Food! Terrible Food!

[DisneyFamily123]

Is there really terrible food at Disney World restaurants? What makes people say the food is "terrible" or "bad". We have been to many restaurants, and I can't say any of the meals were bad... overpriced maybe, but not terrible. Is it the price that gets people upset or is the food really bad. I certainly enjoyed the food at some restaurants more than others, and the quality of food and service definitely varies... but I don't think I could say any place was terrible or bad. Since we do the deluxe dining plan... I don't pay attention to how much each meal costs.

All we ever get is gru...el!
Ev'ry day we say our prayer --
Will they change the bill of fare?
Still we get the same old gru...el!
(from Oliver)

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I have always read mixed reviews about 1900PF so I have never gone with my girls, they are now 16, 11 and 8 (almost 9) and I am regretting it so I booked it for next month and am excited but nervous. I hear all the time how bad CM is, but we love it and WCC and we love it too, so I am hopeful, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous because we are paying OOP for it. I think though all you can do is try for yourself and see. We are going with the idea that we will enjoy it and if we don't at least we know and from what I hear we will at least enjoy the show. We ARE going though, despite me debating it in my head. I have a BBB appointment for DD8 that day and already bought her a Cinderella dress so no matter what I hear we are going to give it a try at least once.

 

[crabbygal902]

Eh, I think it is all relative.

I have liked most everything at WDW restaurants. Maybe I'm easy to please on vacation because I'm so darn happy to be there. I think how a place makes you *feel* can make or break your experience. Chef Mickey's could serve Chef Boyardee straight from the can and I probably wouldn't notice it if Goofy makes my kids smile and laugh. I might even fondly remember it as the 'fantastic authentic Italian meal!'

Even our 'bad' experiences at WDW are better than some of our 'good' experiences in the real world. The worst we ever had was a bland lunch at ABC Commissary in DHS. I didn't gag or suffer permanent damage...it was just...bland. Certainly not any worse than my local Subway. But Disney should be held to a higher standard, right? Maybe that's the reason for all the 'terribles' and 'awfuls.'

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I like most Disney restaurants. There are some I obviously like better then others, but even the worst restaurants have some good things about them. Like 1900 Park Fare, most of the food is unimpressive, but I love the strawberry soup.

 

[bleeps]

I think a LOT of this relates to the bottom line that people have higher expectations of Disney, and a Disney theme park vacation, than for anything else.

Yes, the food is pricey -- it's always overpriced at any theme park, museum, etc. (anyplace where you're a captive audience!).

But we've been to WDW 6 times, each time for 8 to 9 days, and have eaten all our meals on every trip on property. We leave in 2 weeks for trip #7. We live in the Boston area and I grew up in Chicago -- so we have a great deal of experience eating at all kinds of restaurants, including high end places.

We have had some meals that we liked more than others at WDW -- and I'd expect that to be the case. We've never, ever, had a meal that we couldn't eat, or that made us unwell. We have very flexible tastes -- we're not picky eaters -- and we like to try new things. In fact, part of the whole reason we keep going back to WDW every year is for the food!

So yeah, I think people go in expecting perfection at every turn -- and don't realize that perfection for all people all the time isn't attainable. I think people who may come from less urban/less costly markets might have a measure of sticker shock. Perhaps pickier eaters have a harder time?

But all this by way of saying that I think the whole food issue gets waaaay blown out of proportion here....

 

[MickeyNicki]

We have tried almost all the Disney restaurants and there are not that many that we classify as nasty and we will never eat there again...such as

1900 PF dinner
Nine Dragons
Raglan Road
Chef Mickeys dinner

 

[2Tiggies]

I think a LOT of this relates to the bottom line that people have higher expectations of Disney, and a Disney theme park vacation, than for anything else.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

Unrealistic expectations cause more problems than anything else. That goes for any aspect of your vacation, not just the food.

