What do people dislike about BOG??

puck292

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Heading down to GF May with wife and kids 20 and 17. We ate at BOG 2 years ago for both a lunch and a dinner. My daughter has loved Beauty and the Beast since she was a kid so that's why we got reservations. Have ADRs again for both a lunch and a dinner this time. Was reading the best/worst thread and there were a lot of "worsts" for BOG. It wasn't our favorite restaurant but the food was decent and the atmosphere made up for the lack of top notch food. But I am curious if something has changed or quality has declined. any opinions appreciated.
 
I can't speak for others but what I've read is that a lot of people don't see value/quality aligned with price. I think I go into BOG with rose colored lenses since I am a huge BOG fan so it's a non-issue on the food. Plus I haven't eaten enough there to get a bad meal or have a bad experience. I do enjoy the food but I think for others it's a QS restaurant with TS prices and that's what doesn't sit well with many, esp if they aren't BOG fans. I love the castle experience so much so maybe my food tastes better LOL!
 
My family found it way too chaotic and the food was really sub-par. My sandwich was just bleh. It felt like going to a Luby's or other cafeteria type restaurant. I am a huge Beauty and the Beast fan and was so excited for this. We went at lunch time and sat in the rose room, which was okay. I mean, this place is huge and loud, and like I said, chaotic. It just didn't fit our style as a family, but it may very well fit others, so I am reluctant to tell people not to try it...but if you ask my opinion....
 
We have done both dinner & lunch. Both loud & chaotic for sure. Over priced for meh food.

Lunch was a disaster for us. We had pre-ordered the meal and it took them almost an hour to serve us. DD's meal was inedible.

I rather eat the Crystal Palace.
 


Had lunch there twice and the food (we all had some type of sandwiches) was just meh.. I hear the braised pork is great tho

Had breakfast there and was impressed was it like having breakfast at a resort no but it was much better than the lunches we had...
 
Although I've read plenty about why other people don't like BoG (and it's hard to disagree with many of those), the biggest issue I have is that it tries to be too many different things to everyone. It wants to be QS and TS (with menus to match). It wants to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner. It wants to be heavily themed, but not require any interaction. It wants to be a character meal, but only part time with one character. It wants to be partly self-service, but also use wait staff. It wants to do advance ordering, but not mobile ordering. It wants to feel casual during the day and upscale during the evening (with few changes other than full wait staff and menu selections). Like many restaurants that take such an approach, BoG ends up doing many things at an okay level, instead of committing to doing a couple of things exceptionally well. A lot of the problems that I read (chaos, food, price, ambiance, etc.) all seem to relate to the restaurant's conflicted identity. I've done all the meals there at different times of year - and the quality of meals (food and experience) have varied widely. Which leads also to the problem of consistency - I'm never quite sure whether the meal is going to be great or below average (never had what I would call a truly bad meal there).

I do understand that a lot of the way BoG is run stems from trying to meet demand and get as many guests through there as possible. I'm hopeful, however, that these rumors about what's happening with BoG later this summer might address some of those issues and make the overall experience better (or at least more consistent).
 
I have only had dinner there and we really enjoyed it. It’s different at dinner than at lunch. Dinner is full table service, not quick service like breakfast and lunch. The themeing is great and you get to meet the Beast at dinner.

My friend hates it though. But he has only ever experienced lunch. I have tried to get him to do dinner but he won’t. He said it was so chaotic and just blah.
 


I think for the hype and difficulty involved in getting an ADR, people just expect to be blown away. We are going for the first time over Easter week (dinner) and I am really looking forward to it, despite the so-so reviews. I've never heard anyone rave about the food, but I still want to go. I wouldn't pay for breakfast at that price unless it was a PPO advantage and we were going to split something just to get in early, or if I had a QS dining credit to use up. I would try lunch, just got lucky and snagged an early dinner this time.

I'm thankful for all views so I can go in with a little less expectation, but am hoping to be pleasantly surprised. If not, no big deal, I would have tried it anyway and next time there are lots of other great places to eat.
 
Although I've read plenty about why other people don't like BoG (and it's hard to disagree with many of those), the biggest issue I have is that it tries to be too many different things to everyone. It wants to be QS and TS (with menus to match). It wants to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner. It wants to be heavily themed, but not require any interaction. It wants to be a character meal, but only part time with one character. It wants to be partly self-service, but also use wait staff. It wants to do advance ordering, but not mobile ordering. It wants to feel casual during the day and upscale during the evening (with few changes other than full wait staff and menu selections). Like many restaurants that take such an approach, BoG ends up doing many things at an okay level, instead of committing to doing a couple of things exceptionally well. A lot of the problems that I read (chaos, food, price, ambiance, etc.) all seem to relate to the restaurant's conflicted identity. I've done all the meals there at different times of year - and the quality of meals (food and experience) have varied widely. Which leads also to the problem of consistency - I'm never quite sure whether the meal is going to be great or below average (never had what I would call a truly bad meal there).

I do understand that a lot of the way BoG is run stems from trying to meet demand and get as many guests through there as possible. I'm hopeful, however, that these rumors about what's happening with BoG later this summer might address some of those issues and make the overall experience better (or at least more consistent).

All very valid points, my favorite meal time is Breakfast. It's not the most amazing food but the food quality, presentation, delivery and atmosphere match that meal. The only thing that isn't matched at breakfast is the price, it's a TS meal price for QS feel. The lunch and dinner are least fave, even with the beast. I've never had a bad meal but I've never had an amazing meal either, the Beast needs to get his act together and stick with something.
 
I've had both lunch and dinner there, and both times, my party of four agreed that the food was lacking. Especially for the price. It's gorgeous, and I love the atmosphere/ambiance, but that's really it.
 
