Marathon Weekend 2023

[HangWithMerida]

When Tiffin's first opened it was truly unique and really good, but sadly they've "dumbed down" (aka Americanized) the menu since then and it's nothing special. But for the first six months or so, it was fabulous!

I agree. Tiffins when it first opened was something special. We went on our last trip and noticed the menu had changed a lot. I still enjoyed my food but I think it may come down to what you order. Some of the options looked kind of boring.

 

[HangWithMerida]

SAFD: If I have to call a restaurant a disappointment, it would have to be Be Our Guest. When we first went in 2014, everything was great! We went to the QS lunch and TS dinner, and all the food was fantastic.

Then we went in January 2018, and things changed, and not for the better. It was the only meal that entire Disney trip that I sent back. The roast beef in their French Dip was really chewy and gristly. The manager let me change it up. I got the pork coq au vin, and it was really flavorless.

Then they changed it to the prix fixe menu that we have now. I gave it one more shot. It was fine. And that's the problem: for the price of that meal, it should be more than just fine. It should be a good meal, and it's not.

At this point, the decor inside is beautiful, but the food just doesn't keep up.

SAFD: Be Our Guest with the new prix fixe dinner menu is my vote as well. We went for dinner once before the change and It was so good! The experience was fun and they had options for everyone. Last time we went back, my kid had become a Disney adult (11 y/o) and was totally uninterested in the adult menu. We were able to get them a kids menu thankfully. The only vegetarian option for my husband was bleh and my food was nothing special either. And it felt like we were being rushed through the meal.
Honorable mention to Cinderella’s Royal Table. Ok, but not worth the price. An so unimaginative.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I feel kind of sad now lol. Does anyone have really good Disney food experiences they want to add?

ETA: I like Spice Road Table and trying the special offerings during Epcot festivals. They're not always that great (one time Disney presented me with a hockey puck it said was an arepa), but sometimes they are yummy and they're usually interesting.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD:

I'll start by saying, I'm relatively easy to please. I want to enjoy my meal and it takes a lot to put me off. I've never sent anything back and do everything I can to avoid confrontation and uncomfortable situations.

The biggest problem I've had with food at Disney is the pricing and that is clearly getting worse, not better. knowing that we are all paying a premium for Disney service and quality there are a few places that have stood out as experiences I don't desire again and don't picture as being one off issues that we experienced.

Chef Mickey's-We went on our first full family trip with my 5 nieces and nephews in 2014 for breakfast. Characters were good, and I know that's what we were paying for, but the food was like any $10 breakfast buffet in the US. We were seated late and rushed through service. Neither seemed like an aberration either on the day or in their regular course of business.

Palo-I'll shift to DCL real quick. I don't cruise much but I've always enjoyed it the few times I have (this cruise in 2016 was my first since 2000, only time on DCL, and last time I've cruised). We went to Palo for brunch and I was underwhelmed. First off, I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of paying for different?/better?/other? food when the price of the cruise included all the food I could ever want to eat to begin with, but I digress. Anyway, it was a weird and entirely too convoluted ordering system, the service was subpar compared to our team from the dining rooms (to be expected, I guess), and the food felt in no way superior to what I was able to get anywhere else on the boat.

Storybook Dining-This is a little bit of a problem with all of the prix fixe meals around Disney but certainly on the occasion that I dined at Storybook. The Prime Rib was clearly made sous vide to accommodate all of the orders they'd get through the night. Sous Vide isn't an issue by itself, it's clearly a reasonable way to reliably have proper temperature/doneness meat ready to go for a large service, but its a weird choice for Prime Rib which can't be seared to temperature before serving (without becoming a ribeye, anyway). What our table was served (for those of us who got it) was almost like a weird, lukewarm, oversized roast beef cold cut. Learned my lesson about prime rib off a prix fixe on that one; but I think any meal across property you have to give a little thought to how the dishes are being prepared. Characters (specifically the Evil Queen) were fantastic so it wasn't a bad night.

