So much Disney food is terrible

[DisneyDillyDally]

Neither of those restaurants were ones I had interest in but there was a Mexican restaurant in Disney Springs that I didn’t care for (Frontera Cocina?); we ate there once and never again. Now according to the OP, DS eateries don’t count as true Disney food but in the parks and resorts many of the restaurants hold leases so not sure one can easily define a difference in that manner.

My criteria of what makes a restaurant worthy differs and generally speaking Signature restaurants meet the grade. Fresh food well prepared on site, engaged in the experience service, calm surroundings. In a nutshell this is what I want and am willing to pay for in or out of the bubble. I live in NYC and find enough of the food served at Disney worthy of a local restaurant.

The except to my rule is the Magic Kingdom. Disney should be ashamed of the dreck served throughout that park. JMO

My understanding is that the dis springs restaurants are not owned by Disney.

I’ve always thought most WDW food is mediocre at best. The real question is value. What complicates peoples’ opinions is that,at home, the best restaurant may be just fast food or some chain so anything else is an improvement. There are some good restaurants but not a lot. As mentioned above about Flying Fish, we ate there in the past, liked it, bit not again. Way too expensive.

I chuckle when I see posts “what is the best restaurant….” Because you may get a list of most eateries.

Maybe my opinion would have been better received if I’d used mediocre to describe it rather than terrible

 

[BrianL]

My understanding is that the dis springs restaurants are not owned by Disney.

Maybe my opinion would have been better received if I’d used mediocre to describe it rather than terrible

Some are and some aren't. I believe D'Luxe Burger is one of the Disney owned places (it's pretty decent too).

Thanks for the tips. We tried 7 things at the food and garden festival in Epcot. 5/7 were really good. We’ve had good meals at Boathouse and Polite Pig too on this trip.

Yeah, the Epcot festival booths do tend to be pretty good, though definitely can be pricey for the small portions. Still, they do it right. I am glad you are finding some things to like - they are out there! I find usually just stay away from the basic stuff - pizza, burgers - stuff you can get anywhere. Look for those special dishes - they tend to be better.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I do get your point, but I love cooking. I’ve been doing it for 40 years. I make everything I can from scratch- literally almost everything. It started with being a cheapskate when I was young younger, but now I can practically taste the preservatives in mass produced food and only eat it when I’m in a time crunch. I’m not judging anyone, because really who has the time to do that (I have no hobbies), I’m just saying that if you have cooked long enough it’s really really hard to appreciate Disney food outside of a few signature restaurants.

Yes the overly processed food stuff is to be avoided on my end as well.

My understanding is that the dis springs restaurants are not owned by Disney

True but same is true for most if not all of the EPCOT restaurants as an example.

 

[Nancyg56]

I’ve always thought most WDW food is mediocre at best. The real question is value. What complicates peoples’ opinions is that,at home, the best restaurant may be just fast food or some chain so anything else is an improvement. There are some good restaurants but not a lot. As mentioned above about Flying Fish, we ate there in the past, liked it, bit not again. Way too expensive.

I chuckle when I see posts “what is the best restaurant….” Because you may get a list of most eateries.

I think it is more complicated than that. I think folks will look at cost and then compare that cost with a restaurant at home and more often than not, it is less expensive at home. The food may be comparable, but the cost is not, so there can be buyers remorse. With regards to "the best" I firmly believe that nostalgia plays a huge part in those responses.

I also think that personal taste enters into the conversation. There are restaurants that I simply don't like. I don't care if the theme in awesome (I am talking about you Coral Reef) the meals just are not great, and when you factor the cost in, the time commitment for that dining experience, I know I am going to choose to dine elsewhere.

I do think that one of the factors is expectation. I expect the meals I pay for in WDW to be decent. I look at reviews, prices and selection. I do not expect 5 star dining, and I do expect that I will pay more for everything than I would at home. For signature experiences, I know I am going to pay a premium, and if I book those restaurants, I know what my budget will be before I even enter. So far, I have never been disappointed. I will say that for us, even though we dine out often at home, we still enjoy dining in WDW. A lot. My husband and I are carried away with nostalgia so the memories impact our enjoyment, and my adult children and grandchildren are very much dining down memory lane as well. I think what happened to the OP is that the cost is very much factoring into the satisfaction.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Neither of those restaurants were ones I had interest in but there was a Mexican restaurant in Disney Springs that I didn’t care for (Frontera Cocina?); we ate there once and never again. Now according to the OP, DS eateries don’t count as true Disney food but in the parks and resorts many of the restaurants hold leases so not sure one can easily define a difference in that manner.

