If you visit WDW regulary do you feel the meals have gone down ever so slightly?

[TheRustyScupper]

I know quite a few Italian mama's that manage to feed tons of people with marinera sauce that have made grown men cry. Vats and Vats of the stuff.

1) Oh, no.
2) Darn, someone JUST HAD to bring this up.
3) Haven't had good marinara since moving to Orlando.
4) Let alone at Disney.
5) Compared to NY Marinara, Disney sauce is Chef-Boy-R-Dee.
6) And, maybe it really is ?!?!?!?!

NOTE: Fortunately, we get 2-3 trips to NYC for theaters and dining, and to oversee our interest in two NYC restaurants. Vegas may be the new Foodie Town, but NYC is still the restaurant place - AND the prices are far more reasonable.

 

[Ava]

49 bucks for CRT lunch and you can't find chicken nuggets that are actually made of chicken breast meat? not pasty fillers?

I think this speaks to a larger problem with food in America in general. We've become accustomed to cheap junk food and it seems Disney has discovered that the majority will pay top dollar for the same cheap junk food they can get from their grocer's freezer if they are sitting inside of a castle while they eat it. There is no incentive to provide anything better. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that if Disney did try to offer better, more unique food, a lot of people would complain. The majority wants what they are used to; why do you think the chain restaurants in Times Square are always packed with tourists when there is far better food to be had just a few blocks away?

This is kind of a tangent, but this is a big reason the kid's meals at Disney are the way they are. Most kids want what they are used to, and Disney is catering to that. I can't count the number of times I've read questions on the restaurant board like, "Is the mac-n-cheese at Disney like Kraft? That's the only kind Sally will eat." I also experienced this first hand on our trip in 1997, when my sister (then 12) whined through our whole meal at San Angel Inn because the tacos were not like the ones at Taco Bell, i.e. they had real shredded beef instead of ground mush.

My experience is a bit different, I'm a NYC gal so while I do get quite a variety in types of food, I get really good food at medium prices. How much harder is it to make a great pizza as opposed to the stuff they sell at pizza planet? I know quite a few Italian mama's that manage to feed tons of people with marinera sauce that have made grown men cry. Vats and Vats of the stuff. Yeah we have the high end $200 meals but we also can get a mean bowl of Black bean soup that actually taste like black bean soup (imagine that).

Amen. Here you can get great food from a cart on the street. Disney should be able to do just as well, if not better.

 

[Kay1]

We just drive offsite, and we, too, used to love the Disney food in the 90s. It was usually delicious and affordable. I wonder if just ordering appetizers might be a good strategy? They're not included in the DDP so the chefs have to work to make them appealing.

Just a thought.

 

[Ro Z]

Same here.

Totally agree. I also think we are paying $35 bucks for a so-so steak and $26 bucks for chicken because of all the free dining going on. Someone has to make up for all the 'free' food.

Just got back from the world and we ate at Coral Reef. It was OK.
Via Napoli was OK. Capt Jacks was good but very limited menu. Our best meal (besides breakfast) was at Kona Cafe.

 

[Ro Z]

I don't know what happened to the food at Disney. I don't buy the "it's not bad for a theme park meal" because they market vacations...magical practically all inclusive vacations. But they must use black magic on the food because I don't know how they can make a hamburger or a steak inedible. I don't understand how restaurants with relatively limited selections can not prepare those items well. I wouldn't mind paying the inflated captive prices if I enjoyed the meal but I think it is grossly overpriced for the quality they serve. I would rather spend my time and money going to non-Disney restaurants or just eating off property.

Wouldn't mind eating off property but we enjoy a few cocktails with dinner and someone has to drive back unless we want to take cabs.

 

[Planogirl]

NOTE: Fortunately, we get 2-3 trips to NYC for theaters and dining, and to oversee our interest in two NYC restaurants. Vegas may be the new Foodie Town, but NYC is still the restaurant place - AND the prices are far more reasonable.

I'll throw New Orleans in the mix and I think that you've just about hit all the US cities with great food. Even though we did have some amazingly good food at a few places in DC many years ago and I hope that there's still great food there too.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Wouldn't mind eating off property but we enjoy a few cocktails with dinner and someone has to drive back unless we want to take cabs.

We take turns or have a night cap or two when we get back to the resort.

 

[NMW]

Well, not counting my honeymoon in 1995 we only really started going to WDW as a family in 2002. The biggest thing I noticed over the years was portion size. We ate at restaurants in 2003 and then again in 2004 and the portions of food were smaller.

I also noticed that bar drinks became the same everywhere...even using the same drink menus.

