A week after disclosing plans to shutter three McDonald’s in its two Anaheim theme parks, Disneyland has now said it will close a fine dining eatery at California Adventure.
The upscale The Vineyard Room at the Golden Vine Winery — which was once sponsored by Robert Mondavi — will close Aug. 31, Disneyland spokeswoman Betsy Sanchez told The Register in an email statement.
Sanchez would not disclose what would replace the high-end restaurant, where a meal can run tourists about $30 per person.
“In the short term, the area will be used as additional seating for the popular Wine Country Trattoria. Long-term plans are still being considered,” she said.
The closure comes as Disney takes a hard look at revamping the struggling California Adventure. Earlier this summer, The Register’s Around Disney blogger Sonya Smith reported several changes planned for the park. Read her full DCA coverage.
Disneyland also announced plans last week to close three McDonald’s eateries located at both parks, including Burger Invasion at DCA.
Final thoughts: I don’t know about you, but I have never liked the idea of fine dining in a theme park. I hope Disney replaces The Vineyard and Burger Invasion with some good, fast eats. How about a Johnny Rockets Express or a pizza joint? Any suggestions? Write in.
(More on the Vineyard closure from Ultimaterollercoaster.com.)
What is needed is a quick Chinese, Thai, Italian and Greek combo place
What is needed is affordable entry fees. A typical family of four cannot afford to go to Disneyland, let alone afford food there and any souveniers for their children. It’s insane. Lower the admission price, lower the food price (food is pure profit) and maybe more people will go multiple times because they can afford to.
What they need to do is come back to earth on their prices for food…whatever they put in there will still be overpriced!
They should take a hint from Sea World, which has great food. Or Legoland, which has the best food I’ve ever had at any theme park. I actually look forward to eating there.
Business decisions are necessary, I suppose, but every time we’ve been there, the restaurant has been full. It’s a shame, really. In my experience, The Vineyard Room has the best food at the Disney Resort, and yes, that includes Club 33. We have had many special moments at the Vineyard Room, and it will be a shame to see it go.
I’ve been to a few of the sit-down restaurants at Disney/CalAd. I always felt like the ambience is interesting (such as the Blue Bayou) but that the food was unimpressive (if someone told me that they just thawed out my chicken, I wouldn’t have been surprised at all). I wanted to see if the Vineyard room would surpass this mediocrity, but I couldn’t afford to spend the $100 gamble. Now, it is all moot.
The one place I LOVED at Disneyland was the ranch behind Big Thunder Mountain at night. But they closed that. Now the best food I know of is the fat corn dogs on Main Street and the skewers at the Bengal BBQ (for an appetizer).
Needless to say, when I go to Disney/CalAd, I’m not excited about eating. Anything that would change this mediocrity would be welcome.
First off, I know that Disneyland is expensive but as far as I am concerned, they put up the goods. Their attention to detail is amazing and both parks are wonderful. My family doesnt go until we can afford annual passports but when we get them, we go all the time and experience all that disney hs to offer and that is a lot! Take a guess on how much it costs to run that place and make it safe, clean and fun for any age?
As far as the food goes, Ca Ad has much better food ( as well as cold beer) but truly, when I go, I pack many snacks and otherwise so offset some of the cost. Frankly I get tired of hearing How absurd the prices are…I cant afford to go but when I do, I get every pennys worth!
Agree with the above about Legoland. In fact, the whole Legoland experience is far superior to the overpriced, overcommercialized and aging Disneyland Resort. Would rather have my son building Legos than getting hammered over and over again by Disney to buy stuff and be a consumeristic robot.
Sidney, I take it you don’t buy your son Legos then? He just dreams of the day you take him to Legoland where he can actually play with the toys he dreams of owning?
Yeah, that’s what I thought Sid.
That resturant used to be the best in the park.
Anymore? Not so much. I won’t miss it, but I’ll miss the memories of meals I had four and five years ago.
I actually liked this restaurant alot when it first opened and we first got our annual passes. The wife would usually buy two or three bottles of wine from the Mondavi shop, and I’d be stuck shlepping them back to the car for her. It was a fun place to splurge every other visit or so.
But once Mondavi left it sort of lost it’s luster and uniqueness. We won’t really miss it. Plus, we can still go to Napa Rose, the best restaurant on Disney property.
Ah, the Big Thunder Ranch Barbeque. Yes, that was just right. A quiet respite with good food at decent prices. And, once in a while, Billy Hill and the Hillbillies would stop by to entertain. I do miss it.
Who can afford it? Ridiculous prices. This is not entertainment, it’s grab your ankles with no reach around or even a kiss.
I don’t see a Johnny Rockets going into Disney anytime soon.
It happens to be owned now by the owner of the Six Flags Theme Parks.
You can find Johnny Rockets at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott’s Berry Farm, the Block of Orange, and soon to open at the new Anaheim GardenWalk.
Disneyland has become ridiculously expensive and completely out of touch with consumers and the economy. They continue to raise their ticket prices, offer very little options for “good” food and bleed you dry every chance they get. I’m glad that they are feeling the affects of their money grubbing and being forced to close some eateries.
Maybe if they get hit hard enough in the pocket they’ll consider lowering the ticket prices to California Adventures since it’s not worth the admission.
