Highway in the Sky Dine Around with Wishes viewing area

[Disbug]

I feel they are downgrading the "special-ness" of the event. Drinking ice cold champagne in crystal flutes at a seated venue served by formal waitstaff is a TOTALLY different experience than plastic flutes handed to you at the end of a bar! This change lessens the overall experience of the original event and gives the impression of "casualness" rather than pampering.

 

[HopperFan]

Hi all - I just found this amazing photo album from the Dine Around - can't wait! Two weeks!

http://mealtrip.com/photos/highway-in-the-sky-dine-around.asp

They are a great source of food photos. I remember they had great ones for Club Villain.

Looks like from the review the cheese was moved to the Contemporary with the desserts.

Yeah ......

This is not good! Part of the enjoyment is the ambiance of the venues. I really don't want to be handed "champagne to go" and asked to stand around on the 2nd floor balcony instead of comfortably seated. The champagne was ice cold and perfect for savoring with the cheese board. The time spent at the dessert venue is for coffee, cordials and winding down. After the fireworks you feel like they are waiting for you to leave. This makes it seem like you are being rushed through. I will consider cancelling this event.

Agree. Champagne to go is TACKY! This essentially eliminates 1 out of 5 stops/venues.

There were 3 apps at the Poly- tuna, beet and pork belly. There was one (soup) at the Wave. The cheese was definitely at the Contemporary, on the 4th fl viewing balcony. Can't speak to cordials, I dont drink, but I'm 99% sure yes there were, also coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. There was no cheese 'board'- the cheeses (Tillamook, cheddar and brie, small pieces of bread) were on platters and the bread in baskets. Nothing individual for each person or couple. There were the 2 desserts ( I dont think I missed any)... The champagne was handed out at the end of the bar at Citricos, in plastic champagne flutes- we then walked left past the band on the same level, around another 1/4 turn. There were a few couches in that area, but really people stood around. At one point the CM took us outside there on the balcony for a group picture, then back inside for another 10-15 minutes. Then we went on the monorail over to Cont.. Maybe people still had champagne left. More was not served at Contemp.

I got a call from Disney earlier in the afternoon confirming food allergy and asking about mobility. I think if you have a wheelchair or ecv you can tell them then and Im sure accomodations would be made (elevators not escalators or stairs). There was a fair amount of walking over all but not horrible.

Disappointing. Do you think perhaps there was a special event going on in the room previously used?

2 Desserts is a big change from the original 4-5 offered. To me a big part of the value comes from "mini dessert party".........

I liked the idea of the cheese and champagne winding down after Citricos. Not a fan of the cheese combined in with the desserts... kind of takes something away after reading the original reviews. Maybe if it started that way I wouldn't feel so bad. Not enough to make me cancel either but hopefully it was just for that night. If not - let's hope there aren't any other changes that decrease from the original event.

I feel they are downgrading the "special-ness" of the event. Drinking ice cold champagne in crystal flutes at a seated venue served by formal waitstaff is a TOTALLY different experience than plastic flutes handed to you at the end of a bar! This change lessens the overall experience of the original event and gives the impression of "casualness" rather than pampering.

Agree with all of this.

I will hold on to hope that there was a conflict with the room, and not a change.

 

[marikujawa]

I liked the idea of the cheese and champagne winding down after Citricos. Not a fan of the cheese combined in with the desserts... kind of takes something away after reading the original reviews. Maybe if it started that way I wouldn't feel so bad. Not enough to make me cancel either but hopefully it was just for that night. If not - let's hope there aren't any other changes that decrease from the original event.

Disney changed the description on MDE. Looks like it's now just sipping champagne in the lobby and the cheese is added to dessert.

 

[recmouse]

Well that's a bummer...

 

[recmouse]

@HopperFan At least the cordials are still in the new description!

 

[loves to dive]

Thanks all for the clarifications. Like others I'm a little disappointed that they changed the venue and presentation of the cheese plate and champagne but not disappointed enough to cancel. Frankly, I'm not a huge fan of champagne and will most likely have had plenty of alcohol by that point but I love that room at the GF and am not getting an ADR for tea there this year since this will be our big splurge. I'm o.k. with fewer desserts, again probably wouldn't have eaten more than one any way but it does sound like they are charging the same price for a little less of an experience.

