Should I be discouraged or are people too critical?

[Aeweddle]

Don't stress! I felt the same way before our June 16 trip. Almost everything we had was wonderful! The only thing I didn't care for was my salmon dish at Akershus and I think that was more of a personal preference. I was particularly worried about Hollywood and Vine but it was great as well!

 

[ArmyVet80]

We have been going to WDW every year for the last 7 years (sometimes multiple times a year) and try and eat at at least one new restaurant per trip.

I wouldn't say that the food quality has dropped that dramatically. Some items aren't necessarily as one may remember from previous trips from years ago but items are still pretty good.

With that said, most of the issues we have had are in the service department. It seems like a reasonable amount of the servers/CM's are just going through motions rather than being interactive with the guests.

For example: A few years ago we went to Via Napoli and our CM was very attentive, out going, informative of food items, etc.. Fast forward to our trip last year and the CM (different than the previous trip) filled our water glasses once during the entire meal even after being asked more than once for a refill, dropped our food off and walked away and brought us our check before we got our desserts (we are always on the DlxDP and explained this before we even ordered food).

I know not all servers/CM's are going to be the same when it comes to personality but attention to detail in ones work is what is expected from WDW as a whole. This will not prevent us from going back to Via Napoli as the food is always excellent and we really enjoy it. It does kind of put a damper on the "magic" of being there though.

 

[Lisa F]

Honestly I think that if you are going to WDW frequently, it kind of loses it's luster a bit. Places like this site tend to attract people who are frequent disney visitors. Any treat, had over and over and over again, begins to feel like less of a treat. Also the more you go, the more chances you have for places to have an off night.

I noticed this when I was going 3-4 times a year year after year and then due to personal circumstances took a break for 5 years - my next trip was probably the most fantastic ever and the dining was great - not at all "downhill" from years past imo... but then it was a real treat and it had been so long since I'd been to any of my old favorites... everything was fun and nostalgic and I just had a great time.

People have been saying that Disney is going downhill for as long as I have been going. "This" is worse than it used to be. "That" was SOO much better in 19xx. If you have never been or haven't been in a while chances are good you will have a great time and the restaurants will be great if your expectations are set properly. The buffets are not vegas quality buffets where they have incredibly rich and expensive foods and they are so huge that turnover is so quick that everything is virtually cooked to order. But I have always found most of the food on the buffets to be hot, fresh, tasty and filling with the occasional end of a tray being out too long and would avoid it until replenished. Most of the buffets I go to are for the character experiences, which have always been at least good, with my kiddo glad to get hugs and signatures without having to wait in line... some much better than others but all head and shoulders above having a whiny hot child standing in a slow moving line for a character.

I mean no it is not 5 star dining in some major metro area with a famous chef (Except for maybe V&A) but as an overall experience, the food is really good. If you are used to inexpensive restaurants and live in a low cost of living area, the prices may be shocking... but realize you are paying for location and and immersive experience as much as food quality. In many places a $40 meal would entail something like lobster or filet or maybe both but that is a bit below the average price of a standard character buffet dinner and you won't find either of those things on the buffet - any meal featuring those things will be significantly higher. People from major metro areas will have less sticker shock.

The theming and entertainment in many restaurants is amazing and immersive, and service is usually really good too. There has, over time, been a bit of homogenization of menus across the property (which you will see if you read all of the menus) but again unless you are a frequent visitor or staying for 3 weeks and eating everywhere, that probably won't effect you. There is plenty of variety to keep someone in at least 2 weeks of daily restaurants without feeling like you are repeating yourself in menu or theme. I have two a day planned for a week and there are still things I am not getting to.

The other caveat is that if you live in a place with amazing local cuisine and Disney does their version of it, I would avoid it. It will invariably be a disappointment. I live in New England and compared to the lobster rolls I get here, the thing at columbia harbor house looks like cat food on a hot dog bun... but some people love it and find it quite tasty. If you're from a place that has stellar bbq you may not find the bbq at WDW to be anything special. I am breaking my own rule and trying Sanaa on my next trip even though I have had excellent indian food and even make it myself so YMMV on that as well. We'll see Chances are if you live in an area with an amazing Ethiopian restaurant you will find the african themed places at WDW to be kind of meh. you get the idea. People call this "dumbing down" and are highly critical of it but honestly I don't have a problem with Disney making the food appealing to more tastes - as long as it is still tasty, I'm good even if it's not 100% authentic.

