Eat somewhere new even if you don’t love the menu?

[bdiddy]

So I’m all about trying new places when we go. There are definitely places we love but I feel like there are so many awesome restaurants and I just need to keep trying new ones even if I don’t like the menu as much as somewhere else I did love.

But I’m getting to the point especially at Epcot where I feel like the only restaurants we haven’t been to are the ones that are usually at the bottom of my list where I don’t love the menu. Which I’m not that terribly picky and I’m sure there is something I would like ok enough - I just won’t love it like somewhere else if that makes sense.

For those of you that go to Disney a lot, how do you approach it? Do you stick with your favorite restaurants or do you keep trying new ones?

 

[SteveH]

We don't go a lot, but we do try some new ones and mix in some favorites too. But I check the menu before we go, if can't find something that appeals to us then we skip it and go to a location that has something we like. While I enjoy seafood, my wife does not so I need to make sure they have good non-seafood options otherwise she's not going to enjoy it. She's also not into exotic or spicy foods, but Restaurant Marrakesh is one we both can find something we enjoy so it's a win-win for us.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

We dropped Tiffins on our last trip. I want to try it because it's one of the few restaurants we haven't tried, but DH and I did not like the menu. So liking the menu won out over trying a new restaurant.

 

[Hopefully]

I don’t eat anywhere, Disney or otherwise, if I don’t like the menu

 

[lala5176]

So I’m all about trying new places when we go. There are definitely places we love but I feel like there are so many awesome restaurants and I just need to keep trying new ones even if I don’t like the menu as much as somewhere else I did love.

But I’m getting to the point especially at Epcot where I feel like the only restaurants we haven’t been to are the ones that are usually at the bottom of my list where I don’t love the menu. Which I’m not that terribly picky and I’m sure there is something I would like ok enough - I just won’t love it like somewhere else if that makes sense.

For those of you that go to Disney a lot, how do you approach it? Do you stick with your favorite restaurants or do you keep trying new ones?

We usually browse the menu before going to any restaurant Disney or not. If it doesn’t appeal to our taste we usually won’t go. Disney restaurants are not cheap and I don’t want to take a chance on 5 people being unhappy with their food. I recommend reading reviews and looking at the menu before you venture in

 

[xlsm]

We try to do new things as often as we can, there are very few menus that just don't appeal to us at all, so we can usually find something each of us will like everywhere. But liking the menu will win out over just trying for the sake of trying 90% of the time.

 

[lilmape]

We just don't want to spend time eating somewhere that the menu doesn't appeal to us.

 

[PhoenixStrength]

We try to eat a mix of places we love and new places each trip, but we won't try somewhere where we don't like the menu. However, we don't rule a place out forever as we will recheck all menus before the following trip since they change often and we might like the new menu somewhere later on. It's vacation, you should know you will enjoy what you have planned.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I aim to try at least one new-to-me restaurant on each trip, but I won't go somewhere that nothing on the menu looks good to me. There are enough new restaurants opening (and the occasional older restaurant that I just hadn't gotten around to) that I seem to find something I haven't tried yet that looks worth a visit.

I was a big fan of Captain's Grille, but the Ale and Compass menu that replaced it doesn't look good to me, so I haven't dined there. I do re-check menus occasionally, and if a previously unappealing menu is replaced by a better one, then I may still try the place. Conversely, if a favorite place changes the menu so that they no longer have things that I like (here's looking at you, Kona Cafe) then I could stop going there, at least until the menu changes again and something looks good to me.

 

[TreAntDeu]

We always try to do something new when we can. But we also book at least one of like 10 favorites that we have every trip. To be honest, I think there is only 1 TS/Signature restaurant we haven't hit at least once in the last 20 years(not counting Disney Springs). We have never done 9 Dragons. We are now slowly tackling Disney Springs and new hotel restaurant openings.

So id say every trip is a mix of our favorites and new stuff or things we haven't done in a while.

 

[Nancyg56]

I add in new restaurants all of the time, but I won't add a restaurant that offers nothing I like.

 

[karly05]

I like a mix of new places and favorites, but my trips have been few enough there are still plenty of places I haven't tried. But I've never tried a new place I didn't find appealing, and I always look at menus.

Now if I went multiple times a year, or was a local who liked hitting a resort or Disney Springs for a meal frequently, I'd maybe try something new I was iffy about. But for me, a WDW trip is a special treat, and I want to eat at places I'm eager to visit.

 

[Spencer Wright]

We go annually and eat a Table Service meal daily (so 8 TS meals). We mostly stick with favorites, such as Boma and Ohana. We also try maybe 2 or 3 new places.

I might recommend that plan, and maybe giving at least one place you are iffy about a try.

We tried the Edison for example last year and I loved it! The menu is somewhat basic, but I love the theme. The music and movies on the wall were awesome. Anything with Billie Holiday, I'm there!


Anywhere specific you have in mind?

 

[dclpluto]

Yes I do. We have ate at every restaurant at wdw in the theme parks except for the expensive one in France and the new one in toy story land since I haven’t been there since it’s open. A lot of them I know is going to be one and done

 

[kiramay]

We tend to stick with what we know and like for TS, and will be more adventurous with CS and festival booths and snacks. I read all the menus and make sure there’s options for everyone in our family.

I was pleasantly surprised with Coral Reef last year. We never eat there because we don’t eat seafood, but my sister and I had an extra day due to a canceled flight, we were in Epcot, hungry, tired, and wanted a TS meal. We got a last minute ADR there, and the beef and polenta dish was delicious! I don’t plan to go back with my kids, but I’d definitely eat there again with my husband or sister.

 

[bumbershoot]

Restaurants are for eating, so I go where the menu appeals.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We really enjoy ambiance as much as food. So we try new places all the time. We figure there is always something to eat. And we often do appetizers and share entrees anyway. But we also don’t do any dining plan so we have a lot of flexibility. And out of two weeks at resorts we might go to the parks one day so we eat a lot at Disney springs or resorts. We like a pretty restaurant, preferably with a view, with good wine list and interesting foods.

 

[CynBeth]

I have a few family members with food allergies so pretty much have to eat at mostly TS for all meals. We visit every few years and have favorites we must do every trip. Some we alternate between and then might try 1 or 2 new.

 

[disneycat321]

We won't go to a restaurant that doesn't have something on the menu both of us are excited to try or know we like. The prices are high and we don't go to WDW that often, so we are darn well going to like the food. There are several restaurants frequently raved about on the disboards that we will probably never visit because the menus just don't appeal to us.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

We eat at the same places every trip. I do try to squeeze in a new place every year but sometimes I chicken out. My first solo trip I discovered several places that have turned into family favorites!