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nmjohnston874
03-18-2007, 07:42 AM
After a horrendous experience last October, we vowed never to return, but my DD wants to go during her 21st BD trip in May. Should we take the chance?

HobbitFeet
03-18-2007, 08:28 AM
(Well now you've got to (re)describe your experience. :eek: )

You could always just send her...:p

nmjohnston874
03-18-2007, 09:12 AM
(Well now you've got to (re)describe your experience. :eek: )

You could always just send her...:p

You asked for it. Here is a copy of the complaint I emailed to Guest Relations:

I wish to let you know about my wife’s and my experience at the Blue Bayou last Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2006.

We were VERY disappointed in the BB. We went there for my birthday lunch at 2 p.m. Tuesday with great expectations since it was our first visit after the refurbishment. . It started out well. We got a waterside table in just a few minutes although they were crowded. The waitress was right there and took our drink and appetizer orders. When she returned, she took our lunch orders of prime rib for my wife and seafood jambalaya for me, then disappeared never to be seen again. After about 30 minutes a waiter brought us the wrong order of Monte Cristos. He returned about 15 minutes later with the correct order. I tasted my wife’s prime rib, and I have had better roast beef. The carne adovado at Ranchos Del Zacolo was more moist and tender. My jambalaya was okay, nothing special. After the waiter took away the dishes, we waited 20 minutes before he returned to ask about dessert, which we were going to order – I wanted to try the cookie boat – but we were so angry we declined. I even declined my complimentary birthday chocolate pudding dessert. Our tab came to $80. certainly not worth it. To make matters worse, we were seated next to where they deposit the dirty dishes and had to listen to that the entire time. .

We eat at the Blue Bayuou each time we visit, which is usually twice a year, and have always had excellent service and food, but not this time. In the nine years I have visited Disneyland, this is the first time I have had to file a complaint to Guest Relations. The rest of the visit was wonderful. The park was beautiful, and the cast members all were friendly and helpful.

We will return to Disneyland, but we definitely will not eat at the Blue Bayou again.

So I hope this explains why we are reluctant to return.

simbaNnala101
03-18-2007, 09:19 AM
Well it sounds to me that you have had a lot of good experiances as well as teh one bad. I personaly love the BB and I recomend it to everyone all of teh time! I would say totally take her and when you go take your waiter off to the side and tell him/her that it is her birthday and about your really bad experiance last time and I am sure that the cast will do their best to make it the best experiance you ever had!:D I hoped that helped and enjoy your trip.

~Ash~

HobbitFeet
03-18-2007, 09:40 AM
Oh, what a bummer of a dinner! Made so much worse by it being your birthday! :( :( :(


I think if I were in your shoes, I would perhaps *just* go for dessert? See if the service has gotten any better (though I have read reviews where it's the service that has the most problems...I wonder if the servers can SEE well enough in that low light to know when their customers need them? ha ha, but then again, I wouldn't be able to work in there)?

By the way, birthday dessert for free? If only I'd known that last year! :(

SarahShep
03-18-2007, 10:04 AM
By the way, birthday dessert for free? If only I'd known that last year! :(

Grrrr, me too! Dang it! We went for my birthday last year. How it is that I could NOT have known that after reading this forum all the time is beyond me! I must be blind...

And on the original topic? LOL I say try it one more time too. I love that restaurant way too much to let one bad experience ruin it. So try it one more time and if it's still bad, then it's time to give up.

tod
03-18-2007, 10:31 AM
After a horrendous experience last October, we vowed never to return, but my DD wants to go during her 21st BD trip in May. Should we take the chance?

No.

If you want to have an event dinner, head over to Granville's or Steakhouse 55 or Kiss Your Money Good-bye or whatever they call it this week (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/hotels/dining/detail?name=Steakhouse55DiningPage), or if you'd rather turn your gaze eastward there is Yamabuki (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/hotels/dining/detail?name=YamabukiDiningPage) in the Paradise Pier, or if seafood is your preference there is Hook's Pointe (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/hotels/dining/detail?name=HooksPointeDiningPage), or if you want to celebrate her newly-arrived drinking legality you can get a wine-paired dinner at The Vineyard Room (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/dining/detail?name=VineyardRoomDiningPage) (where TLMt and I have dined several times and we have never had a bad meal there) and there's also Napa Rose (http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/hotels/dining/detail?name=NapaRoseDiningPage) if you want to pull out all the stops, plus the more-modest but perfectly good Storyteller's Café, or Wine Country Trattoria.