Everyone has a truly off night and sometimes you get to a restaurant when it is having one, but after being a DVC member since 1999 and a member of these boards since 2000 I will say that the grumbling has been going on for well over a decade and if the quality has been dropping as much as people have said over the years, they'd be serving dog food by now. Believe me, it was never THAT much higher than it is was on my last trip. Maybe a bit more variety and a bit more innovation but not so much that it is not worth dining there now.

 

[LovesTimone]

Yup - I really miss the days when you could just eat when you felt like it..and it was good.
I am hoping Disney Spring will be an improvement since it has to attract locals as well, but it will be a PITA to get to from the parks..you need to go to a resort or the TTC to get there..and that is a lot of wasted time

DH and I were at the Memorial Day weekend and I noticed buses going to DS when we were leaving DHS, then again one afternoon leaving AK... at first I thought it must be a bus that had not turned over its destination board, but I asked and CM said no its going to DS. There were people getting on it. So I am wondering if this was a test or just something for the holiday weekend. Anyone ideas??

 

[85glht]

So my last Disney trip was 2002 with my mom. We did some planning at the time but for most of our restaurant choices we made reservations same day or did quick service. The only meal either of us had a problem with was at a counter service in AK where we got wrap sandwiches which were really nasty. The rest of our meals were good (some better than others, but all were edible).

So fast forward to today and I am planning a solo trip for November 2017 (happy birthday to me!) and I've been reading a lot of restaurant critiques and watching the DISUnplugged restaurant reviews to start planning out my choices so I can make ADRs when the time comes. However, I'm getting really discouraged the more I read/watch. Has the food in WDW really become that bad? Or are folks just being really picky and overly critical?

I live in Connecticut so the menu prices really don't shock me (nor do any of the food/snack prices actually). I know price seems to be a big sticking point with some folks (and the accompanying portion size), but a $45 tab per person at a sit down restaurant doesn't phase me so long as the food is edible.

Should I maybe just wing it and ignore the reviews and make my ADRs at restaurants that fit my touring plan and interest me? Or should I really heed the dire critiques?

My wife and I completed two trips so far this year. I am happy to report that we did not have one bad meal on either trip. It really depends on how picky you are with food. Some people are really picky and others would eat almost anything (think Andrew Zimmern,lol). Make your reservations and enjoy.

 

[Lisa F]

Yep. When I read someone talking about how "amazing" the pastries at BoG breakfast are, I just quit reading. I can't take anything else they say seriously. Either they don't have a Walmart in town where you can get the same quality pastry, or they get a whole barrel of pixie dust dumped on them when they enter the gates at WDW.

maybe they eat healthy all year round so any pastries are going to be amazing (i am not a sweets person so something really has to be truly amazing for me to characterize it as such... like the local place "Backdoor Donuts" where they serve the most amazing apple fritters fresh out of the fryer. but I digress )

 

[tony67]

DH and I were at the Memorial Day weekend and I noticed buses going to DS when we were leaving DHS, then again one afternoon leaving AK... at first I thought it must be a bus that had not turned over its destination board, but I asked and CM said no its going to DS. There were people getting on it. So I am wondering if this was a test or just something for the holiday weekend. Anyone ideas??

Interesting....that would be nice..I know they did not want to do that because people could park at DS and then use the buses to go to the parks...anyone else have info on this?

 

[Shanti]

So my last Disney trip was 2002 with my mom. We did some planning at the time but for most of our restaurant choices we made reservations same day or did quick service. The only meal either of us had a problem with was at a counter service in AK where we got wrap sandwiches which were really nasty. The rest of our meals were good (some better than others, but all were edible).

So fast forward to today and I am planning a solo trip for November 2017 (happy birthday to me!) and I've been reading a lot of restaurant critiques and watching the DISUnplugged restaurant reviews to start planning out my choices so I can make ADRs when the time comes. However, I'm getting really discouraged the more I read/watch. Has the food in WDW really become that bad? Or are folks just being really picky and overly critical?

I live in Connecticut so the menu prices really don't shock me (nor do any of the food/snack prices actually). I know price seems to be a big sticking point with some folks (and the accompanying portion size), but a $45 tab per person at a sit down restaurant doesn't phase me so long as the food is edible.

Should I maybe just wing it and ignore the reviews and make my ADRs at restaurants that fit my touring plan and interest me? Or should I really heed the dire critiques?