My criteria of what makes a restaurant worthy differs and generally speaking Signature restaurants meet the grade. Fresh food well prepared on site, engaged in the experience service, calm surroundings. In a nutshell this is what I want and am willing to pay for in or out of the bubble. I live in NYC and find enough of the food served at Disney worthy of a local restaurant.

The except to my rule is the Magic Kingdom. Disney should be ashamed of the dreck served throughout that park. JMO

Frontera was a one and done for me. Food lacked any flavor which surprised me. Service was also very slow.

The last two signature restaurants I went to, Jiko and Topolino's (dinner) were very mediocre and disappointing. Especially for Jiko since I've had great experiences there before.

At home the only cuisine I really go to a restaurant for is Asian cuisines (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc.) since I can't easily make them at home. That type of cuisine at Disney restaurants is so bleh in comparison so they're an automatic skip. Even Morimoto doesn't live up IMO. Shiki Sai is pretty good though despite being overpriced.

Agreed, MK food is horrendous. I leave and eat at the monorail resorts every time. I have Kona Cafe booked for my trip next month since I cannot stomach that park's food.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

I don’t think there’s anything that’s so bad I would rather eat McDonald’s. I mean if you prefer McDonald’s over most food it makes me wonder what that person considers good food.

I don’t think I prefer McDonalds over “most food”. I do prefer it over most of what I have had at resort QS.

$100 for a good steak and drinks for 3 isn't value? I'd be very very hard pressed to even find a decent steak and drinks for 3 adults for a hundred bucks around here.

You missed my point, it is and we had a great meal. Not owned by Disney tho.

 

[gottalovepluto]

You have to trying something new until you find a place you like. Tortilla Jo’s in DL is the best!!

Thought they didn’t exist anymore?

 

[dreynolds1982]

It's all subjective of course. We're big theme/amusement park people. Compared to other theme/amusement parks, Disney food is fantastic, especially at the resort hotels, Epcot, and to a lesser extent, AK. MK and DHS don't have the best options IMO, but there are a few gems to be had in there.

Now, compared to like high-end restaurants in a big city? No, Disney for the most part isn't on par. But that's not a fair comparison IMO.

I would say there's some Disney restaurants we really enjoy because of the combo of theme and food (meaning if the same food was at an unthemed restaurant outside of Disney it wouldn't be as desirable) but there are some we just flat really really like. Steakhouse 71, Boma, Jiko, Trattoria al Forno, Biergarten, Garden Grill, Ohana's, Yak and Yeti (yes I know that one isn't Disney operated), Le Cellier, Ale and Compass, Kona Cafe, Sanaa, Via Napoli, etc.

Again, I think the best food is found at the resorts (especially AKL), Epcot, and Disney Springs (some gems at AK as well). But, everyone is entitled to their opinion of course.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Examples? We’re ordering in McDonalds breakfast because we find it so terrible.

Well you know what you like. Next time I’d get a rental car so you don’t have to eat the Uber Eats inflated prices, delivery fees and driver tips on every meal.

 

[Disneylover99]

Examples? We’re ordering in McDonalds breakfast because we find it so terrible.

Stay at AllStar Sports next time. You can walk to McDonalds in 10 minutes.

 

[Turn the Page]

I agree. We spend a small fortune on groceries. It is my husband and me, but my granddaughters are over a lot. They walk down several times a week, and a few times a week they eat dinner with us. I make sure there is plenty they like.

We just got back from Mystic and I compared the prices inside the aquarium and restaurants that we ate at in the area. Not much difference price wise when compared to WDW prices

Yup. Everyone comments on how expensive Disney World is. Every time we go almost anywhere else it is really quite comparable in price when it is all said and done.

Five years ago DH had a business trip to Nashville and I tagged along. I went to 3 museums that day and spent $75 on admission charges which, yes, is less than a 1 day ticket to a Disney theme park (but not if you have a 3 day ticket or more) but it also only took me 4 hours total to get my fill. And there were certainly no fireworks.

Our local ski hill, on a Saturday or holiday, is around $100 for a ticket good for about 12 hours and $70 on top of that if you need to rent gear. The food prices are really about the same for QS Disney prices.