I think it's high expectations due to how hard it is to get a dinner ADR. the prices are typical "Disney", no higher no lower. Strip steak is $34-35 pretty much everywhere and it is at BoG. The desserts are kind of sub-par for the experience, they are fine for QS but for dinner they should have some real plated composed desserts.

Mostly when something is super hard to get but the food isn't amazing there is a disconnect. I am ok with just "good" food at Disney, and am looking forward to my first time there on my upcoming trip... scored a dinner ADR!
 
We have done lunch and dinner. The atmosphere is beautiful. We ate there the first time about a year after it opened. The food was very good, and was worth going back to. Since that time, we have been underwhelmed by the quality of the food, even if you don't take into account the price. Worse when you consider the price. It is very loud, noisy and crowded. Again, for the price not what I'm paying for.
I love the concept and atmosphere. Its just not executed well.
I think it is a victim of its own success. There is such high demand and they are trying to meet it. But that involves cutting corners and it shows.
We are happy to let someone else fight for a seat there and we will eat elsewhere. At least until it improves.
 
Heading down to GF May with wife and kids 20 and 17. We ate at BOG 2 years ago for both a lunch and a dinner. My daughter has loved Beauty and the Beast since she was a kid so that's why we got reservations. Have ADRs again for both a lunch and a dinner this time. Was reading the best/worst thread and there were a lot of "worsts" for BOG. It wasn't our favorite restaurant but the food was decent and the atmosphere made up for the lack of top notch food. But I am curious if something has changed or quality has declined. any opinions appreciated.

I don't think anything has changed, so if you liked it previously you probably still will.

I've eaten there numerous times from right after it opened through this past December, for breakfast, lunches, and dinners. I've enjoyed it and my food every time.
 
We have done lunch and dinner. The atmosphere is beautiful. We ate there the first time about a year after it opened. The food was very good, and was worth going back to. Since that time, we have been underwhelmed by the quality of the food, even if you don't take into account the price. Worse when you consider the price. It is very loud, noisy and crowded. Again, for the price not what I'm paying for.
I love the concept and atmosphere. Its just not executed well.
I think it is a victim of its own success. There is such high demand and they are trying to meet it. But that involves cutting corners and it shows.
We are happy to let someone else fight for a seat there and we will eat elsewhere. At least until it improves.

I agree completely. We ate there for dinner in May 2015 and the food was really good. We went back this past May and the service and food were awful. It really was the worst meal of our trip. The whole experience took over 2 hours and my chicken was so tough that I couldn't cut it with a knife. I literally had to tear it apart. It ended up being our most expensive bill of the trip (and we ate at numerous character buffets and did the ROL package at Tiffins). I felt like I was eating in a cafeteria. In my opinion, the only way to enjoy your dinner experience there is to eat in any room BUT the ballroom.. way too loud and chaotic
 
I think people tend to come with high expectations due to scarcity of reservation availability, fancy looking menu options, and expensive pricing to match. For the first couple years the “grey stuff” was not delicious- no need to ask the dishes. They also struggle with an undersized kitchen.

I was disappointed the first couple times but continue to go because they really have improved (and my wife has always liked this place - happy wife happy life). Happily the “grey stuff” is now delicious. I’ve found their beef to be my favorite dinner and enjoy a few of the breakfast options. The kitchen is being expanded. I think they have heard the complaints and continue to tweak for improvement.

The comments about trying to be too much for too many balancing the qs with ts is fair. The disappearing soda machines are a great example, as is the contrast of paper plates morphing into cloth napkins. But honestly it’s not very obvious unless you experience both.

Yes it’s loud. But honestly outside of Epcot I struggle to think of in-park non-signature ts places that are not loud, so I don’t think that’s really a fair complaint. If you want Victoria and alberts (which I am convinced many who see the opulence of the movie and facade of the restaurant may think await) then you will be disappointed to find large non-private rooms and slightly above-average servers.

I would also add if I booked a qs meal at bog and didn’t pre order I would be immediately turned off by the self serve long line checkout process. After waiting to get in for a few minutes and then have to wait in that line would make an uphill battle for a good dining experience. Preorder and skip the line and you’re already doing better.

I have gone on the dining plan so the cost hasn’t been a driving opinion factor. That being said, if I was paying oop I probably would be underwhelmed with breakfast but think dinner is still comparatively appropriately priced for the food and beast (minor) interaction.
 
The atmosphere was nice.. the food was meh... just not a MUST eat place IMO...
 
I don't like the fact that during breakfast and lunch, folks are just wandering around everywhere taking pictures while you're trying to eat. Many folks treat the restaurant like an attraction, and have no respect for people trying to actually eat.
 
meh one and done. Dinner was ok foodwise, the room we were in was blah seated right by the service station, how romantic for a 20th anniv dinner. Server just rushed through the motions taking orders and that was it. never saw him again till we begged for the check to get out of there. Same at dinner people wandering around the room taking pics. I liked Beauty and the Beast but didnt feel any love for the restaurant at all. Leaves room for others to dine there! I dont order cupcakes for sit down dinner dessert either, they looked like anything you can get at a food court. Dont get the hype.
 
I've had breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast: wildly overpriced and poor food. You are paying for early park admission and a jump on 7DMT & Peter Pan. If (and only if), WDW doesn't change up park opening hrs on you, this may be worth it. It was worth it to me a few years ago for the early entry. Now with last minute park opening changes, it is not worth it.

Lunch: this is the best value IMO if you really want to see inside the castle. Decent food.

Dinner: just as loud as lunch, tables crammed together and poor service. Darn near impossible to get an ADR. Just go for lunch.
 

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