Back from his visit with Tiana, Disney’s newest princess, Chris Barry answers some reader mail from two recent articles. First, Chris shares mail from fellow San Angel Inn fans after his article defending his love for the Epcot eatery in “Top 5 Reasons That I Love Eating at the San Angel Inn.” (October 30, 2009).
Jay writes:
I missed the first article about the San Angel but I totally agree with your opinion. I have eaten there on every trip that I remember, since Epcot opened and it has been fine every time. Last January I was there with a party of fourteen. We had two tables down by the river, and it was perfect. My mother, who will drive any waiter crazy with her requests, was totally happy with her meal as was everyone else. I never understood what people compare it to, or what is so bad (unless they get seated by the bathrooms – bad choice for table locations).
Thanks for reading and taking the time to respond. I’m glad there are other fans of the San Angel Inn. A table down by the river is one of my favorite places anywhere in Walt Disney World.
Barbara writes:
I didn’t see your original article about the San Angel Inn restaurant in the Mexican Pavilion at Epcot, but I saw your response to the critics. I have to tell you, my family and I go to Disney about two to three times per year, and we drive from Baltimore, Maryland. We always arrive before our room is ready and we do this purposefully because we get an “extra” day at the parks.
Our tradition is to check into our Disney resort and then we go straight to the San Angel Inn. You are absolutely right, it has the best atmosphere, the Three Caballeros is fun and the restaurant has the most wonderful ambiance being next to water and the volcano. I couldn’t disagree more with the critics. We have never had a bad meal, we have always had wonderful service and yes, the tequila is good! Just wanted to throw in my two cents!
Sounds like you guys have a great, established tradition there. Your two cents is appreciated!
Chris writes:
My family has been to Walt Disney World nine times in the past fifteen years and we have concluded that the Mexico pavilion is one of our favorite places to linger for all of the reasons you stated in your top 5 reasons to like the San Angel. Unfortunately, we have never been adventurous enough to try the food. Only two of the five of us like Mexican food, and I try not to alienate either my husband or any of my kids by choosing dining experiences I think they might not enjoy. Although I can’t say we have ever been disappointed with any of the Walt Disney World table service meals EVER, even when they are asked to stretch a little beyond their dining comfort zone. (I’m the most willing to try something new.) On our last visit the San Angel Inn was on the short list for reservations, but ultimately lost out to a repeat visit to the Garden Grill. I hope to convince the rest of my family that they would really enjoy dining here, and with the help of your top 5 list maybe I can finally do it. Thanks!
I do think that there are some not-so-adventurous choices on the San Angel’s menu. There’s something for everyone. Hope my Top 5 convinces the rest of your brood to try it out. Let me know what happens.
Marcy writes:
Thank you for your article. My family loves Mexican food and we ate dinner at the San Angel Inn in spite of the many negative postings I saw on the web. I have to say it was the BEST meal of our weeklong trip to Walt Disney World. The food was great (all four adults in our party ordered different items and they all gave the thumbs-up), the margaritas were awesome (best ones came from the bar inside the pavilion) and the wait staff was accommodating and friendly. We plan to visit this restaurant on all of our future visits to Epcot! Thanks, again, for the post…I think it gets a bad rap!
I agree about San Angel Inn getting a bad rap. I got so much negative email when I lauded the place. Now, many San Angel Inn fans have come out of the woodwork!
Pammer writes:
What great timing for your Top 5 reasons why you love dining at the San Angel Inn! I have lunch reservations for my birthday on December 5th there, since Le Cellier was totally booked; however, I had been second-guessing my choice ever since there was a lot of negative responses about it after your initial article came out.
I have never eaten here before, although the ambiance looks wonderful (it reminds me of the Blue Bayou at Disneyland). I’m a very picky eater and not fond of rice, beans, or sauces so I haven’t been brave enough to try eating here before now!
Your article has encouraged me to try the San Angel Inn anyway, and find out for myself. I have reviewed the menu posted online, and now feel like there WILL be something I can eat and enjoy!
I’m finally getting to this response after your birthday, so you have to let me know how it worked out for you. I think one of the great things about Walt Disney World is taking in all of the opinions and then going there and making your own decisions. I hope it was special for you. Thanks for reading and happy belated birthday!
