Are WDW portions shrinking?

[MinnieMom]

I just had a friend return from WDW and she commented that her meals seemed much smaller than they were in years past. She goes quite often - at least twice a year and was just there in March of this year. She ate at some of the same restaurants this trip as she did in March and said the portions were noticeably smaller.

I'm not complaining since I can rarely finish an entire meal anyway since restaurant meals usually consist of more than one serving size. I'm just curious to hear if others have noticed a significant difference.

 

[rcraw45425]

We are pretty regular DW guests and we have noticed this over the past few years, most noticably at Nine Dragons. When we first began dining there several years back portions were large, comparable with most Chinese restaurants at home. Platter of entree and a large bowl of rice to share. We would usually get two or three entrees and split it between myself, DH and two DDs (now 11 & 13). On our MAy '07 trip we ordered as usual, family dinner for three for the four of us. WHen the entrees came out we were surprised to see that the entree portion had shrunk to about a dozen pieces of chicken in the sesame chicken on the same sized platter as before. Younger DD took one entire portion for herself, leaving the other three of us to share two entrees. In January o this year it was worse, you were given a scoop of entree and a scoop of rice on a plate for each person. For that we used 4 adult TS credits! Who knows what will be opn the plate when they reopen after refurbishment!

 

[disnut1149]

Hi
We had dinner at the Coral Reef on Wednesday night and I had the Mahi Mahi, which was delicious. I asked for potatoes instead of the rice, and I really think I got about a tablespoon of them on my plate. I couldn't believe it. So, when the waitress came, I asked for a little more, and she brought me a little one inch square of them. (I really didn't need to eat more potatoes, but they are really delicious). I never saw such a small portion before. The Mahi Mahi was a really decent sized portion though and both my DD and I loved it.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I haven't been to Disney since last year, but if the portions were smaller then, I didn't notice. I have seen a picture recently from Kona of the shrimp and scallops, where they were only served two of each, last year I got three of each.

 

[Stitchfans]

On our trip this past March I noticed that also at some of the restaurants. Coral Reef stands out the most. Man for what we paid it sure wasn't worth the amount of food we got. We all left still hungry and bought an ice cream just around the corner from Coral Reef. That is one restaurant we will never go back to.

 

[MissionMouse]

You are not suppose to notice this...and that is what their hoping for with all the other changes their making as they migrate dining at Disney in another direction. The pinnacle days of Disney dining are history unless guest start complaining back to Disney management.

 

[TigerKat]

On our trip this past March I noticed that also at some of the restaurants. Coral Reef stands out the most. Man for what we paid it sure wasn't worth the amount of food we got. We all left still hungry and bought an ice cream just around the corner from Coral Reef. That is one restaurant we will never go back to.

This also came to mind for me, the land & sea appetizer was pathetic.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I dont think so, I think the portions are still very big!

 

[yxe dad]

I think the portions are the same, too big.
In my last 3 trips I've had a TS meal each day and found the portions big enough to share, so we split and app, entree, and maybe a dessert. I hate leaving a restaurant and feeling like you want to go back to the room.

 

[Maxamuus]

I dont think its so much a issue of the portions shrinking as it is the average persons appetite is growing.

No offense intended to any of the above posters but America is fat and only getting fatter and so many restaurants are only making their portions larger and larger to draw in the crowds. America is a obese epidemic.

I'm not throwing stones as I have my own belly and I am working on cutting it, but on a whole we as a people are over eating WAY TO MUCH for our own good.

(feel free to flame me)

 

[PatriciaH]

I would agree with the PP normally but some of the Disney restaurants are a joke now with us. The Tangerine Cafe is a great place for vegetarians and we even like to get the veggie platter with our vegetarian friends. The last time the 4 of us ordered, the scoops of humus, taboli, olives and lentals were a JOKE. The next time we saw someone elses (we refused to spend $9 on thimble size portions) and they were even smaller! They used to be a nice 1/2 cup size, now they are about 1/8 of a cup or less. Higher price too!