 

[rubato]

I have had some issues with some restaurants on property. Most of mine stem from a few facts. I keep reading all these rave reviews from people and expecting something amazing. So, I think my expectations are out of whack. Then, I'm paying SO much to eat that I think it should at least be good. But, so far, I've just ended up with decent food. Only a few times has the food been bad. Never inedible. But, just ok. At most of the Disney restaurants I've been to, I could get the same quality at a nicer buffet. That's fine, it's just that I would only pay about $10 for that here, and I'm paying over $30.

The 2 exceptions to this on our last trip were Citricos and WPE. Both places had an amazing quality for the price. Obviously, Citricos was better, but it costs 3 times as much, so it should be.

So, in order to not be disappointed, I've been reading all the bad reviews this time. Now, I hope to be pleasantly surprised on our trip in January!

 

[MAGGIED]

We have had over 30 trips to WDW and I think I have eaten at about every place...and like others there are some places I prefer to go ... it also depends on who we are traveling with.... for example I would not chose to go back to Chef Mickey's but if we are traveling with friends who have little children or it is their first visit then we go.. I think it is great fun for the kids.. we try to do character meals so that we don't have to wait in line for photos.... when it is just our family we eat a little different... we go places that we like... Cali grill.. Le Cellier, Coral Reef, etc...

The one park that I think is lacking in quality food is Hollywood Studios.... I don't think I would ever go back to Hollywood and Vine...

just us though...

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well-some of the food is pretty ordinary. But I've never felt it was TERRIBLE.

 

[DawnMaree]

We have tried almost all the Disney restaurants and there are not that many that we classify as nasty and we will never eat there again...such as

1900 PF dinner
Nine Dragons
Raglan Road
Chef Mickeys dinner

Haven't been to the other 3, but we went to Raglan Road and absolutely LOVED it! Great service, extra big booth for our family of 5, delicious food.

Disappointment to us were Garden Grill once, although we have been there many times. Just once we had not great service and the food was different than other visits.

I will say that unless a place was absolutely positively horrible, we always give it another chance unless it doesn't fit in our schedule.

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Nothing infuriates some people more than dashed expectations.

Food is so fraught with personal preferences that it's really hard to stay subjective on it. I mean, DW and I don't like 'frou-frou' food. We have unapologetically unadventurous palettes (mine could easily be called 'bland') and so restaurants that others rave about won't do much for us.
And the prices add a whole new level of scrutiny. I mean, they make a Canadian balk, and that' s saying something. It often seems as if it's cheaper to eat out in America than it is to buy groceries. At Disney, not so much.

I didn't have any terrible food--I had a few meals that were fair (Coral Reef, Olivia's and Biergarten) and of those, the one at CR would have really rankled me if I was the type who rankled easily. It was hideously expensive, the service was perfunctory at best and the atmosphere wasn't anything like we'd thought it would be.

Whereas some places exceed expectations. Trail's End had some of the best fried chicken I've ever tasted, and the rest of the buffet was likewise excellent. And the service at Le Cellier prompted a 30+% tip out of me, which doesn't happen often. (You've heard the joke...'What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe? Canoes can tip.')

 

[disneychic2]

DH and I have had really good experiences dining at Disney. We also loved the food at Raglan Road! We really enjoy the finer restaurants and many of the counter service places too. (However, I do avoid the meatloaf at the 50's Prime Time Cafe like the plague!)

Love Teppan Edo, Le Chefs de France, 50's Prime Time, Brown Derby, Le Cellier and Flame Tree Barbecue! We're trying some resort places this December due to the things I've been hearing here. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised about the food. And like another poster said, Hey, you're in Disney, what could be better?

 

[harley6464]

some of the food is just low quality food,seems like it went down around when free dining started we still have are favs but eat off property more often , and its not about money when we eat off site we spend about the same or more than at disney its just better quality

 

[Agri]

I think another factor is people don't want to pay a lot for something they can have at home. I know we skip on places like Fulton's because we can get better and far more affordable seafood back home. We don't go for BBQ either, because we have NC BBQ right down the road.

We won't be doing 1900PF again because they have too many tables for such a small area it was very difficult getting around on top of the characters and the kids running amuck. It was also a pain to get refills. Its a pity because we enjoyed the character interaction - especially Alice!