I still like the food at WDW. My favorites are Yachtsman, Raglan Road, Flying Fish, Narcossee's-we eat at them every trip. We have also had good food every time at Tutto Italia, Wolfgang Puck, House of Blues, Kona, and some others.

I'm not really a buffet person, so I can't speak about them. The only buffets at WDW I have ever done have been breakfasts (Crystal Palace, Tusker House) and dinner at Cape May Cafe. They were all pretty good. They made me a wonderful omlette at Crystal Palace last trip.

We do use the deluxe dining plan simply because it's easy and practical for us to do so. We will keep going to WDW and getting the deluxe dining plan as long as WDW offers it.

 

[TDC Nala]

Wouldn't mind eating off property but we enjoy a few cocktails with dinner and someone has to drive back unless we want to take cabs.

I usually think it's annoying when people respond and just write "This."


But...THIS.

also noticed that bar drinks became the same everywhere...even using the same drink menus.

If you remember the old specialty drinks, the bartender remembers how to make them, AND they still have the ingredients at the bar, you can certainly ask for them.

 

[DisMN]

I think a lot of us who see the decline are more dismayed that we pretty much have to book a signature restaurant in order to guarantee that the meal would be decent.

That's the point I've been trying to make every time I post a complaint about one restaurant or another. Someone else will come in and say "oh but the food is stil good at *name a signature restaurant here*"

Well thanks but I want a sitdown meal that I don't have to dress up for, that I don't have to eat in the evening at dinner time, that USED to be available....
Disney really DID have good food at most of it's restaurants at one point. That's what I miss. That's what's sad to see go away and this is the issue OH how I WISH the powers that be would address.

My family and I DO go on vacation and part of our vacation focus is eating fun, different, well prepared food. I'm from Minnesota where everything is bland, common, Applebee's type food and quite frankly.........well.......it's like what you get now at WDW! LOL I want different thankyou!

I guess my family isn't picky because we love eating at Disney.

I note that you're from Minnesota. See my post above. LOL

Honestly, I'm not exactly sure when this "golden age" of Disney Dining took place. I did have a few years' window, where I didn't go, I guess it was possible it was then, but the food isn't significantly better (or worse) than when I went as a kid. And then, it was pretty mediocre.

I think it's a case of people going to the same place over and over and over again, and burning themselves out on it.

You probably did indeed miss the golden age of Disney dining. When we first went to WDW the food, the restaurant choices and the quality was just your typical theme park food, maybe slightly better.
Then came the time when more attention was paid to dining and excellent dining opportunities popped up all over WDW. That lasted maybe 7-10 years and now we're sliding back into the theme park just ok food mentality.
Believe me there really was a time when the food was pretty dang terriffic at WDW.

It has nothing to do with getting burned out on a place. It has all to do with remembering how good it used to be.

I've noticed a decline, and I've been eating at the table service restaurants for years. I can even sum a couple observations from past birthday trips.


When I turned 30, I had Chateaubriand at Yachtsman Steakhouse. Back then, I enjoyed the steak. Last December, I had a "filet mignon" in the Crew's Cup Lounge that was not even close to the quality I'd expect from Yachtsman.

And now Chateaubriand can't even be found. A really great cut of meat there has slid to a lower grade as well.
This is ALL to do with the dining plan.

There is simply no reason they can't offer a menu that out of pocket people can order from. If someone on the dining plan wants something off that menu they can do so with an upcharge fee. What's so offensive about that? Some places I've been to have an upcharge for higher end vegies (think asparagus), an upcharge for tableside prepared salads and upcharges for specialty side dishes/substitutions.

 

[Ava]

There is simply no reason they can't offer a menu that out of pocket people can order from. If someone on the dining plan wants something off that menu they can do so with an upcharge fee. What's so offensive about that? Some places I've been to have an upcharge for higher end vegies (think asparagus), an upcharge for tableside prepared salads and upcharges for specialty side dishes/substitutions.

It's not that they CAN'T offer higher-end menu items & charge an additional fee to DDP users; I believe this was done for a while in the early years of the plan for items such as lobster tails at restaurants that had them on the menu. But I do understand why they WON'T offer different menus to OOP & DDP guests. That practice would lessen the perceived value of the DDP, and possibly impact sales of a plan that must make Disney a lot of money. Part of the marketing of the DDP is that you can order any entree at all participating restaurants. The more exclusions there are, the less value people see in getting the plan, the less plans Disney sells. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Disney cares more about making money than about the quality of the food they sell. As long as people continue to purchase the DDP & to eat at the on-property restaurants, I don't see Disney making any changes.

