Disney Food: The Good, The Bad, The Inedible

[cornflkgrl]

I was wondering your opinions on Disney food. Since coming to this website I got the impression from dozens of posts that the food at Disney was going to be terrible. I had myself and my husband all psyched up for repulsive overpriced food that we would throw away after one bite.
We ended up shaking our heads wondering what on earth everyone was talking about. Either we have terrible taste in food or everyone else does. We had no problems with the food and with the dining plan, no problems with the price.
In fact, some of the food at Disney is some of the best food I've ever had and I've lived in Europe so I've had good food.
One of our favorites was Bongos and it was also the least expensive for sit-down food we had while we were there.

So, What are some memorable good eats you've had at Disney?
What are some bad eats you've had?
Have you ever had anything that was so bad you had to throw it out or it made you sick?

Just wondering opinions. I'm really wanting to hear other people say the food was good because we are just baffled that we loved it and everyone hates it. We feel weird!!!

 

[Ilovestitch]

I've never had a bad meal at WDW.

 

[mamacatnv]

I didn't think the food was bad, I thought overall it was fairly good, with some meals better than others.

However, I didn't have any meals that I thought were exceptional except for the cs in Morocco, we thought the Tangerine Cafe was great.

This subject is so hard as everyones taste are different and what I find wonderful the next guest may find horrid.

The thing that I think Disney has done well is offer a huge variety of choices, dining styles and international flavors all in an easily accessible environment.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I've never had a truly bad meal anywhere on WDW property. I was vaguely disappointed my Marrakesh, but I was really expecting it to be much better than people's reviews. Instead, it was just so-so. However, nobody says they like Teppanyaki, and that was one of the best surprises I've had yet...very good, and everyone in my party thought the same. I "discovered" edamame there, and it's now become a staple of my diet.
I'm not a particularly picky eater, though, and a meal has to be pretty atrocious for me to give it a failing grade. The worst restaurants I've dined at in WDW compare pretty equally to my regular franchise restaurants around here, and I find nothing particularly wrong with them.

I wonder if much of the problem with people's reviews of WDW restaurants is their expectations. Maybe because the vacation costs so much, and is so long anticipated, that they expect their every bite to be ambrosia, and are crushed when it doesn't transport them to gustatory nirvana.

 

[annie1995]

The only truly bad food we had at disney was at Tomorrow Land Terrace Noodle Station. The only thing we liked was the Ginger Creme Breulee. Everything else was yucky

 

[Vivianne]

Count us in with the weirdo crowd. We've enjoyed all the Epcot table service meals we've had: Biergarten, LeCellier, Marrakesh, Askerhus. Plus the California Grill and Kona Cafe were very good.

The only meal we've found to be inedible was breakfast at the ABC Commissary. The bland food was bad.

 

[GreatBarrier86]

Some one told me a few days ago on this board never to go with a bad impression in your head. People have bad experiences. It happens...I think overall the food at Disney is incredible. The Cobb Salad at The Brown Derby is outstanding as is the Salmon Bruschetta.

Don't go with any preconceived notions. My reason for this is that if you go with high expectations and something bad happens, it might ruin your entire outlook. If you go with bad expectations and something bad happens, you might think "i expected as much."

 

[islandbeachnut]

The only bad meal we had was at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue in Fort Wilderness - absolutely VILE, including the dessert!!

 

[SeaSpray]

I voted for the last option since we've never had a bad meal at WDW.

Here are the restaurants we've dined at since 2001:

2001:
Hollywood & Vine (dinner)
Tony's Town Square (breakfast. Disney- bring this back!!)
Crystal Palace (lunch)
Cinderella's Royal Table (dinner)
Rainforest Cafe-AK (lunch)
Chef Mickey's (dinner)
Cinderella's Royal Table (breakfast)
1900 Park Faire (Villain's Dinner. Disney- bring this back as well!!)
50's Prime Time Cafe (dinner)
Kona Cafe (dinner and lunch)

2002:
Le Cellier (dinner)
Kona Cafe (breakfast)
Biergarten (dinner)
50's Prime Time (dinner)
'Ohana (dinner)

2005:
Whispering Canyon (lunch)
Cinderella's Royal Table (dinner X 2)
Teppanyaki (lunch)
50's Prime Time Cafe (dinner)
Sci-fi Dine Inn (lunch)
Kona Cafe (lunch and dinner X 2)
Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch)
'Ohana (dinner X 2)
Biergarten (lunch)
Plaza Restaurant (lunch)
Sunshine Seasons-Epcot (lunch)
Columbia Harbor House (lunch)
Pecos Bill's (lunch)

 

[GreatBarrier86]

The only bad meal we had was at the Hoop Dee Doo Revue in Fort Wilderness - absolutely VILE, including the dessert!!