You get what you pay for. Disneyland/CalAd are worth every penny: there’s no more carefully thought out theater experience in the country. Every moment, every surface, every sight-line is part of an alternate reality, and that’s what you’re there for. Vineyard was part of that, and I’m sorry to see it go. But thanks for the warning: there may be time for one more meal.
Troy,
Sorry I took so long to respond to this comment:
“Sidney, I take it you don’t buy your son Legos then? He just dreams of the day you take him to Legoland where he can actually play with the toys he dreams of owning?
Yeah, that’s what I thought Sid”
But, there are degrees of commercialization and I can’t help you if you cannot see the difference between Disney and it’s fake manufactured reality (and it’s non-Pixar depiction of women, and it’s use of exploited labor to make it’s trinkets, and it’s exploitation of other people’s copyrights, and it’s use of fat laden Happy Meals to sell more trinkets, etc., etc., etc.) and Legoland which celebrates a creative construction toy.
And the fact you actually drank the supermarket Mondavi wine they sold at that place, yuck!!! That’s just a level above Charles Shaw.
Ya know, I don’t mind Disneylands prices. Who said that Disneyland is obligated to make their theme park affordable to everyone and the family of four? It’s a business and if you can’t afford Disneyland then pack a lovely picnic and go to your city park. Too many people feeling entitled to afford everything in life trying to keep up with the Jones’s whose credit card is maxed out anyhow. Rather than whine about what you can’t or barely afford, why not just stick to what you can?
As far as what I eat, I’m a fan of the sourdough bread soup bowls…and yes, it cost more than it’s worth but it is what it is and I expect to pay that price for eating at a theme park.
Disneyland is great and the grandkids love it but it is expensive. Seaworld food is my favorite. Love dining with Shamu. The food is great and so is Elmo’s breakfast. Legoland food is ok too. Both places have way better prices than Disney. Disney is what we call the rich people’s park. Even McD’s prices are out of this world…maybe that is way the burger is orbiting???!
Everyone always complains about Disney’s prices, however every time I go there, they are totally packed. As long as they can continue to pack the park at those really high admission prices, then Disney has no incentive to lower its prices- and consumers have no real excuse to complain. It’s simple supply and demand. Laura was correct when she stated “Who said that Disneyland is obligated to make their theme park affordable to everyone and the family of four?” We may not like the price, but no one is holding a gun to our head to pay it. The fact that we live in So. Cal. makes it convenient to go- but not necessary. Most kids in our country only get to go to Disney once, if at all. So I just remind my daughter that Disney is NOT a trip that we get to make every year- and we take part in lots of fun non-Disney activities.
By the way, I think Seaworld’s food sucks too. I don’t go to these places for the food. We try to eat well before we go to any amusement park.
C’mon!!! If they wanted to really add a Real Good Fast Food Hamburger Joint, to DCA, there is only one that I can recognize as real good, clean and nothing says CALIFORNIA more than this place. I shouldn’t even have to mention the name…..
IN’N OUT!!! RIGHT???? How many times have any of you stopped at the IN’N OUT just off the Las Vegas Strip to get your fill of real fries, shakes and those Juicy Hamburgers, when you are on your way back to OC. We all love California, and there is nothing that reminds me of that more than IN’N OUT. If Disneyland Planners have any brains, they would really think about adding a couple of restaurants around both parks. And they already where customes!! How about That!!!
I generally eat outside the park. There is the House of Blues, The Jazz Kitchen and the Rain Forest Cafe (just to name a few) in the downtown Disney area. Get a hand stamp. If those are still to pricey, hang a left out of Disneyland (or a right out of CAad) and head across the street to Denny’s. It’s literally across the street in the Best Western parking lot.
Disney should close California Adventure and make it back into a parking lot. The current parking situation at Disneyland is a nightmare, and unacceptable, considering they rape tourists for $12. I know Disney is afraid to admit failures, but California Adventure is, and always will be, a failure.
I have a yearly pass, and I go several times a year with my Grand Children. After 45 years exp in the restaurant business,20 of them in fast food,I am amazed at how bad the ordinary hamburger and chicken tenders are. My Grand Kids are under 7, and thats what they want to eat, and Circle K or 7/11 serve simular products better
I have eaten at disneyland like 5 times and it’s gross. even my 5 year old would rather leave the park to go to mimi’s cafe and return than eat the crappy food they have there.
WHAT THEY NEED IS TO OFFER MEAL AT A REASONABLE PRICE. YOU CAN”T CHARGE A 20 PLATE WITH LITTLE PORTION. 15 DOLLARS FOR 4 TINY,TINY PIECE OF FOOD. IF YOU GET GREEDY, IT WILL BACK FIRE. NEXT MAKE FOOD THAT LOOK LIKE IT WILL MELT INTO YOUR MOUTH AND HEALTHY. HEALTHY PEOPLE LIVE LONGER WHICH MEAN THEY SPEND MORE MONEY. UNHEALTHY PEOPLE SPEND MORE TIME AT THE HOSPITAL. DO YOUR MATH.
as a frequent disneyland go-er i would like to point out what i feel are the strong points of disneyland’s food.
-cream cheese pretzels [main street. my favorite]
-cafe on main street [better than starbucks]
-bengal bbq [perfectly flavored skewers]
-blue bayou [awesome atmosphere]
-storytellers cafe [inside the grand californian]