Monorail Night (aka the Monorail Crawl)

[mindflipper]

It really depends upon the individual wait-staff, and also the restaurant manager. That can literally change the quality of service in the same restaurant from one time to another...

[Wizzard419]

I wonder if splitting also impacted their desire to serve? Hopefully you tipped as if you ordered two complete meals, but I've seen people leave 15-20% tips for what was served which might make them less happy with others.

[Amy]

I wonder if splitting also impacted their desire to serve? Hopefully you tipped as if you ordered two complete meals, but I've seen people leave 15-20% tips for what was served which might make them less happy with others.

But they wouldn't know what you were tipping until the end of the meal, so that wouldn't explain the quality of service all the way through the service now would it?

[theBIGyowski]

We always tip well. The waiter was scatterbrained and he messed up several times...along with hardly ever coming around to check on us...leaving us thirsty with no water most of the meal.

Another thing was that he brought both of us the full meal...even though he knew we were going to split one. I didn't want to pay for 2 meals...so I told him we were splitting one...then he remembered that and said he would be right back. Then he took the plate in front of me. This shocked DW and I...as our beef was cooked to order...so I don't really know how they could serve it to someone else...thus wasting the meal. I honestly thought he would let us keep the 2nd meal and not charge us. We just brushed it off and continued eating.

[Wizzard419]

I was going on their past experiences impacting future ones, if they normally only get 15-20% from a couple that is splitting they may not bother to work as hard.

[Wizzard419]

We always tip well. The waiter was scatterbrained and he messed up several times...along with hardly ever coming around to check on us...leaving us thirsty with no water most of the meal.

Another thing was that he brought both of us the full meal...even though he knew we were going to split one. I didn't want to pay for 2 meals...so I told him we were splitting one...then he remembered that and said he would be right back. Then he took the plate in front of me. This shocked DW and I...as our beef was cooked to order...so I don't really know how they could serve it to someone else...thus wasting the meal. I honestly thought he would let us keep the 2nd meal and not charge us. We just brushed it off and continued eating.

Ah, that's good. Anything less than about 30% is considered poor form.

I'm guessing they treated it like left-overs that aren't boxed up, they get eaten by the people in back.

[Amy]

I'm guessing they treated it like left-overs that aren't boxed up, they get eaten by the people in back.

The waiter was probably thinking, "Yes! I get a really good dinner tonight!" That does seem odd that they scooped it up though...I would think that since they made the error, they would let you keep the entree...

[Wizzard419]

Not really since you weren't going to pay for it, if the waiter/establishment is going to have to pay for it they might as well eat the food.

[mindflipper]

We always tip well. The waiter was scatterbrained and he messed up several times...along with hardly ever coming around to check on us...leaving us thirsty with no water most of the meal.

Another thing was that he brought both of us the full meal...even though he knew we were going to split one. I didn't want to pay for 2 meals...so I told him we were splitting one...then he remembered that and said he would be right back. Then he took the plate in front of me. This shocked DW and I...as our beef was cooked to order...so I don't really know how they could serve it to someone else...thus wasting the meal. I honestly thought he would let us keep the 2nd meal and not charge us. We just brushed it off and continued eating.

Actually, I'm shocked they took it back! I remember one time eating at WDW they delivered a wrong plate to the table. They told us they would correct the error, but they couldn't take away that plate unless we instructed them to do so. There's rules/regulations/laws that once a plate is delivered to the table (actually on the table) it can't be taken away and re-served anywhere else (even the staff in the back). That can only be done with a dinner that has been refused and had not touched the table. That was the way the restaurant manager explained it to us. They let us keep the erroneously delivered meal for no charge and then delivered the correct meal as well. Either the laws/rules/regulations have changed, or the waiter may not have been instructed in the correct policy in this case.

[Wizzard419]

I don't think it's a law, it's probably a polciy or even just the waiter's choice. Considering that bread from baskets may end up in bread pudding and they may not change out the liners in chip baskets or salsa bowls... I would be surprised if there was a law about it.

Oh, it might have also been that you were not splitting so they might have been cool with it since you were spending more, or they also realized that the dish wouldn't be out with the rest of the meal so they wanted to appease you.

[theBIGyowski]

Step 3

So we are on the Monorail...leaving the Contemporary...then the TTC...and now at the Polynesian!

We made our way over to the Kona Cafe for dessert.



DW had some kind of chocolate dessert and I had a pineapple upside-down cake. Both were ok...not great...and the service was fair. (we had amazing service and food a few days later when we went back for breakfast)



After dessert we headed over to the bar in front of 'Ohana and I got another Glenfiddich and DW tried to get the Raspberry drink she got earlier at GF but the bar was out of raspberries...so she opted for a pomegranate drink that wasn't what she was wanting...which put a damper on the rest of the evening.

With drinks in hand we walked around the Poly trails and headed towards the beach for the fireworks. We just love the resort and how it is laid out...with the torches and everything. We made our way to the beach and sat in the swing there to get ready for Wishes. Once the fireworks started we noticed there wasn't any music playing. No way this whole experience would end without any music playing!!! Apparently they don't have the music piped in at all of the beaches at the Poly...which we did not know. So we got pretty fireworks but I was very bummed out (hence me posting it here in another thread right after the fact) that we had no music to go along with the show.

Anyway...we made our way back to the Monorail and headed back to the Contemporary and our room at Bay Lake Tower. The end of the Monorail Crawl really fell apart...but as a whole it was a great experience...and something we will definitely do again with friends. I would suggest doing a Dole Whip at the Poly instead of dessert at Kona...and watching the fireworks at a beach that has the music piped in. Other than that...it was a blast!

[mindflipper]

I've done the Dole Whip and fireworks at the Poly - highly recommend it to others...