actively encouraging the behavior at breakfast by putting a cupcake on the menu. Seriously? It’s a quarter of the price of literally every other food item and who needs dessert for breakfast when you are already getting pastries. If you want people to at least pay for one meal per table don’t give them such an easy out. Disney is complicit in this behavior so I’m not sure I’m on board with the idea that they have to go prix fixe. They could start with not actively encouraging that which they claim to dislike.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

This is another attempt at Disney pawing at my wallet and I am 1/2 tempted to cancel my entire vacation there because of it. Had I not told the kids we were going it would be a def. As is I may still say to hell with Disney and go to Universal instead.

I have come to grips with having to spend a lot of $ going to Disney, but when they do things like this it is like taking the hood ornament off a Porsche and putting it on a VW bug and charging 75k for the car. If they wanted to be more honest about it they should worn a ski mask and used a gun when they announced the change.

This is a joke. Right? There are a lot of places to eat at MK. The food was horrible last time we ate at BOG and we swore to never eat there again but now with the change, we are looking forward to eating there. Is Disney forcing you to spend the money at BOG? if so, I would cancel too.

 

[LG1230]

I like these changes!

 

[kandb]

Where can I see the new menu?

 

[KC Mouse]

These changes are minuscule for our vacationing. We have had breakfast and lunch at BOG and the only thing that keeps us coming back are the ornate details of the restaurant. Even with all the beauty of the Beasts castle our experiences have been poor. The food is mediocre at best and its so over crowded that we could barely hear each other speak. Over priced, over crowded and over rated. But that's just my opinion. If your a fan take heart, because I will not be taking up your reservation. But lets face it, a poor meal in WDW is better than a great meal anywhere else.

 

[senadler]

Exactly the opposite. The DxDP is different, but in general, signature restaurants are a terrible value on the standard DDP if your only measure is $$$ per credit.

For me, the only measure of value on any dining plan is $$$ per credit. If it costs more to use the plan, I will simply pay for my meals. My point was that making the 2TS credits is out of line with other experiences are that are 1 TS credit for a similar price.

 

[sbd78]

$$$ per credit is pretty important on the dining plan. Otherwise, why get the dining plan if it's cheaper to pay out of pocket??

 

[KC Mouse]

$$$ per credit is pretty important on the dining plan. Otherwise, why get the dining plan if it's cheaper to pay out of pocket??

Little off subject but I agree. We no longer use the DDP because we found it cheeper to pay out of pocket.