Am I The Only One Mad At Disney Dining?

[lugnut33]

I'm sorry but I just don't see the value in eating on-site anymore (even with free dining). I'm disappointed with the choices and really upset by the prices. With them offering the DDP they have chopped out a lot of the higher end foods from the menus and buffets, all to make more money. Then on top of that they keep raising the prices for inferior food. Then to really top it off, they offer free dining so unless you plan ahead you have no shot at getting an ADR.

Come this August, we are eating all our meals off-site (sort of, we'll eat at Earl of Sandwich in DTD). I'm excited at the possiblities of the off-site restaurants.

 

[mbanks21]

Id blame the economy more then Disney. The cost of corn meal and milk and everything else went up so they either charge way more for food or cut back on the quality a little. You can still find great food there though...

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I'm sorry that you feel this way. To me it's still better than eating off site because you are surrounded by Disney 24/7. I love it!

 

[B-Ride]

You're probably not the only one but, judging by how hard it is to get an ADR, there are definitely lots of people that disagree.

We continue to enjoy our Disney dining experience and look forward to our meals. I am the first to admit that we aren't the sort that do a lot of gourmet dining back home so maybe we are just easy to please.

 

[bluejasmine]

I also agree that it is the economy. Yes maybe FD has something to do with it but I am happy with my choices and I am grateful for FD it has allowed my family to go to WDW 4 times and enjoy meals. I have paid for Universal dining plan and it sucked I mean really sucked WDW CS meals are way better than Universal way better.

I guess the higher end restraunt thing doesnt bother me b/c my family doesnt eat that way anyway.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

I am sure that the current version of the DDP is not the deal that it was a couple of years ago. It was pretty exciting to have apps, entrees, dessert, tax, and gratuity all taken care of in advance.

But I try to keep things in perspective. While it isn't completely fair to compare WDW to other theme parks, prices are in line with what I've seen elsewhere, and the quality of food available is significantly better than, say, Six Flags (I know, that's apples and oranges.) I also consider the price of eating an an airport or sports stadium - or buying concessions at the movie theater - and again, the prices seem almost a bargain. I think the quality of food at the best of WDW restaurants is fine, if not necessarily superb. We'll do the DDP again this year; it still offers us a significant savings, and I will be content.

There are some good places to eat in the Orlando area, and if leaving the parks, hopping in your car or a taxi to go farther afield for a meal, is what is necessary to have a great vacation, then I think that's a good plan. Do what works!!

The complaints I have with Disney Dining are minimal, but that's all subjective on all our parts. When I'm walking down Main Street USA, I'm mindful that there are hundreds of folks all around me who've scraped and saved for their one-time-shot, vacation-of-a-lifetime, and are so thankful to even be visiting Disney that food is the least of their complaints or concerns. I try to put myself in their shoes -it's a healthy exercise for me, since I don't want to take anything for granted.

This will be one of those threads that there is no definitive right or wrong opinion. That's OK, too.

 

[olivekeeper]

We had ADR for all of our table service meals. Don't be frustrated that you can't get ADR we were there last week and saw plenty of walk-ups getting in. they don't turn you away. You just might have to wait a little bit longer for a table than if you had the reservations.

Our reservations for Ohana were at 9 but we got there at 8 and were sat at a table in 10 minutes. The food was excellent.

Tusker house, Liberty Tree, Hollywood and Vine, and The Garden Grill didn't disappoint either.

The only thing I would have to complain about was that they offered the mac and cheese and nuggets too much for the kids at Table Service. My kids were sick of mac and cheese by the time we left. Thank goodness we were able to eat at family style or buffet so they didn't have to eat it all the time. They loved the diversity of Tusker House and tried all new things to eat.

They also loved the fresh salads we got every night with our meals.

Look through the menus and you will be surprised at the selection you get. You can find good food you just have to plan and look for it.

Allears.net has all the menus for the restaurants.

 

[disnut8]

Well, I sent a youtube link of the video of Remy now appearing at Chef de France to my grown son. His response was " And people wonder why I prefer Disney World to any other amusement park". I think he summed up Disney dining extremely well. It's NOT like amusement park dining. There's just a little bit more. Look at Sci-Fi Dine Inn. You going to get that at Six Flags? Even something simple like napkin waving. Or Sonny Eclipse. There are very few Disney dining places that are just restaurants.

On a recent trip with the in-laws, we went offsite for all of our meals and I can tell you that it's not the same as dining with Disney. There's just that extra added something that makes it special. Characters aren't the only things that make a meal at Disney.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I completely disagree.
I do not understand how eating for free is NOT a good value.
1. Free food=excellent value. If you use the FREE dining (or the dining plan)...then prices would not upset you.
2. I think there are sooooo many fabulous choices/options on Disney property. What 'higher priced' items have they *chopped* off the menu's & buffets that have such a HUGE impact on the dining experience? I mean enough to turn a person off from eating on propery completely?
3. I planned accordingly, called at 90 days and got 100% of my ADR's for June (an obviously busy month). Not really a big deal?