 

[HopperFan]

Very disappointing. Leave it to Disney to screw with something that was a great offering. Hey let's offer more nights to collect more money but take away 20%+ of the experience ............. just when I was patting them on the back they showed their ........

AND now MDE is inaccurate because being handed a plastic flute of bubbly in a big busy lobby without any food (cheese) does not qualify as a "course". If there is no food it can not be called a "course". Not even close. So (1) Wave (2) Trader Sams (3) Citricos (4) Contemporary. Not 5.

I was actually looking forward to the cheese experience in the Garden View Lounge with the cheeses and pairings all described. They have truly eliminated food and a food experience. I'm not interested in wine, so this was the part of GF I was looking to the experience.

I'll have to scroll back but I believe you were permitted more than one glass of champagne, not now. And am sure the cheese at Contemporary is more buffet style cheese than a beautifully presented board. This does change the event.

And I am disappointed they reduced the desserts. If they found they weren't getting eaten, then just make less, first come to what they get. In order to justify the price, the Wishes dessert portion needed to be a mini party with a selection. That does bring the entire value down.

I'm not going to cancel but I will be sure to scrutinize the value more when I report back.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm sorry folks are disappointed. Personally I can't find any disappointment in loosing 2 desserts, if there are just 2. So far we haven't had any definite answer on that, have we. Just the 1 report so far I think.
I really don't see how it is taking anything away from the experience at all and sure wouldn't warrant a price change. Or maybe I'm just missing something here

 

[HopperFan]

@HopperFan At least the cordials are still in the new description!

It says "....enjoy an indulgent assortment of desserts, cheeses, cordials and coffee" ........ that implies to me more than two desserts, even though I love cheese I don't consider something I'd indulge on.

 

[recmouse]

It says "....enjoy an indulgent assortment of desserts, cheeses, cordials and coffee" ........ that implies to me more than two desserts, even though I love cheese I don't consider something I'd indulge on.

I don't want to eat my cheese along with my desserts!

 

[HopperFan]

@HopperFan At least the cordials are still in the new description!

Yes since I don't drink coffee.

I'm sorry folks are disappointed. Personally I can't find any disappointment in loosing 2 desserts, if there are just 2. So far we haven't had any definite answer on that, have we. Just the 1 report so far I think.
I really don't see how it is taking anything away from the experience at all and sure wouldn't warrant a price change. Or maybe I'm just missing something here

They removed an entire course in a special venue they talked about the cheeses and pairings. It wasn't about the food per se but the experience. The champagne was served in glasses in a lovely room, it was special. Now you get a plastic cup of champagne to swill down on your way to the monorail. They can't call it 5 courses when there is only 4. They have eliminated the 4th.

The Garden View Lounge was the one actually private venue complete with fresh flowers. They described all the cheeses and their pairings. The cheeses were a nice variety ... I saw it as a lovely relaxing time in the evening.

Mealtrip - "The "fourth course" cheese board contained a Red Hawk Triple Cream Brie, Humbolt Fog Goat Cheese, the (very good) Cabot Clothbound Cheddar Cheese, and a Fourme D'ambert Blue Cheese, all with accompaniments, an edible flower, and half of a House-made Lemon-Thyme Cupcake."

.... are they all going to be at Contemporary? I'm waiting to hear and won't assume we are getting chunks of cheddar but at same time I'd rather it earlier with my champagne ... although my Mom used to put a slice a cheese on her coffee sometimes

And I am bothered if they reduced the desserts. I would like to try one of each. It's a mini Wishes "Dessert" Party finale to our night. Reduce the offering then you do reduce the value of the price paid. I get we all have different palettes and likes, but for me the desserts were a big deal. I don't drink wine and don't understand why one wants to alter the flavor of food by doing so, but I get that the folks who do might be upset if the wine was eliminated from dinner.

I don't want to eat my cheese along with my desserts!

Unless it's cheesecake.

I never heard of a Wishes Cheese Party ....... although am sure that is what Mickey has when he puts on a private party.