Is Disney World expensive? Yes. But so is pretty much everything else. Unless you're talking about going to your local state park campground and you already have all the equipment for that then you're going to be spending money to go on vacation. Stuff is just expensive.

As far as the food,we don't actually eat much Disney food anymore. We're DVC and cook almost all our meals in the room. Can you get good food at Disney World? For sure. But it is going to cost you a lot of money and a lot of time. There are a few decent QS options around but we just found it faster, easier, and cheaper to cook in the room. We cook like we're at home so I know the kids will eat it. We certainly are not choosing McDonald's over Disney food under any circumstances.

But, to each their own. A lot of people refuse to cook on vacation and that's ok too.

 

[robinb]

The Creperie

The take-out window at the Creperie was one of the absolute worst meals I've had at WDW. It was so bad, we threw it out even though we waited 30 minutes for it and we were quite hungry.

 

[zackiedawg]

I think if the primary goal is to get good value eating at Disney, throw in the towel...everything at Disney, including Disney, is heavily overpriced. So the best way to approach Disney is to accept that if you intend to go there, it will not be a value trip. If you're willing to pay nearly $200 to get into a park, and $5 for a coke, $13 for a leather-like quick serve burger...then the better restaurants' pricing can be put in perspective - I'm willing to accept that I'm paying $35-50 a pop for dinner to get a better meal on property than the quick serves, which will run me $20-24 anyway.

Comparing the prices to a good restaurant at home is silly - there's no real comparison - you're at Disney and everything's overpriced.

I also consider 'Disney food' to be any restaurant or food service that I purchase on-property and can charge to my magic band - I include all Disney Springs restaurants and all Disney resorts (including Swan and Dolphin and Waldorf) to be 'Disney food'. So I have no problem finding good food at Disney. Plus, sometimes the experience is part of it - being able to eat in-park, or with a great view, or taking a boat over to get there, having good cocktails, etc are all part of the food experience for me at Disney, and I am OK paying the premium for that.

It helps that I'm an adult, traveling either alone or with friends, no kids or family to worry about...I am a DVC member so when I stay at Disney I don't have to worry about paying for accommodations as part of the trip cost, I have an annual pass, so ditto for park tickets. I am a 3-hour drive away, so travel costs and logistics are pretty simple. Which means my per-trip costs for Disney World are the gas it takes to get there, and whatever I spend on food and drinks. The park tickets and accommodations are annualized expenses I've been paying for decades and with 4-5 trips to Disney per year, it still comes out to be decently cost effective even as the prices soar through the roof for everything else.

I don't really do quick service very often - I never do breakfast in the parks (I make breakfast in my DVC villa) - so my food costs are usually an occasional lunch, and nightly dinner and drinks. I am a cook and a foodie, so at home I cook fresh ingredients almost every night, and I live in a town with a ton of high-end restaurants all around to choose from, so my standards are reasonably high - but at Disney I just accept paying more, usually eat at the higher-end and signature type spots, and enjoy the theming, drinks, and good as well as atmosphere and location all equally as part of the experience.

 

[Nancyg56]

Yup. Everyone comments on how expensive Disney World is. Every time we go almost anywhere else it is really quite comparable in price when it is all said and done.

Five years ago DH had a business trip to Nashville and I tagged along. I went to 3 museums that day and spent $75 on admission charges which, yes, is less than a 1 day ticket to a Disney theme park (but not if you have a 3 day ticket or more) but it also only took me 4 hours total to get my fill. And there were certainly no fireworks.

Our local ski hill, on a Saturday or holiday, is around $100 for a ticket good for about 12 hours and $70 on top of that if you need to rent gear. The food prices are really about the same for QS Disney prices.

Is Disney World expensive? Yes. But so is pretty much everything else. Unless you're talking about going to your local state park campground and you already have all the equipment for that then you're going to be spending money to go on vacation. Stuff is just expensive.

As far as the food,we don't actually eat much Disney food anymore. We're DVC and cook almost all our meals in the room. Can you get good food at Disney World? For sure. But it is going to cost you a lot of money and a lot of time. There are a few decent QS options around but we just found it faster, easier, and cheaper to cook in the room. We cook like we're at home so I know the kids will eat it. We certainly are not choosing McDonald's over Disney food under any circumstances.