I think the Hoop-de-doo food is an acquired taste. If you are used to the food from the California Grill, then the hoop-de-doo food is a large step down. Eh...i think it is so-so. For my trip in July, I'm choosing the hoop-de-do one night over Cape May Cafe.

 

[Dustmouse]

We truly enjoyed all of our meals during our trip in 2001. Dining is a big part of our vacation experience and our Disney meals did not disappoint!

2001
Donald's Breakfastosaurus
Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch)
Garden Grill Character Breakfast
Le Cellier (dinner)
50's Prime Time (lunch)
Hollywood & Vine Character Breakfast
Mama Melrose (dinner)
Fulton's Crab House (dinner)
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain (dessert, of course)
FoodQuest (lunch)
'Ohana (dinner)
Boatwright's Dining Hall (breakfast, dinner)
Beaches & Cream (dessert)
Yacht Club Galley (breakfast)
Hoop-Dee-Doo Dinner (*once heard a review that it wasn't any better than KFC....well, we happen to really like KFC!)
Spirit of Aloha Dinner

 

[sajetto]

My DF's favorite part of a Disney vacation is the Dining plan...if there's no dining plan he's not going! LOL

The only so so meals we have had so far are a couple of counter services and The Crystal Palace, other than that we've loved everything!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Here's a list of places we've eaten at in Disney:

Breakfast:

Ohana
1900 Park Fare
Grand Floridian Cafe
Chef Mickeys
Crystal Place
CRT
PSB

Lunch:

Sci-Fi
Restaurant Marrakesh
Rose and Crown
Plaza
50's Prime Time Cafe
CRT
Yacht Club Galley

Dinner:
1900 Park Fare
Grand Floridian Cafe
Chef Mickeys
Concourse Steak House
Whispering Canyon Cafe
Ohana
Kona Cafe
Hollywood Brown Derby
Hollywood and Vine
Mama Melrose
50's Prime Time Care
Le Cellier
Chefs de France
Rainforest Cafe
Liberty Tree Tavern
Crystal Palace
California Grille
Tonys Town Square

There are only two that we really didn't like: Tony's and Chefs de France
There are two that I thought were only so-so: Hollywood & Vine and WCC

We're trying a few new ones this trip: Coral Reef, Biergarten and Boatwrights

I think the food is pretty good. We keep trying to get to Boma but somehow it never works out. We had ADRs last July but DH's golf game ran late and this trip we didn't think our in-laws would want to try Boma.

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

We've eaten at most every restaurant in the World. The only bad meal I can remember was in "France". We've tried Chefs de France twice and both times the food was cold and not good. Otherwise, food is one of the big attractions for us. Our favorite restaurant, one we eat at at least twice each trip is Nine Dragons. A lot of people think it's not a great place to eat, but we really enjoy it. Shows you can't go by other's opinions - you may be missing your diamond in the rough.

 

[Crazy Kanga]

I think overall the food is good, but we have had a few great meals like at LeCellier and Boma.

 

[HunnyPots]

We've never had a BAD meal; I just don't think WDW food is really anything special. But then, I'm not really one to get excited over food! You get hungry, you eat something, you go on with your day. I don't know that's
just me. Out of all the meals we had, the only ones that stand out as being really good were dinner at 1900 Park Fare and the pot roast at 50's Prime Time. Everything else was fine; way above typical theme park food but with typical them park prices.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We have eaten at most of the full service restaurants and counter service places at Disney. Except for a few places the food at Disney has always been excellent. We always enjoy the different places to dine at Disney.

Some of our favorites are :

Jiko
California Grill
Le Cellier
Rose & Crown Pub
Flying Fish
Beaches & Creme

 

[pbharris4]

When reading reviews or opinions on places to eat...one has to keep in mind that for every fantastic restaurant review there will be a bad one. Every one's tastes are different and/or maybe the server or chef had an off night on a particular night. When I read reviews (which I love to read) I just keep an open mind and we'll give any place a try once and probably twice because you never know you'll like something unless you try it yourself. Opinions are just that...opinions..they are not right and they are not wrong. We liked all the places we have dined at so far. Each one had something different. We may not have liked some of the food or the service, but overall most of the places we go to at WDW are wonderful.

 

[dawgfan]

I have never gotten that Disney food as a whole is bad at all. I have heard some meals at some restaurants at some particular times were bad. As a whole Disney has many great restaurants and great food.

 

[GreatBarrier86]

Has anyone had the Langustino and Crab Cakes at Narcoossees? I think that it is the best item on the menu there. They do a very good job with it and the presentation is extrordinary. I like the square plate on which they serve it.