The Blue Bayou has been disappointing people since its last rehab -- including The tod Family on Christmas Day 2005 -- and if you go there again after that last disaster and you don't like it -- Fool me twice, shame on me.

You can do better. Do it.

--t

nmjohnston874
03-18-2007, 11:36 AM
Oh, what a bummer of a dinner! Made so much worse by it being your birthday! :( :( :(


I think if I were in your shoes, I would perhaps *just* go for dessert? See if the service has gotten any better (though I have read reviews where it's the service that has the most problems...I wonder if the servers can SEE well enough in that low light to know when their customers need them? ha ha, but then again, I wouldn't be able to work in there)?

By the way, birthday dessert for free? If only I'd known that last year! :(

It wasn't one of the menu deserts, and believe me, it was nothing special -- just a dollop of chocolate pudding, or a piece of cake with a candle, I can't remember which. They did give me a card signed by the wait staf, which was nice.

Clotho
03-18-2007, 04:11 PM
If you have had all good experiences, and always went, and then had ONE bad, I am surprised you are completely convinced not to return?

the food commentary doesn't surprise me. I have never found the food to be that good or worth the price. The service has varied every time I have gone. Mostly good, some really bad.

But in the end, it is the location location location. I love going to the BB, and perhaps I am a sucker in that regard. But I would totally go anytime I could.

As others have said, if you fear overspending for something not woth the moolah, go for just dessert?

gibson510
03-18-2007, 06:17 PM
Well I can see why you were dissapointed. Dropping 80 bucks on service like that, I would be mad too.

But since you loved it every other time you went, I would give it one more try. But thats just me.

Tod raises a good point, their are plenty of other realllly good(yet expensive) places to eat. And since it's the 21st B-DAY, you gotta do it big.

neverlander
03-19-2007, 07:09 AM
my DD wants to go during her 21st BD trip in May. Should we take the chance?
It's her birthday. She wants to go there. Regardless of service, quality of food, etc., I say, "Go for it!" Even if it's terrible, you could pretend that it's fantastic for her sake. She will remember that her family honored her birthday wish. (You're fortunate; lots of 21 year olds wouldn't dream of spending their birthday with their parents. :) )

HobbitFeet
03-19-2007, 11:21 PM
(You're fortunate; lots of 21 year olds wouldn't dream of spending their birthday with their parents. :) )

Ooh, how true! I have an Oct b'day and I was young for my grade, so I was still across the country in college for my 21st...you're all so lucky to be so close!

CariBelle
03-20-2007, 09:38 AM
The birthday dessert I had there was fab! Chocolate mousse with the BB chocolate coins used to make Mickey ears on it.

The old man
03-20-2007, 08:27 PM
...The tod Family on Christmas Day 2005...
Is there a term in grammar for referring to your family in the third person?

The old man wants to know.

missm
03-21-2007, 09:05 AM
I just looked at the menu for BB and I was planning on having lunch there but the lunch and dinner menu are the same prices! What is the deal with that? Do you get a smaller portion for lunch? I really want to go there but have plans for dinner all the other nights of our trip. If it is a rip off I don't want to pay the dinner price for lunch. I have never gone to DL without going to the BB. It might be my first time.

WhichIsStitch
03-21-2007, 02:34 PM
Went to the newly updated BB in Sept '06 with my husband and sister. Ambience is still just as wonderful but it doesn't really balance out the price of the food, choices and portions. My English husband refers to it as "dirty plate cuisine" since it looks more like someone's leftovers rather than a full meal. As long as you know what you're going to get you probably won't be disappointed. Especially if you are there for a special occasion and $$$$$$ is no concern. Until the BB reverts back to the wonderful experience it used to be, we will eat at the cafe across the street where the same MC sandwich is cheaper, the staff is more pleasant and we will save the BB for dessert. Still totally love the atmosphere there!!!

bloodnswash
04-20-2007, 09:49 AM
We told BB we had a birthday we were celebrating and they just smiled.