 

[recmouse]

@HopperFan Well said! And I love cheesecake!

 

[AngiTN]

I know some folks here are more social media savy than me. Maybe send this to Disney Twitter (I've heard they respond) and ask what's up? Is it 4 or is it 5?
Wonder if they'd send someone the menu? Get clarification on the # of desserts?

 

[marikujawa]

Very disappointing. Leave it to Disney to screw with something that was a great offering. Hey let's offer more nights to collect more money but take away 20%+ of the experience ............. just when I was patting them on the back they showed their ........

AND now MDE is inaccurate because being handed a plastic flute of bubbly in a big busy lobby without any food (cheese) does not qualify as a "course". If there is no food it can not be called a "course". Not even close. So (1) Wave (2) Trader Sams (3) Citricos (4) Contemporary. Not 5.

I was actually looking forward to the cheese experience in the Garden View Lounge with the cheeses and pairings all described. They have truly eliminated food and a food experience. I'm not interested in wine, so this was the part of GF I was looking to the experience.

I'll have to scroll back but I believe you were permitted more than one glass of champagne, not now. And am sure the cheese at Contemporary is more buffet style cheese than a beautifully presented board. This does change the event.

And I am disappointed they reduced the desserts. If they found they weren't getting eaten, then just make less, first come to what they get. In order to justify the price, the Wishes dessert portion needed to be a mini party with a selection. That does bring the entire value down.

I'm not going to cancel but I will be sure to scrutinize the value more when I report back.

I'm predicting that tomorrow the MDE description will read, "Four courses. One extraordinary Evening."

 

[recmouse]

Just sent Disney an email asking for justification... hope I don't get blacklisted!

 

[HopperFan]

Just sent Disney an email asking for justification... hope I don't get blacklisted!

Can't remember the exact name but I think it's call your "magical file" ................

 

[aviva5675]

just looked at the link with pictures, which was pretty right on except: the Poly apps were not on nice ceramic dishes. They were in little paper boats. Forget that nice cheese board. The cheddar was in chunks and difficult to eat with bread. Unless I really missed a few desserts there were the 2-= and the chocolate one was a pyramid shaped thing that was rich and delicious not long like the picture. The blood orange cake was the same.

I'd be more inclined to do it (again) if there was a cheaper non-alcoholic option. Also, for those with allergies or food issues- they shouldnt double up an appetizer or course (ie double beef)-- how hard is it to have an alternative?

 

[AngiTN]

just looked at the link with pictures, which was pretty right on except: the Poly apps were not on nice ceramic dishes. They were in little paper boats. Forget that nice cheese board. The cheddar was in chunks and difficult to eat with bread. Unless I really missed a few desserts there were the 2-= and the chocolate one was a pyramid shaped thing that was rich and delicious not long like the picture. The blood orange cake was the same.

I'd be more inclined to do it (again) if there was a cheaper non-alcoholic option. Also, for those with allergies or food issues- they shouldnt double up an appetizer or course (ie double beef)-- how hard is it to have an alternative?

Would be great to dig up another review somewhere to see if something was up. The only reviews so far are the first night and yours, right? Surely there are others somewhere. I suck at searching

 

[AngiTN]

Just sent Disney an email asking for justification... hope I don't get blacklisted!

What email? I'd send them my image and ask too

 

[aviva5675]

http://mealtrip.com/highway-in-the-sky-dine-around.asp

http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2016/12/13/event-review-highway-sky-dine-around/

http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/12/06/highway-sky-dine-around-memorable-monorail-meal/

Theres a few. Sorry not great links...They seem to be early on--- talk about the variety of desserts, etc. One other think I'll note from pics and then to when I just went.... Its hard to tell from the pictures, but those appetizers look slightly larger than what we got. Also, the main course looks more nicely presented than what I got- it was more double portion of beef on a small smear of the cauliflower puree and the veggies on mine were pretty limp. While tasty, the plate resembled a wedding type plate (as opposed to the pretty looking plates in the other pics).

NOTE: I did have fun and enjoyed it! Just trying to be as specific as possible about my experience.