But, to each their own. A lot of people refuse to cook on vacation and that's ok too.

That is me. I am not going to cook on vacation. I am chief cook and bottle washer at home, so for me to be on vacation, I want to dine out. We do keep food in the room when we stay in a villa, and that is a nice savings for us. Snacking adds up, and I do like my wine and coffee.

With regards to any kind of travel, the budget is way more now. Even for day trips. I am planning some summer things to do with 2 of my granddaughters. their Mom just started a new job d=so her summer vacations are cut way back, so I want to fill some time. Between the gas, the Starbucks stops (The oldest loves her iced drinks) lunch and dinner, admissions to wherever, and then hotel costs if we stay over, the cost can be higher than expected.

 

[rwdavis2]

I think it is more complicated than that. I think folks will look at cost and then compare that cost with a restaurant at home and more often than not, it is less expensive at home. The food may be comparable, but the cost is not, so there can be buyers remorse. With regards to "the best" I firmly believe that nostalgia plays a huge part in those responses.

I also think that personal taste enters into the conversation. There are restaurants that I simply don't like. I don't care if the theme in awesome (I am talking about you Coral Reef) the meals just are not great, and when you factor the cost in, the time commitment for that dining experience, I know I am going to choose to dine elsewhere.

I do think that one of the factors is expectation. I expect the meals I pay for in WDW to be decent. I look at reviews, prices and selection. I do not expect 5 star dining, and I do expect that I will pay more for everything than I would at home. For signature experiences, I know I am going to pay a premium, and if I book those restaurants, I know what my budget will be before I even enter. So far, I have never been disappointed. I will say that for us, even though we dine out often at home, we still enjoy dining in WDW. A lot. My husband and I are carried away with nostalgia so the memories impact our enjoyment, and my adult children and grandchildren are very much dining down memory lane as well. I think what happened to the OP is that the cost is very much factoring into the satisfaction.

Good ponts. We have been to WDW enough time to know where to avoid so we are rarely disappointed. Flying Fish was the last disappointment due to the cost. Regulars are Sanaa, Jiko, California Grill (haven't been since they went Prix Fixe), and Brown Derby. Fast food options are OK for a meal and we buy breakfast food on the way from the airport.

 

[lowlight]

Comparing the prices to a good restaurant at home is silly - there's no real comparison - you're at Disney and everything's overpriced.

I agree with much of what you say, except this. Disney isn’t an isolated bubble anymore, and inflation has caused a lot of people to pinch pennies on an already expensive trip, and often that is the food budget. If I’m a 10 minute walk from MK to GF, you better believe I’m gonna place a DoorDash order for that restaurant downtown that has the price and quality dialed in over sitting my rump at Tony’s. As soon as I get to the resort it will be there, and I can eat in my room or overlooking the beautiful sights. I used to do a sit down ADR every day of my trip, then with revenge travel it got too hard to book them, so I started doing delivery and realized what a difference it all is.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

Fast food options are OK for a meal and we buy breakfast food on the way from the airport.

I think we need to start picking up breakfast groceries.

 

[Brian Noble]

I chuckle when I see posts “what is the best restaurant….” Because you may get a list of most eateries.

You get the same outcome when you ask "What restaurant is 'never again' for you?"

 

[Nancyg56]

I think we need to start picking up breakfast groceries.

That is what we plan to do for some of our trip. We will dine out for breakfast a few times, but we like to have something light in the room for the most part. Snacks for when we are in the room.

 

[zackiedawg]

I agree with much of what you say, except this. Disney isn’t an isolated bubble anymore, and inflation has caused a lot of people to pinch pennies on an already expensive trip, and often that is the food budget.

I guess I still like Disney being a bit of a bubble - when I go there, I just don't want to wander outside the property even though I have a car and could go anywhere I wanted - I almost forget I have a wallet - everything just goes on the magic band (which yes, eventually goes to the credit card anyway)...it's just the convenience and the immersion I always liked.

I admit I'm truly amazed at how much inflation is crushing in America, and so many people feeling the pain, and yet despite the ridiculous prices, Disney parks seem as crowded as they ever were. That's from someone who goes every 3 months for the last 40+ years. I really expected to find empty park days, but somehow people keep on going to Disney World - I guess maybe cutting their expenses other ways like you mention with off-site food deliveries! I just never thought about that.