Magic Kingdom-I have to force myself to remember to eat at Magic Kingdom because the options are so, I'll just say it, bad. There is nothing special at MK and there is nothing particularly good despite the fact that it's basic. I have seen multiple outlets report on corn dog nuggets with processed cheese dip as though they are spectacular; I like garbage as much as the next person (hello, Spaghettios) but if that's what gets people excited there is something seriously wrong. Anyway, I have crashed with migraine/nausea/exhaustion twice at MK as a result of eating only sweets (Gaston's cinnamon roll, Peter Pan Float, Dole whip, etc.) and nothing of substance. Now I am cognizant of the fact I have to bite the bullet and overpay for some basic QS to keep me on my feet. This is particularly glaring considering how much better the QS options have become at other parks in the last 10 years. I realize they don't *have* to do anything, as people will continue to pile into Cosmic Ray's regardless, but it is frustrating that they don't appear to have any desire to upgrade.

Sorry, this turned into a novella. Even my bad meals at Disney I've walked away full and mostly content. I've had consistently good service and some truly outstanding meals. I'm sure there were others that were not entirely satisfying as well (I know my one time at Ohana, I also had the feeling that we were being both rushed and not being paid attention to) but these were the ones that stuck out to me as the norm rather than a one off.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I found a picture of the hockey puck:

 

[Naomeri]

I feel kind of sad now lol. Does anyone have really good Disney food experiences they want to add?

ETA: I like Spice Road Table and trying the special offerings during Epcot festivals. They're not always that great (one time Disney presented me with a hockey puck it said was an arepa), but sometimes they are yummy and they're usually interesting.

I really enjoyed my Garden Grill breakfast back in January 2020, but since they haven’t brought that back yet, this probably won’t make you less sad. The characters were great at interacting with me (a solo adult) just the same as they did with all the family tables

 

[jpeterson]

I really enjoyed my Garden Grill breakfast back in January 2020, but since they haven’t brought that back yet, this probably won’t make you less sad. The characters were great at interacting with me (a solo adult) just the same as they did with all the family tables

Garden Grill is a family favorite. We just went last week and they had replaced the usual Turkey with BBQ chicken. It was disappointing

 

[striker1064]

I feel kind of sad now lol. Does anyone have really good Disney food experiences they want to add?

Yes! I second Spice Road. Marrakesh is also pretty good. Boma and Jiko are wonderful. The pizza window at the Boardwalk is good if you like your pizza extra salty (I do!). Satuli Canteen in AK near Avatar is the best QS at WDW. Flame Tree BBQ, also AK, also good. Skipper Canteen in MK was surprisingly good.

There are a lot of good options at Epcot. People rag on Nine Dragons because every town in the country has at least one decent Chinese restaurant. Ignore them and get something off the Mala menu. The sushi restaurant in Japan (name escapes me) has legitimately high quality sashimi, and few things in life are better than great sashimi. Ale & Compass at Yacht Club has several tasty options and a good (toned down) breakfast buffet.

If you're feeling spendy, Victoria & Albert's at Grand Floridian is a tasting menu restaurant, where they bring you a set number of pre-fixed courses. If you like that kind of experience and food, V&A more than holds its own.

There are more I'm forgetting.

And drinks! The most important part. Trader Sam's at Polynesian was a big part of the modern day tiki revival, and their drinks are legit - most of them, anyway. Some, like the Pearl, are sugar bombs. Try the Nautilus and the Hippopotomai-tai. AbracadaBar on the Boardwalk is great fun - I have absolutely stumbled back to my hotel after a night there. Enchanted Rose Room in GF is pretty good, but pricey. If you're feeling adventurous, try the bijou at China in Epcot.

EDIT: Olivia's Cafe at Old Key West! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all good. You'll need it after a night at Gurgling Suitcase. At Disney Springs, Boathouse is great. Wine Bar George has good small plates. Morimoto Asia is one of my favorites. D-Luxe Burger makes good burgers (shocking).

 

[DisneyParrothead]

Yes! I second Spice Road. Marrakesh is also pretty good. Boma and Jiko are wonderful. The pizza window at the Boardwalk is good if you like your pizza extra salty (I do!). Satuli Canteen in AK near Avatar is the best QS at WDW. Flame Tree BBQ, also AK, also good. Skipper Canteen in MK was surprisingly good.