Of course the prices are 'higher'...but in life we pay a premium for convience. Sure, we could eat off property for less...no doubt...BUT time is money on a Disney vacation.

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

Can I ask what has been removed from the menus that is making you angry? I looked at the menus recently and they look similar to my past trips, no huge difference that I see!
I think eating at Disney is so much more than the food, ofcourse the food is important. But the convenience of staying on site and eating onsite is so important to us. We have had some fabulous meals (Narcoossee's is always amazing and we love CP breakfast, definately worth the $$$$) and ofcourse we have dad a few bad ones and we will not return to those but that can happen anywhere, not just at disney!

 

[WDWJosh]

I'm kind of a gourmet foodie, and I'm very picky about making sure I'm getting a quality meal.
I usually pick the places I know will provide, but I've been let down a couple of times. Nothing major at all, especially when you compare the food at WDW to the food at Cedar Point, which is right down the road from me. CP's food is overpriced, and not near the quality of WDW.

 

[vcgirl925]

Well what excites me about the ddp is that i can eat at disney! If it weren't for the dp and in my case FREE DP then i wouldn't have the opportunity to eat at the different disney restaurants. We may have done one or two TS a week and eat CS and off site the rest of the time. Now i can experience all the restaurants i've always wanted to eat at.

Plus free dining = value to me!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Double post. Delete please. Sorry!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Instead of posting this on a message board, I'd email or send a letter to Disney about your concerns. It is the only way concerns can be addressed.

BTW, I have no problems with the dining plans or menus. I eat at all signatures and have not noticed a dip in anything at all.

 

[BostonRob]

I do not understand how eating for free is NOT a good value.
1. Free food=excellent value. If you use the FREE dining (or the dining plan)...then prices would not upset you.

Well when you get free dining, you forgo all other discounts and pay rack rate. So it isn't really free. I mean, does anybody really pay rack rate?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Well when you get free dining, you forgo all other discounts and pay rack rate. So it isn't really free. I mean, does anybody really pay rack rate?

Ask the majority of guest staying during Christmas week, April Break, etc...you'll find a quite a few.

 

[Don Disney]

I have to say, that our family definately enjoyed free-dining last Sept.!! We usually have to stay off-site in a place with the kitchen(they were pretty nice places nearby-did that 2 years in a row),go to Wal-Mart and get all our food,cook,clean up etc....for the whole week-it was quite economical for us,and saved us a ton of money!!! We booked bounce-back for Sept.09',and are very greatful for free-dining;we really could'nt afford to pay for the DDP!!! The food was pretty good to us,and we did lots of character meals too! We would do the off-site cooking thing etc...again in a heart beat to get to be at Disney,but if they are willing to feed my family of 4 for 10 days,I think that is just fantastic!!!!. We didn't feel like we were missing anything-the food was fine!!! They could have given us burgers,and pizza all week,and that would've been good too!!! If we could afford the DDP,we would do it with no regrets!!! We don't go for the fancy-schmancy,twigs and drizzle on the plate, so-called gourmet,not enough to feed an ant type restaurants-we like meat and potatoes!!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I have to say that there is no way in the world that I'd go offsite every time I wanted something to eat. Just no way. I don't want to waste the time it would take going back and forth.

I also am not going to go on vacation and cook. This is a vacation for me and that means no cooking, cleaning or washing clothes. Those are things I have to do each and every day and by golly, I won't do it on vacation.

We like the dining plan. It works for our family. I understand, though, that it doesn't for others. We have found that we are more apt to try new restaurants and new foods when on the dining plan. I also like knowing that all of our food is paid for prior to our arriving. All I have to worry about it the tip.

We travel to family destinations two or three times a year. I have to say that the food prices at Disney are sometimes lower than those at the other places we have gone. And, the quality of the food is much better than the other places. Heck, my daughter went skiing in Colorado and a slice of pizza and a small Coke was $15.00! Here are our local movie theater, a bottled Coca Cola is $2.75 and a hot dog is $4.50.

Like I said, I know that the dining plan doesn't work for all families but it does for our's. And, again, there's no way I'd waste my Disney time traveling offsite just for food.

 

[Karlzmom]

I KWYM, as a person who pays OOP for all my meals (we have the TIW card) it bugs me that the menus are getting "dumbed down." I understand WDW needs to control costs, and because some people will order filet or lobster everyday if the can then the only solution WDW has is to nix them off the menu. SOOO, people like me can't get the upscale fare at any price....

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I agree with a PP, I'd still rather eat on-site and continue to be emerged with Disney than leave and come back to the real world.

It's the same reason why I don't like staying at any villa so much since I would have a kitchen I would feel obligated to cook in.

I eat fairly healthy partially so that I can eat like crap while in WDW. And although I do enjoy food a lot, I am prefectly ok with hamburgers, steaks, taters (mashed, roasted, baked and fried), hot dogs, pizza and all the other random generic food you may see a lot at WDW.

My only two disappointments with Disney dining is the disappearance of the buffalo steak at Artist Point and the elimination of fatty, bad for you food like white bread and the potatoes at 'Ohana...