Places you can't bring yourself to book

[goofyintoronto]

Tony's and italian food just shouldn't be in the same sentence.

I agree!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Rainforest for me. I went at the recommendation of my girlfriend's sister. I don't know why I listened to her, because she's a vegetarian who actually thinks Panda Express is the best Chinese food on the planet. I don't have a problem with her being a vegetarian, but I do have a problem with her actually going out of her way for steam table Chinese food. My only issue with her being vegetarian is that I'm a very meat-and-potatoes guy, which she's totally not, so our tastes in food don't mesh very well. Everything she's ever recommended I didn't like, and Rainforest was no exception.

Now, the food at RFC is, for lack of a better term, totally unremarkable. As in, I can not make any remarks about the food. It's that forgettable.

We had a Rainforest Cafe inside our mall. It opened in Feb 1999 and closed in Jan 2009 so just over 10years here. We ate there a few times when it was opened and for us the food was not that great-decor cool but not great food. Now granted we haven't eaten there (at any of the locations) since it closed in our area but still.

I take it you are lucky enough to dine at those places regularly? It made sense to avoid RFC when we had one near us; but that one closed, so now RFC might as well be a unique place to Disney. And T-Rex only has one other location in the country (last I checked), and it's nowhere near us, so again, it might as well be unique.

As mentioned above we had a Rainforest near us (inside our mall) and it closed down years ago. Is the T-Rex location you are talking about the one in Kansas City, Kansas @ the Legends Outlets shopping center? That's near me (about a 20min-25min drive) but I guess I didn't realize it was the first one opened and the only other location other than at DS @ WDW. We've only been to it once at the Legends. From what I remembered the food was like Rainforest Cafe in that it wasn't that great though props to the decor. I get your line of thinking though.

 

[ErinsMommy]

I agree!

Its a shame because honestly I find italian food to be one of the easiest dishes I make - other than eggs. LOL. Tomatoes, basil, garlic, boil pasta. I mean really. LOL.

 

[msb578]

I'm going to plug the Swan/Dolphin restaurants

We ate at bluezoo last month. We took advantage of the 2 complimentary hours of childcare at Camp Dolphin that came with each entree. It was so nice! There were kids in the restaurant, and they were the well-behaved kind We knew ours wouldn't have handled it well, so Camp Dolphin was a great option.

And the food (and even more so the service)- arguably the best I've had at WDW so far.

 

[nco91590]

I feel all protective over The Wave and Captain's Grille lol. Those are both really good TS restaurants! It's fine by me if people are turned off by the lack of theming, just makes it easier for me to get a reservation

As far as the original question, I've had Via Napoli on my list for like 3 trips and I just can't do it. Living in NY, i'm not willing to spend a ton of $$ of not so great pizza. I also do not book TS meals in Magic Kingdom....mostly because if I'm on vacation and after a LONG day in the parks, I want a glass of wine with my dinner. This is of course prior to the relaxing of MK rules with alcohol, so never say never.

 

[smiths02]

Tony's-the reviews are just so bad

Some places I just feel like we have good local places and we would be disappointed in the food. I mean, I guess that is true of most Disney restaurants , but I generally try to pick places that will have decent food and great/unique atmosphere when at Disney. Some examples:
Marrakesh (although the atmosphere there does seem cool, so we have come close, maybe when the kids are older/less picky)
Teppan Edo
Nine Dragons

 

[goofyintoronto]

Its a shame because honestly I find italian food to be one of the easiest dishes I make - other than eggs. LOL. Tomatoes, basil, garlic, boil pasta. I mean really. LOL.

Exactly! One of the problems lies with their tomato/marinara sauce. Its sooooo acidic and just plain awful.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Exactly! One of the problems lies with their tomato/marinara sauce. Its sooooo acidic and just plain awful.

And unseasoned. It reminded me of the one year I went to England and saw chicken parm on the menu and unfortunately got excited ahead of being served their version. It was sad. LOL.

 

[amberpi]

There's a ton of WDW dining and that's a never for me: buffets, characters, AYCTE, anything involving a skillet or "down home" food, antics, loud, hokey. So, that's a huge list of crap and experiences I'd truly hate, and yet, there is never enough time, nor stomach space to eat everything I want on my many, many WDW trips!

BTW, the Swolphin restaurants are all top notch, hell their pool bar food is great, and you can put your kids in the kid camp thingie.