Laurie W. writes:
Our family loves San Angel Inn! My husband and I didn’t feel any “wow” from the food, but we love the atmosphere! We enjoy the margaritas too, and take turns sitting at the table while the other parent takes the kids on the “boat ride.” It is a great place to get a little “down time” while at Walt Disney World.
The first time we went to Walt Disney World we ate here because we love Mexican food. Since it was our first time at Walt Disney World, we were having some “sticker shock” with the price of the food. So my husband and I were eating less than we normally would to save money. That being said, we tease my husband for eating more of his fair share of the “free chips and salsa” we had before our meal came out.
We support your “opinion” on putting San Angel Inn in your top five! And your newest “Top 5” about San Angel Inn was almost enough to get me to book our next trip…sipping a Mango Margarita…watching the “Mickey” volcano…laughing with my kids on the boat ride… it just doesn’t get any better than that!
Loved you last line there…”it just doesn’t get any better than that.” I agree 100%.
Next, after Chris shared his “Top 5 Pixar Film Sequences.” (November 27, 2009), readers have written in to share their favorite moments.
Kirk writes:
My wife has been saying for years that a ride based on the Monsters, Inc. door chase scene would be great. You could zip around the door warehouse and in and out of the human world.
By the way I am trying out San Angel Inn on our next trip after reading your article on why to eat there.
We should lobby for a Monsters, Inc “Door” attraction! Good luck at San Angel. I still love it no matter what the naysayers say.
Grant M. writes:
The one thing the gets me about films are the little touches that make the movie seem more realistic. Two scenes that come to mind: In Monsters, Inc., when Sully is barring the door in the simulator room, Waternoose crashes against the door, pinching Sully’s fingers between the bar and the door. Sully pulls back his hands in obvious pain and then gingerly goes back to grab the bar in between thrusts.
In The Incredibles, when Mr. Incredible switches his car to auto drive, he pauses momentarily after he lets go of the steering wheel, just to make sure the auto drive has taken over. These are both moves that you can see yourself doing.
One scene I would have included in the top 5 is when Ego takes the first bite of the ratatouille in Ratatouille.
It’s the attention to small details that make a film great. Ego’s scene eating the ratatouille is really quite a remarkable moment; it’s life altering for the character.
Jonathan R. writes:
I rarely, if ever, agree with anyone’s top 5 or top 10, but this time I do. I especially agree with your number one. I’ve been telling many a friend that I think that the first 10 minutes of Up is perhaps the best 10 minutes of animation storytelling I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot. The pacing, music, editing, story, emotion and realness of the sequence are just perfect. I can’t think of one thing I’d change. Take one thing out and it just doesn’t work. Add one more thing and it becomes too much. This is a perfect recipe that delivers a delicious result. Kudos to for achieving so much in so little time.
I couldn’t agree more. As someone who has spent much time in the editing room, I know the decisions are hard. This sequence really is perfect. Nothing more needed and nothing else should have been taken out.
Christine L. writes:
Did you consider the scene in Finding Nemo where Marlin is in the current with Crush and the little turtle is swept away? That scene always gets me as a parent, because to be a good parent, we need to let our kids go, but we also want to rescue them from any harm.
I agree with the opening scene of Up. I have cried through it three times now. (I have seen it three times.) I am telling everyone who will listen to me to go see or buy that movie.
Leaving Nemo off the list was tough. I agree with you. I had many more sequences hovering nearby.
I also tell everyone to see Up. I showed the opening sequence to my assistant on YouTube and she was a crying mess!
Phillip S. writes:
Excellent writing about excellent animation. I can’t believe I just clicked on to ‘surf the web’ on a slow day and now I need a few tissues, especially after number one. Kudos to a clever way to freshen up any top 5 or 10 kind of a format. Simply listing your “favorite films” may well have led to unnecessary disagreements about this over that…and as you stated, it’s just about impossible when my favorite Disney film is whichever one I’m watching right now. I enjoyed reading about the segments you most enjoyed; your powers of description add tremendous depth to a subject with which most of your readers are already very familiar. Thanks again for your column. I really need to go get a few tissues now.
Thanks for the kind words. Sorry, didn’t mean to make you cry. It says something for the scenes I picked if just reading about them can tear you up doesn’t it?
