Why are in-resort TS so important?

[VillainFavs]

Just sort of a general question. When discussions come up about why to choose one resort over another, or negatives about value resorts/POFQ, etc., the argument often comes up about the availability of TS restaurants. As in, this resort is better because the TS there is better. Or I would never stay there because they don't have a TS.

Is that really a big deal to a lot of people? I just never even think about it. We go in between lots of different resorts for dining options. And just because we stay at a resort with a TS doesn't necessarily mean we'll eat there. Or that we'll eat there more than once. We stayed in Wilderness Lodge last year because we really loved the resort. We didn't eat TS at the resort once! But we've been to Whispering Canyon several times in the past from other resorts.

I just don't see the need to plan my week-long stay around the one meal I might eat at that resort. Or do people eat at the same restaurant multiple times in one stay?

Like I said, just curious because I really don't understand this argument!

 

[LilyWDW]

Means nothing to me personally. I can easily get around property to have TS at the parks, DS, or the other resorts. Plus, some of the resort TS are not places I would eat at anyway. I don't care that Riverside has a TS location since no way in heck would I spend money there. The CS at POFQ is better!

So I am with you. I just don't quite get it either.

 

[westie55]

I, personally, do not require table service at my resort. However, everyone has a different vacation style and I do know people who find that very important. They tend to spend more time at the resort, value fine dining, and some of them don't even go to the parks on some trips and would rather not have the hassle of taking a bus, etc. To each his own!

 

[Babsy]

We enjoy having a TS restaurant at our resort, especially if it is a good one. WE do eat out in theme parks and at other resorts, but we don't have a car with us so we do end up eating dinner in the evening at our resort several times throughout our stay. We are not fans of food courts, we prefer the relaxation of TS (in the evening, especially). The whole getting your food on a tray, queuing up to pay and then searching for a table isn't fun, IMO.

Some days we just like to end the day early and crash at our resort. The thought of taking multiple buses/forms of transportation to get to another resort just to eat feels like a hassle to us at that point. WE enjoy going downstairs or strolling through the resort to a restaurant reservation at 'home'.

We have stayed at places without TS, but we do feel that a TS restaurant at the resort adds to our enjoyment of our stay.

 

[dansdad]

We enjoy having a TS restaurant at our resort, especially if it is a good one. WE do eat out in theme parks and at other resorts, but we don't have a car with us so we do end up eating dinner in the evening at our resort several times throughout our stay. We are not fans of food courts, we prefer the relaxation of TS (in the evening, especially). The whole getting your food on a tray, queuing up to pay and then searching for a table isn't fun, IMO.

Some days we just like to end the day early and crash at our resort. The thought of taking multiple buses/forms of transportation to get to another resort just to eat feels like a hassle to us at that point. WE enjoy going downstairs or strolling through the resort to a restaurant reservation at 'home'.

We have stayed at places without TS, but we do feel that a TS restaurant at the resort adds to our enjoyment of our stay.

This pretty much sums up how we feel as well.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

We spend our time at the parks, and would not go to a TS in the resort other than maybe on check-in or check-out day when we are not in the parks. We prefer using the food court for a quick bite. We have a trip in a couple of weeks and I was just checking out menus and prices on line at some of the TS restaurants in the various parks, and I was pretty much horrified! We will be sticking with the CS places!

 

[HopperFan]

In the case of POFQ since you brought it up ..... my argument is this ...... we pay CRAZY prices to stay at Disney resorts. Their rooms and customer service are not in the league with other hotels that charge the same amount. The only real extra they give us is the transportation system and the expansive grounds.

The fact that POFQ is the same price or more and rarely gets discounts but has NO Table Service and I am expected to go to POR or DS for that, that I have to go over to POR to get some of the recreational activities, at times I can't get on the boat to DS because it is full from POR and until recently it had a small limited menu food court ..... yes, it bothers me and I feel I am overpaying for that resort.

In terms of folks wanting a good option at their hotel ........... why not? If you are paying hundreds of dollars per night for a room, why shouldn't it be expected to have a decent table service or two available for my breakfast, lunch during breaks or dinner, especially now with shorter hours. And for those on the DDP and DxDDP .... I think TS at resorts are really important.

In terms of Values, they don't need them, they probably couldn't handle the demand, I don't think anyone staying there cares so I see no discussion there.

Everyone vacations different ....... and if you are car-less .. getting to other resorts to eat can be a bite. If you utilize TS often, having options at your resort you are paying big bucks for can be very important.

 

[MsThumper]

We enjoy having a TS restaurant at our resort, especially if it is a good one. WE do eat out in theme parks and at other resorts, but we don't have a car with us so we do end up eating dinner in the evening at our resort several times throughout our stay. We are not fans of food courts, we prefer the relaxation of TS (in the evening, especially). The whole getting your food on a tray, queuing up to pay and then searching for a table isn't fun, IMO.

Some days we just like to end the day early and crash at our resort. The thought of taking multiple buses/forms of transportation to get to another resort just to eat feels like a hassle to us at that point. WE enjoy going downstairs or strolling through the resort to a restaurant reservation at 'home'.

We have stayed at places without TS, but we do feel that a TS restaurant at the resort adds to our enjoyment of our stay.

Sounds like us too. We don't eat out a lot at home, so when we are on vaction, TS dining is something we enjoy. QS at every meal just doesn't sound like a vacation to me.

We don't necessarily need a TS at the resort we stay at, but we also don't want to travel too far to get to one either. Something within walking distance is ideal. We are Florida residents, so we always have a car with us, but once the car is parked at the resort, it doesn't move until it is time to go home. Also, we like to have a glass or two of wine with our dinner, and neither of us will drive even if we have had one drop of alcohol. Not preaching or judging any one else, that is just our personal rule.