 

[Texans_loyal]

you are missing out on nine dragons!! the best Chinese food I have ever had.

 

[jsternad]

For me:

1. Tony's - too many bad reviews
2. Any character meal for lunch or dinner - just too many other better options for those meals
3. Sci Fi or Mama Melrose - 50's PT is our "go to" table service lunch place in the Studios


6. Victoria & Alberts - too expensive (and kids aren't allowed)
7. Any place not unique to WDW (e.g., Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, etc.)


10. Resturant Marrakesh - just seems a bit too exotic
11. Nine Dragons - too many mediocre reviews

13. Tokyo Dining - we're too hooked on Teppan Edo

I agree with most of these.

All the ethnic restaurants (besides Italian, and nothing too French), but only because the people I'll always be traveling with are all picky and non-adventurous when it comes to food. I'd love to try V&A on an adult only trip one day, if it's worth it. I LOVE breakfast food, so breakfast buffets are right up my alley. I love eating a bigger meal in the morning, snacking for lunch, and eating a wonderful dinner, to keep me full and happy and maybe a little tipsy to go back to the room with.

 

[Farro]

Raglan Road - that food is just too heavy for hot weather. I read the menu and get a stomachache.
And we have enough "Irish" pubs here in Chicago to last anyone a lifetime! I'm sure the crowds are a bit different in Disney, but here they are filled with grown men who are reliving their college fraternity days.

 

[Kristi.M]

Tonys - We booked and then cancelled for another option. I feel bad because we cancelled based on reviews but, there are just so many other places with such awesome reviews. So, maybe another trip

 

[maryj11]

All of the signature restaurants- Just to expensive. Some day maybe we will try one.

Tony's -Read to many bad reviews

Hollywood and Vine - Same reason, bad reviews

Chef Mickey's - Same reason read it was loud in there, food is not that good and someone said birds were flying around in there.

CRT - Did eat there for dinner once and we did not like the food. My steak was tough and dry and the desserts were not fresh. Never again will I pay for that.

Le Cellier - I have always wanted to eat there because so many raved about how good it was but, I kept changing my mind because of the cost. Then the reviews seemed to go down hill. So scratched that off the list.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

you are missing out on nine dragons!! the best Chinese food I have ever had.

That's sad.

 

[RealBlast3]

Because I'm a solo diner, for that reason there are a few places I can't book. Generally, I don't let anything stop me when I dine alone, I eat in most places. Like, even character dining, I've done it all, just about and multiple times.

But I'll admit to letting a few restaurant's style of community seating intimidate me from eating there on my own as of yet. Those two would be Biergarten and Teppan Edo. I just can't get over the anxiety of being the solo diner who is sitting so close to families or couples or whatever with no place to hide LMAO. I know I should just get over it, but this is the one scenario I just can't get over the weirdness and the well, having to talk to people and explain that I'm a solo.

Like, normally, I'm the first person to say in one of those threads where a solo vacationer asks about eating in a restaurant, "Don't worry about it. No one is paying attention to you, ect." But at Teppan Edo and Biergarten, don't you all sit so close to each other, it's kind of hard to not notice someone, right?

I'd like to kick those restaurants off my bucket list, they're the only Epcot ones I haven't visited in my 10+years of going to Disney, but as long as I'm a solo vacationer, I just can't see it happening. And I have come close a few times - booked them, and then chickened out at the last minute and changed the ressie.

 

[buzzrelly]

Tiffin's, Saana, or Skipper's Canteen…just nothing we would like on the menu

 

[goofyintoronto]

That's sad.

 

[hmcater]

I will never book Chef Mickey's, to many bad stories and reviews. Same with Le Cellier.

 

[Rockette]

Boma--I want to give it another try because it's so well liked here, but everything tasted like it was doused in cinnamon when we were there so I hated most of the food I tried.
The Wave--If only it had windows.
Via Napoli--I can get that kind of pizza and food at home for far less money.
Tony's--Again, high quality Italian is available at home.

I see we're from the same county - and I have the same sentiments for the Italian food in Florida as a whole. Some of it is very good (Via Napoli I like!), but it's twice the cost it should be.

Tony's is the only Disney restaurant I really can't fathom eating at again. I gave it a chance at least. The Rainforest Cafe is also a no for me too.