 

[Poppinsme]

Ate Tuesday night at one of my favorite New Orleans restaurants.
Drago's.

This restaurant is VERY well known for there incredible seafood.
And they serve hundreds of people daily without a problem.

WDW could easily do the same if they wanted too.

 

[ntsammy5]

We eat offsite for the most part now. We generally go 2-3 times a year and the TS restaurants in WDW are too much of a hassle and too disappointing to frequent much anymore.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I have used the DDP the last two trips. I visit WDW every other year on the average. I like the signature restaurants so its the reason why we chose the ddp. This last trip there were meals that certain places do not make any longer do to the expense and the food in general just didn't come out as good as the last time. Except for the California Grill, I felt the other signature restaurants should not be taken as 2 credits. I am not saying the restaurants were bad. I am not trying to put down anything at WDW. I just feel I should just eat at the SCi Fi, 50's and general places such a these I have mentioned and enjoy myself. I no longer feel i should eat at, the brown derby, narcoossees, flying fish etc, and waste credits when i can save the money and get a regular diner plan or no plan at all. I am not sure the DDP and the enormous tip (20%) is worth the money.
Just wondering if others think the food has seen its best days in the past. Maybe Im spoiled living close by to many great restaurants. It can get expensive in many of them but i can see and taste there worth. In disney I am not so sure. At least on the last visit and it may had been just the meals I ordered and the day it was made.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. We go to DW at least once or twice a year and I have seen the decline as well. Many restaurants are taking items off their menus but the Dining plans, and menu prices are still high up there or go up every year.

I even heard that Jiko is taking off the filet and Mac n' cheese meal from their menu which I thought was the most popular entree there! Not sure I want to go to Jiko anymore! I have a feeling this is just the beginning of changes that are to come.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

LOL. this is a very heated subject so get ready. On the Dis there are a few trains of thoughts. Here's my take (and my take only)

And lastly the 3rd group that includes me.

3) Disney 's restaurants have nose dived quicker than the Titanic did after it hit the iceberg.

Not so very long ago, Disney's restaurants were a huge part of the attraction to the world. I remember when they actually advertised the ability to get fabulous food. Coral Reef had delicious lobster tales, Boma wonderful prime rib)

Now we have lowered our expectations.

I'd rather spend the extra time and get a great meal than be disappointed because I went on vacation and had mediocre food Which is why we now try places like Todd Englishe's Blue Zoo!.

The only thing I can add here is that since we have a vehicle we have no problem leaving Disney for fine dining! Orlando has some wonderful restaurants!

 

[Sofia's Dad]

The only thing I can add here is that since we have a vehicle we have no problem leaving Disney for fine dining! Orlando has some wonderful restaurants!

It would be nice to know of the Restaurants close by. Maybe there is somewhere online or someone here can give a list of the area's best places to eat. I am not downing any restaurants in Disney. But they have restaurants which no longer interest me.

 

[TDC Nala]

It would be nice to know of the Restaurants close by. Maybe there is somewhere online or someone here can give a list of the area's best places to eat. I am not downing any restaurants in Disney. But they have restaurants which no longer interest me.

Post an inquiry in the Orlando Attractions board if you are looking for offsite restaurants. (this board is dedicated to Disney restaurants)

 

[seven dwarfs]

We just got back from a trip in October. We have been to Disney many times. We have paid out of pocket for meals and also done the dinning plan. This last trip we paid out of pocket for meals. The only meal we had that we all feel was worth the money and want to go back to was sci fi. The sad thing about that is we all got cheeseburgers! Some of our favorites like Boma, Garden Grill, Ohana, Mama Melrose and Kona were not good. The quality of food has really gone down hill. And to be honest a chicken meal served with a salad for $20 should be a nice piece of chicken. The kids meals have become the worst. If my kids were to order the fish, it was so dry you couldn't eat it! We started buying adult meals and sharing them so they had better food. It is hard for me to understand why the meals continue to go downhill. I can go to many restaurants for less money and have wonderful food.

I am not sure what we will do on our future trips. We have an RV so maybe we will just do all the cooking. I would like to venture off site but it is a pain and time consuming. Disney knows this too. I really do miss the good food we used to have on our past trips.

 

[MarieA]

This is going back, but if you ate at Disneyworld in the 80's, it would pretty much be an above average to excellent meal. Now with the dining plans, I really notice the decline in quality. You'll still pay a lot, but the food is often just meh.

I have to agree. We always looked forward to dining at WDW but lately it's hit or miss even at the signature restaurants. It's a shame because dining is a big part of our vacation. Most likely we will rent a car for our next stay and dine off site a couple of times.