 

[ElizabethB]

We at at Tony's a week or so ago. We ordered the steak, which has been good in the past. The steak was tough, and it came with -- count 'em -- two fat fries and one spear of broccolini. The steak was so bad we asked for more broccolini. We got one more spear on a large plate. Sorry, but I'm not worried about getting fat on the broccolini!

We surrender. We're planning trips to other places.

 

[Cookie Princess]

We noticed that the 2nd year the DDP was offered, the portions were MUCH smaller. Now, I am not a huge eater, but DH was bummed! This was first very apparent to us at Le Cellier and 50's PT. Then we realized it was pretty much a WDW wide change.

Even the dole whip swirl had drastically shrunk in size.

 

[soccerchick]

Yes, we noticed the smaller portions too. We were on the DDP, so I don't know if our desserts are separate/different portions from cash customers. If paying cash, DH and I will sometimes order a dessert and share it. Depending on the dessert, the whole family could share it. I would not be happy if I was paying the listed dessert prices of 5.99 - 7.99 and getting the tiny desserts we got on DDP.

 

[LisaInNc]

I have noticed the portions being smaller and Coral Reef is also on my list for the worst of that. The portion of potatoes was really small.

 

[septbaby]

Pay attention at home too, its an industry trend. Fridays and Ruby Tuesday's in particular advertise an entire "right size menu". We as Americans are too big, our kids are really at risk and the cost of food is skyrocketing (I pity those of you feeding teenage boys right now, just those daily gallons of milk ), so this is logical step.

 

[Belle5]

Maybe they are REALLY making an effort to make sure no one "shares" an entree????

 

[aribelle]

Pay attention at home too, its an industry trend. Fridays and Ruby Tuesday's in particular advertise an entire "right size menu". We as Americans are too big, our kids are really at risk and the cost of food is skyrocketing (I pity those of you feeding teenage boys right now, just those daily gallons of milk ), so this is logical step.

It's not just restaurants either.....check your yogurt....used to be a 6oz container, now it's 4oz and the same price! Tuna did this years ago....Starkist can has always been 6oz....still is, but now when you open it you see tuna floating in water, but it used to be packed solid with some water in it to keep it moist. Mix it with usual and it now makes one sandwich, not two. Check your soup cans, cereal boxes, etc.

I could go on with examples, but it's everywhere. The use packaging to keep the container about the same size outwardly but shrink the contents and keep the price the same.

I do agree though with the posters who say that the American understanding of what consitutes a portion is way off. Read any nutrition book (not just the diet ones either) and you'll see that the 16oz steak your DH thinks is "just right" is really meant to feed 4 people! But try serving your DH 4oz of meat and see how loudly he complains, lol. Of course that's part of the reason that buffet eating is so popular, no one telling you how big your portion can be, you can pile it on yourself, and then go back for thirds. And in a regular restaurant would you ever consider eating 3 desserts? But looking at my own plate, and the plates that DISers post in the food porn thread, apparently it's standard for a buffet to have a minimum of 3 desserts, lol.

No wonder I call myself Pooh sized.

 

[dreamin_disney]

You are not suppose to notice this...and that is what their hoping for with all the other changes their making as they migrate dining at Disney in another direction. The pinnacle days of Disney dining are history unless guest start complaining back to Disney management.

I've never been to wdw before but coral reef portions did stand out to me. I want to eat here but worried dfi wont get full, heck i dont think i will get full-lol! i'm still on the fence with this adr. If we do i saved a cs for sunshine season. I think if enough people gave their opinion to disney it could make a differece. We are a very large group here at DIS

 

[The Sweetness]

I wouldnt be surprised about portion sizes shrinking. Its an easy way to absorb *some* of the rising costs of food etc... This may be disapointing to ppl with a large appetite, or for ppl who plan on sharing the large portions that they are used to receiving when they order a fave. Last summer, when I dined in a few TS that werent Family Style (we skipped the buffets this time) Some food went to waste. We didnt want to carry take out boxes with us, and we didnt have a fridge or micro in the room anyway So it would be piontless to have any leftovers (other than maybe a dessert for that evening in the room) packaged to go

I am sure that on my next trip, the portions will be adequate. After all, at WDW, I do my fair share of snacking btw meals