We probably won't do France, Italy, or Coral Reef again anytime soon for similar reasons - the food and service just wasn't that great for the price we paid.

We like Rose & Crown, but most of the dishes are easily made at home.

And the list goes on and on...I could probably justify NOT eating at about 90% of the WDW TS restaurants.

There are a TON of GOOD places to eat at WDW. The problem is when you start factoring in the "I can make this at home" and "x-restaurant back home is cheaper and just as good" into the equation. Then you start thinking "The $50 I spent on that meal could have bought me a day at DisneyQuest or a large stuffed Mickey." All of that can turn a mediocre meal with mediocre service into the worst meal of the century.

 

[scrappymel]

i really don't care for hollywood and vine. it wasn't inedible, but just bland, run of the mill buffet food. we were there b/c my daughter was IN LOVE w/ jojo. so, would i go back again if i had it to do over? OF COURSE! can't see jojo and goliath at our local golden corral, that's for sure! ;o) and, i'm so glad we saw her before she's been replaced. other than that, no complaints for me. we even managed to choke down a burger at abc last trip!

 

[tgropp]

I am convinced that some people just cant be pleased . I have had great meals, good meals and so so meals at WDW but never terrible. I am not sure how people classify food as terrible but I guess that it is possible.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Yes the food at Chef Mickeys was terrible. Price didnt matter. I wouldnt have liked it no matter the price. The bacon was like cardboard, The oatmeal like congealed glue, the scrambled eggs looked and tasted like some sort of playdough that could never have been a egg in its previous life. The food overall was just subpar. I dont hold Disney to a higher standard than what I can make at home or get at a cheap diner especially for breakfast food but the food should be at least edible. It was

 

[eliza61]

Is there really terrible food at Disney World restaurants? What makes people say the food is "terrible" or "bad". We have been to many restaurants, and I can't say any of the meals were bad... overpriced maybe, but not terrible. Is it the price that gets people upset or is the food really bad. I certainly enjoyed the food at some restaurants more than others, and the quality of food and service definitely varies... but I don't think I could say any place was terrible or bad. Since we do the deluxe dining plan... I don't pay attention to how much each meal costs.All we ever get is gru...el!
Ev'ry day we say our prayer --
Will they change the bill of fare?
Still we get the same old gru...el!
(from Oliver)

Why not? don't you have to pay for the dining plan?

For me price should not matter. whether you are on the dining plan or paying out of pocket you should expect to get a hot, tasty meal. That's why I don't understand how people can make excuses for disney like 'Well you go for the atmosphere not the food". IMO I go to a restaurant with every expectation of eating. so if I can't eat the food, I could have Brad Pitt doing fun things to me and still be upset.

Yes, I've had bad meals at Disney. Not inedable or posionous but really bad food. I've had mediocre meals.
My problem is becoming that the mediocre meals are now the normal where 5-6 years that was an unusual occurance.

 

[eliza61]

I am convinced that some people just cant be pleased . I have had great meals, good meals and so so meals at WDW but never terrible. I am not sure how people classify food as terrible but I guess that it is possible.

Cool, let me put some qualifiers on terrible food.

When you make pizza and it's pretty much a piece of cardboard with cheap tomatoe sauce on it. that's terrible. Pizza planet is pretty much the cheapest frozen pizza every sold.

When you serve pancakes that are ice cold (butter simply sits on top and looks at you and laughs) then serve the bacon sitting in its on grease. that's terrible. CRT

When you go to Peco's bills and the soda is flat because instead of taking the time to fill the cups as ordered some brainy act fills them up at 9:00 am in the morning with ice. that's terrible.

When you serve a steak and it has no flavor, at all, I mean absolutely none and it's chewy. that's terrible.

I think one of the reasons some people are so hard to please is because a lot of these things are very, very easy to fix. How hard is it to give your guest fresh bubbly coke and yes we do ask for a new cup but why should we even have to.

So maybe while you see it as hard to please, we see it as some people accepting any junk served to them. at disney prices, I refuse to accept junk.