Re: Degnans

Has Degnans opened yet? On Aramark's website it is still listed as opening in June 2017

Yes, Degnan's in open. The gift shop is gone, now an eating area with high and low tables as is the other end of the building. The center section has been enlarged and modernized with separate sandwich and drink counters. I think they have an "on-site" bakery. I don't recall seeing the corner fireplace. Quite unrecognizable from the previous Degnan's.

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troutwild
Yes, Degnan's in open. The gift shop is gone, now an eating area with high and low tables as is the other end of the building. The center section has been enlarged and modernized with separate sandwich and drink counters. I think they have an "on-site" bakery. I don't recall seeing the corner fireplace. Quite unrecognizable from the previous Degnan's.

Did you go upstairs to the Loft? If so, has it changed much?

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Leave No Trace

On June 30, the loft was not open.

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troutwild
Yes, Degnan's in open. The gift shop is gone, now an eating area with high and low tables as is the other end of the building. The center section has been enlarged and modernized with separate sandwich and drink counters. I think they have an "on-site" bakery. I don't recall seeing the corner fireplace. Quite unrecognizable from the previous Degnan's.

TY. Did you notice if they are selling the same sandwiches that they used to make. I always got the #3 formally known as the San Joaquin.

As I was in a hurry to get away from the hordes of tourists, I did not go upstairs and only briefly strolled through "Degnans Kitchen" just to see the improvements for myself. If I recall correctly, there were previously about 8 sandwich selections. I believe there are only 4 or 5 now, with different names? I'm sure breakfast selections have changed also. Hopefully no more "frozen cheese slice, frozen sausage patty, frozen egg patty" on a "baked in a faraway place" muffin or croissant.
Other interesting observations.... The cashiers at the Village store have been re-organized. Rather than the old "linear" style, they are now side by side along the back walls. There are no only 2 cashiers (and 1 line) at the west entrance. (4 & 2 previously). The discount outlet room in the corner is no longer there.
Returning from Tuolumne Meadows at 4 pm on Thursday, I made the grave mistake of deciding to stop by the Village store. As soon as I made the right turn onto the new "parking loop" from Sentinal Drive, I instantly regretted my decision. Around the loop to the "round-about" then back to Sentinal Drive drive took nearly 1½ hours. Such relief as I finally turned left onto Sentinel Drive. (nearly all traffic was going straight). Then, as I turned left onto Southside Drive, the horror returned as the traffic was again stopped dead. After 20 minutes, as I finally approached Housekeeping Camp, I noticed a parking spot right at the entrance. I whipped in, parked, grabbed my pack and walked back to Upper Pines and beat the shuttle (that had been right behind me) back to the campground by 30 minutes. When camping in the Valley, I NEVER get in my car again until I actually leave the Valley. My legs, bike and the shuttles work fine but, this time, Tuolumne Meadows was calling my name.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2017 11:49AM by troutwild.

Thanks for the update on Degnan's. Last time we were there( early June) we had to wait a long time for a empty shuttle, the shuttle driver was having a meltdown and ran into the curb at the new parking lot stop. A shuttle manager that was trying to get people on the shuttles also was having a meltdown and was yelling at people for no reason. Arggg. T Meadows, here I come.

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parklover
Thanks for the update on Degnan's. Last time we were there( early June) we had to wait a long time for a empty shuttle, the shuttle driver was having a meltdown and ran into the curb at the new parking lot stop. A shuttle manager that was trying to get people on the shuttles also was having a meltdown and was yelling at people for no reason. Arggg. T Meadows, here I come.

Shuttle, as in the hybrid buses? I guess they are shuttles, but I always think of a shuttle as something smaller than the large valley buses.

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troutwild
as I finally approached Housekeeping Camp, I noticed a parking spot right at the entrance. I whipped in, parked, grabbed my pack and walked back to Upper Pines and beat the shuttle (that had been right behind me) back to the campground by 30 minutes. When camping in the Valley, I NEVER get in my car again until I actually leave the Valley. My legs, bike and the shuttles work fine but, this time, Tuolumne Meadows was calling my name.

Why did you park in housekeeping camp if you had a site in Upper Pines?

As I mentioned, I was gridlocked in the roundabout/parking loop for 1½ hours then Southside drive was gridlocked from near Sentinel Bridge and I really needed to be back at camp to start dinner. I had no idea how much longer I would sit & creep on Southside Drive so I bailed @ Housekeeping Camp. Including the 15 minute walk back to Upper Pines, I arrived 45 minutes before the Shuttle (that had been directly behind me) reached stop 15. Interestingly, Southside Drive (eastbound) was roadblocked @ Stoneman Bridge, forcing all traffic around the Curry loop, also gridlocked. I also noticed that Northside Drive, from Stoneman Bridge to the roundabout, although still one-way, now has the shuttles/buses in the right lane (previously the left lane) which seemed to be causing some confusion for certain people. To add to the confusion, Northside Drive now narrows to a single lane shortly before the roundabout. All of this on a Thursday afternoon.