There are a lot of good options at Epcot. People rag on Nine Dragons because every town in the country has at least one decent Chinese restaurant. Ignore them and get something off the Mala menu. The sushi restaurant in Japan (name escapes me) has legitimately high quality sashimi, and few things in life are better than great sashimi. Ale & Compass at Yacht Club has several tasty options and a good (toned down) breakfast buffet.

If you're feeling spendy, Victoria & Albert's at Grand Floridian is a tasting menu restaurant, where they bring you a set number of pre-fixed courses. If you like that kind of experience and food, V&A more than holds its own.

There are more I'm forgetting.

And drinks! The most important part. Trader Sam's at Polynesian was a big part of the modern day tiki revival, and their drinks are legit - most of them, anyway. Some, like the Pearl, are sugar bombs. Try the Nautilus and the Hippopotomai-tai. AbracadaBar on the Boardwalk is great fun - I have absolutely stumbled back to my hotel after a night there. Enchanted Rose Room in GF is pretty good, but pricey. If you're feeling adventurous, try the bijou at China in Epcot.

EDIT: Olivia's Cafe at Old Key West! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all good. You'll need it after a night at Gurgling Suitcase. At Disney Springs, Boathouse is great. Wine Bar George has good small plates. Morimoto Asia is one of my favorites. D-Luxe Burger makes good burgers (shocking).

I second Ale and Compass. My family ate there this past MW and loved it. I got a chicken pasta dish that was light and had roasted cherry tomatoes and spinach. It normally also comes with mushrooms but mushrooms don’t like me so I ordered it without them. We all loved our meal. So yes, I would absolutely eat at Ale and Compass again.

 

[Neon Cactus]

SAFD: I agree with Ohana. It was always a can’t miss place and this last marathon weekend was pretty close to awful. Their “Ohana bread” was Kings Hawaiian rolls. The flavor of the food was nothing like it used to be. Be Our Guest was disappointing to me as well. I’ve still had more good experiences than bad, though. Boma, Steakhouse 71 and Narcoossee’s were really good. Can’t wait for 1900 Park Fare to reopen.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I feel kind of sad now lol. Does anyone have really good Disney food experiences they want to add?

ETA: I like Spice Road Table and trying the special offerings during Epcot festivals. They're not always that great (one time Disney presented me with a hockey puck it said was an arepa), but sometimes they are yummy and they're usually interesting.

Definitely have had way more good experiences than bad. I think it’s pretty easy to nitpick; particularly the last couple years when I don’t believe Disney was placing CMs in the best position to succeed. My post was lengthy but was really personal pet peeves more than anything (although I stand by the idea that the food situation at MK is unconscionable and should bother Disney much more than it seems it does). Last week’s SAFD touched on a lot of my favorite places.

 

[camaker]

I feel kind of sad now lol. Does anyone have really good Disney food experiences they want to add?

ETA: I like Spice Road Table and trying the special offerings during Epcot festivals. They're not always that great (one time Disney presented me with a hockey puck it said was an arepa), but sometimes they are yummy and they're usually interesting.

Now you've gone and spoiled next week's SAFD question!

 

[camaker]

Definitely have had way more good experiences than bad. I think it’s pretty easy to nitpick; particularly the last couple years when I don’t believe Disney was placing CMs in the best position to succeed. My post was lengthy but was really personal pet peeves more than anything (although I stand by the idea that the food situation at MK is unconscionable and should bother Disney much more than it seems it does). Last week’s SAFD touched on a lot of my favorite places.

I'm curious as to your thoughts on Columbia Harbour House at MK. It's always been one of my favorites and I've always found the food to be good there.

 

[Neon Cactus]

I'm curious as to your thoughts on Columbia Harbour House at MK. It's always been one of my favorites and I've always found the food to be good there.

I love CHH. It’s where I eat the most at MK. I like getting a table on the top floor overlooking Liberty Square and the food is pretty good.