 

[pixie08]

We enjoy eating at our resort TS (or ones nearby). For instance for our upcoming trip we are staying at BLT. We like this resort because we will do CM for breakfast, Wave for breakfast, dinner and maybe lunch and we are doing CG twice for dinner. So not traveling around too much and also taking breaks from the parks to eat is important to us. That being said, we have been to Disney so many times so optimizing park time is not that important to us anymore. If it where this wouldn't matter too much and we would eat more at the parks if that makes sense...

 

[Micca]

I always sort of thought it had something to do with families who vacation at resorts in a variety of places where getting to an off-site restaurant is a hassle, much easier just to go to the restaurant at the hotel. There is no shortage of places to eat at WDW, so it's no big deal to us.

 

[Disneylover99]

Having a TS restaurant at my moderate or deluxe resort is of zero importance to me. Having a decent counter service is important.

 

[disneyvoice]

It's just a personal preference. When my son was much younger and couldn't walk around on his own or with friends yet, whether or not a resort had a TS restaurant wasn't important to us at all because we really only slept, showered, etc at the resort - we really never even visited the food resort food courts much. But as he got older and preferred to take off on his own we were able to slow down a bit and enjoy things besides being just the rides and TS restaurants in the park we were visiting. My DH and I started visiting other resorts and having a couple only meal there or trying the food out while we sat at the bar and had a drink. Now since my DH go without our son more frequently we do prefer to stay at a resort with a TS restaurant because we spend a lot more time just relaxing and enjoying what the resort has to offer.

But, I will say that if it came down only being able to stay at a resort without a TS restaurant or not going at all, I would enthusiastically stay at the resort without a TS restaurant. There are so many great TS options at all the parks and at Disney Springs that you can still enjoy great food; and you can always travel to another resort and eat at it's TS restaurants.

 

[addiln]

For us it is really just an added bonus if the resort we are staying at has a ts that would interest us. We tend to have a couple days of no parks and if the resort has a place where we want to have dinner at it just makes it easier. We are able to get around WDW with no problems so that is not the issue. It is more of a convenient issue than anything else.

 

[ncc1701]

Doesn't matter to us either.We love the feel and size of POFQ altho I do miss Bonfamille's the TS POFQ had. For dinner we have one at YSH and maybe another couple at a park TS , ESPN Club or POR. We don't have a car but budget in for taxis if we eat at another resort (lunch or dinner) if heading back to POFQ is the plan.Otherwise for dinner we boat to DS. Since late 2015 the boat is no longer shared with POR after 4:00-4:30. So our worst case has been waiting for a second boat on a Friday night at peak time. The fact we can walk up to POR to eat, visit their bars or restaurants and the closeness to DS outweigh no TS.

 

[VillainFavs]

I certainly didn't mean for anyone to get defensive! I was just asking a question because it's never even been a part of my decision where to stay. Not a consideration for us at all!

And we've never had our own transportation at Disney, always solely relied on theirs. Yet we end up eating at all different resorts, parks, and DS. Have never minded getting from one to another.

But we also would never eat at a restaurant more than once on a trip. Just too many different places to enjoy!

I guess I was trying to figure out if I was missing something or if it truly is just different things for different people.

 

[maxiesmom]

It has never ever factored into where I stay. It is so easy to get to the resort restaurants anyway.

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

It never really mattered to me! And I love a good sit down meal. But in general, if you're staying at a deluxe you're paying for location and that includes being surrounded by both parks AND other resorts that all have great TS. I don't need to be STAYING at a resort that has TS, but I do like that the resorts in general have options for TS because I like having a sit down meal without being forced to use a park ticket just to eat out. I have had trips at Value resorts with the QS plan that were JUST as magical with only one sit down meal the whole trip. We would spend the day at MK, take the monorail to GF and have a meal there...but no WAY am I paying GF prices just to eat at 1900 PF...we stayed at a value for a fraction of the price and still got the TS benefit of GF! But for my upcoming November trip we will be on the dining plan and staying at BWI. I love the BW theming but will not likely be eating any TS there. I am MUCH more interested in the TS at Beach/Yacht Club and being walking distance to all of Epcot's dining options.

The funny thing about staying onsite at WDW is pretty much all the TS options are a perk. No need to stay exactly where they're located.

 

[CynBeth]

I have family members with food allergies so we pretty much have to eat at TS for all meals so we tend to alternate between the deluxe resorts. We will usually have breakfast a few days at a TS in our resort but we also eat breakfast at other nearby resorts or in the parks. Then lunch and dinner are at the parks with 1 dinner at DS.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

For me, it's not only important that our resort has TS, but that there are other TS within easy access of the resort! I love the EP resorts for this very reason. We stay at BWI/BWV a lot and I rarely make ADR's because I know there is a TS somewhere within walking distance we can make last-minute ADR's or even walk up to on any given night. It's even more convenient than staying at a monorail resort, IMHO. I'm currently planning on staying WL on our next trip - a resort I kind of felt trapped in when he was younger because I simply didn't want to get on another bus or boat after his afternoon nap. But now that uber is on property and he no longer needs a car seat, I feel like we'll have a little more freedom to get around WDW. We will also eat at all of the TS and QS there and will probably get room service, too!

 

[happymommy]

I don't do many TS meals any longer, as I'd rather go with the flow most days. Even in our stays at deluxe resorts, we rarely used the TS restaurants.

DD and I now prefer the large food court option at Pop (and we're trying All Star Sports next trip). When we get back in the evening, we often will get a meal there and bring it back to the room. The food courts are often noisy, so we like the peaceful quiet of the room to decompress after the day. In the morning, once or twice I will go get breakfast and bring it back for us, since I'm usually up and dressed first.