I'm not a big fan of BB anymore. We will only go there for dessert.....sometimes. Although, be careful. Our last waiter was sooooo rude to us (all because we only ordered dessert??). I sent a HUGE complaint once we returned home.

disneyshoes
04-20-2007, 10:08 AM
That is terrible...my son has picked BB for his birthday. I don't want to discourage him going but I am a little worried. Do they bring anything (dessert) or sing for birthdays?

mickeynminnie
04-20-2007, 10:08 AM
Bloodnswash, did you get a response from disney? Our last trip to the BB was just so-so. We did have a water table which was great, but the service is really slow until they try to rush you out, which we didn't appreciate. I mean come on, first you make us sit here for 20 minutes and then you're impatient for us to finish? Make up you mind people!:confused:

bloodnswash
04-20-2007, 10:14 AM
They did get back to me but pretty much with a form letter. They said they were sorry about it all and that I should have reported it immediately. Not really sure what that would have done. If I had gone to City Hall they would have probably said, "So what do you want us to do about it?" I have received that quote on several occasions (I also go to City Hall to leave happy comments....not just to complain). I do what I can with notifying Disney, and then I pass it all along to family, friends, and you Disney folks :)

bloodnswash
04-20-2007, 10:19 AM
That is terrible...my son has picked BB for his birthday. I don't want to discourage him going but I am a little worried. Do they bring anything (dessert) or sing for birthdays?

I have seen others get a "free" birthday dessert. We were some of the unlucky ones, though :crying:

I have eaten at the Blue Bayou probably a dozen times. Our first visit was the absolute best!!! Our waitress was fantastic!!! It has only gone down hill since then. The main reason we go for dessert is because it is cheaper then doing the whole meal (the food just isn't very good, IMO. And we don't care for the new menu) and we do love to sit by the water.

bloodnswash
04-20-2007, 10:23 AM
LOL, the BB is very very stingy when it comes to given out the rolls and re-filling the water glasses. How pathetic is that?! And some of those waiters should really NOT be working at DL, imo.

geoffa
04-20-2007, 10:29 AM
I wouldn't wait 30 minutes in ANY restaurant for my meal not even the Waldorf Astoria! I would have been long gone. As a rule a starter (appetizer) should arrive 10 to 15 minutes after ordering. Your main meal should arrive 10 to 15 minutes after you have finished your starter .(Unless you have ordered something really special which takes long preparation) - dessert should arrive 10 minutes after choosing. This should apply even at busy times. If you are not ordering a starter, a basket of bread / breadsticks should be offered. If there is an unacceptable delay complimentary drinks should be offered. Any restaurant that offers less than this should not be patronised. Remember the "penny" tip.

bloodnswash
04-20-2007, 10:55 AM
"Remember the "penny" tip."

LOL, oh yes, even at the BB we do. :) If you earn it we tip very very well. If ya don't earn it, well......

For those who do want to eat at the BB I highly recommend making reservations in advance. You might have to wait a few minutes for your table but not near as long as those that DON'T have reservations.

Also, I was not happy the year I went to DL on New Year's Eve. It was me, my husband, my sister, and her husband. My sister wanted to have lunch at the BB and we were fine with it (we always did lunch because it was pretty much the same menu as dinner but it was considerably cheaper). That day the BB decide to charge dinner prices for the lunch hours!!! We noticed this on the chalkboard before we went in (we had reservations). Well, we turned around and walked away. We were so angry that they were playing this game.

disneyshoes
04-20-2007, 10:55 AM
I wonder how they can get away with being rude, bad food and poor service. Maybe they don't get enough complaints?

Well- for better or worse we are going to go for my son's birthday. It is a ways off but I will report back when we go.