 

[Barca33Runner]

I'm curious as to your thoughts on Columbia Harbour House at MK. It's always been one of my favorites and I've always found the food to be good there.

Fried seafood is not my favorite thing, so it may be that their best QS option is something that isn’t in my wheelhouse.

I guess my statement may have been overly harsh; I would classify a lot of MK fare as “fine” (CHH, Pecos Bill’s, Casey’s, Skipper Canteen). My go to has become the waffle sandwiches or hand dipped corn dog from Sleepy Hollow, and those are usually quite good (although the Nutella and fruit version doesn’t really solve my sweets issue). I just think nostalgia is carrying a lot of water at MK and “fine” is a really underwhelming benchmark for them to be aiming for.

ETA: I guess I should be happy that the other parks have things that seem interesting and I’m excited to try. There’s just very little at MK that I can’t make better at home (hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken nuggets/fingers, tex-mex). If I’m overpaying for food I’d at least like it to be something that feels unique to Disney.

 

[striker1064]

ETA: I guess I should be happy that the other parks have things that seem interesting and I’m excited to try. There’s just very little at MK that I can’t make better at home (hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken nuggets/fingers, tex-mex). If I’m overpaying for food I’d at least like it to be something that feels unique to Disney.

I totally get this. MK is mostly basic and/or fried stuff. There isn't a lot that's truly interesting and unique. But at least the other parks don't have that problem. What worries me is the way individual restaurants change and cater to the lowest common denominator (like Tiffin's), I fear everything will eventually catch up to it.

Frankly I wouldn't even fault Disney for doing it. It seems like most people at Disney want Costco-quantities of familiar food. When people talk about the dining plan/free dining, they only ever mention the amount of food you get, not the quality - because somehow our value of food has become determined by quantity over quality. And frankly, Disney would probably get a lot fewer food-related complaints if they went full-MK throughout the entire property. I hope that never happens!

EDIT: This has been a fun discussion!

 

[Bree]

SAFD: I’m not a fan of 99% of Disney restaurants. I have a few favorites, but most of them are not Disney owned or operated. My biggest gripe is the lack of variety for fresh vegetables. 3 green beans and a carrot in my dinner plate is just sad and prepackaged carrots gets boring. I always tell my husband I might die of scurvy or some other vitamin deficiency after a few days at Disney. For marathon weekend I usually make veggies at home and keep it in a mini fridge at the resort since I’m there for a week. I drive there so it’s easy for me to pack a cooler. I eat a lot of vegetables at home on a daily basis.

 

[jpeterson]

I totally get this. MK is mostly basic and/or fried stuff. There isn't a lot that's truly interesting and unique. But at least the other parks don't have that problem. What worries me is the way individual restaurants change and cater to the lowest common denominator (like Tiffin's), I fear everything will eventually catch up to it.

Frankly I wouldn't even fault Disney for doing it. It seems like most people at Disney want Costco-quantities of familiar food. When people talk about the dining plan/free dining, they only ever mention the amount of food you get, not the quality - because somehow our value of food has become determined by quantity over quality. And frankly, Disney would probably get a lot fewer food-related complaints if they went full-MK throughout the entire property. I hope that never happens!

EDIT: This has been a fun discussion!

I'm reminded of an old joke about two old women having lunch:
Woman #1: The food here is horrible!
Woman #2: And such small portions!

 

[Baloo in MI]

Now you've gone and spoiled next week's SAFD question!

You have caught on to me! Ok, it was not going to be next week, but it was on my list to ask at some point!.

 

[Baloo in MI]

On the topic of Columbia Harbor House - does it have calm chowder in a bread bowl? Both my daughters have Celiac Disease so no gluten ever in our house and when we eat out. But a few weeks back I was in California Adventure and had a couple hours to myself and I went over to Fisherman’s Wharf area and had the chowder in a bread bowl - it was sooo good! I saw it being sold in Disneyland the next day but was with the family so I skipped it. But I am sure I can work it in at Marathon Weekend, just don’t normally go to CHH. Do they have it and is it good?