People are often too critical. I'd look at regular (non-Dis related) online restaurant reviews to get guidance on which ones you'd like most, or simply choose what appeals to you & then make your own opinion instead of relying on others.

A lot of people get into rant mode on Dis, especially when they feel something is overpriced. There's a lot of negativity here, in case you haven't noticed. Many people on the boards have been regularly visiting WDW for 10 - 20 years+, & are bitter about the last few years' price increases, and/or have visited so often that they've lost a lot of the magic & start nit-picking.

Most table service restaurants at WDW serve good food in a pleasant, interesting environment. Don't be too afraid to try a new one- you might miss a gem.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

I don't always find online reviews and critiques the most reliable way to judge a restaurant. People are far more likely to come online to complain rather than praise a restaurant and the people who had middle of the road experiences rarely post. I think you should ignore the reviews and just choose the restaurants that fit your touring plans and interests you.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Everyone is a critic. As much as Yelp has become a great resource and tool, it's led to the downfall of restaurants. No one can dine somewhere without checking Yelp first and everyone on Yelp thinks they're a critic.

Nothing at Disney is terrible, but nothing is "great," except Victoria & Alberts. Food reviews are incredibly subjective. Someone can dine somewhere on an "off" night and the restaurant is forever tarnished. Someone can dine somewhere bad on a good night and it's forever "the best food ever!"

People also have different tastes. I'm from NY and a total food snob. We have great pizza—there, I said it. I refuse to try pizza at Disney (although we're trying Via Napoli this year.) I eat Wolfgang Puck Express pizza because it's not typical pizza, it has crazy toppings. I also feel that, outside of Il Mulino, there's no good Italian food at Disney. Someone from Florida or Georgia may disagree. I love the lobster rolls at Disney. Someone from New England probably hates the lobster rolls. I think the biscuits and gravy are good—someone from the south probably scoffs at it.

Outside of Tony's, nowhere is flat out BAD. Sure, Chef Mickey's isn't the BEST, but you won't leave there feeling like you just went through torture. Enjoy your trip but don't expect Michelin Star restaurants.

 

[Tucker24]

It helps by process of elimination if you know what you like. We don't like Buffets so we ruled all of those out. Signature dining is going to be better food but costs more. Take a look at the menus and see if anything grabs you and then read the food blogs from there. The first time we went we were on the dining plan and listened to a friend about the "most expensive restaurants" that he could think of that were included. Some restaurants were hit and miss like coral reef and The Wave. We should have analyzed the menu a bit more and chosen places that appealed to our tastes instead of listening to someone else and just picking the most "bang for you buck" places on the meal plan.

 

[bryanb]

Honestly I think that if you are going to WDW frequently, it kind of loses it's luster a bit. Places like this site tend to attract people who are frequent disney visitors. Any treat, had over and over and over again, begins to feel like less of a treat. Also the more you go, the more chances you have for places to have an off night.

I noticed this when I was going 3-4 times a year year after year and then due to personal circumstances took a break for 5 years - my next trip was probably the most fantastic ever and the dining was great - not at all "downhill" from years past imo... but then it was a real treat and it had been so long since I'd been to any of my old favorites... everything was fun and nostalgic and I just had a great time.

People have been saying that Disney is going downhill for as long as I have been going. "This" is worse than it used to be. "That" was SOO much better in 19xx. If you have never been or haven't been in a while chances are good you will have a great time and the restaurants will be great if your expectations are set properly. The buffets are not vegas quality buffets where they have incredibly rich and expensive foods and they are so huge that turnover is so quick that everything is virtually cooked to order. But I have always found most of the food on the buffets to be hot, fresh, tasty and filling with the occasional end of a tray being out too long and would avoid it until replenished. Most of the buffets I go to are for the character experiences, which have always been at least good, with my kiddo glad to get hugs and signatures without having to wait in line... some much better than others but all head and shoulders above having a whiny hot child standing in a slow moving line for a character.

I mean no it is not 5 star dining in some major metro area with a famous chef (Except for maybe V&A) but as an overall experience, the food is really good. If you are used to inexpensive restaurants and live in a low cost of living area, the prices may be shocking... but realize you are paying for location and and immersive experience as much as food quality. In many places a $40 meal would entail something like lobster or filet or maybe both but that is a bit below the average price of a standard character buffet dinner and you won't find either of those things on the buffet - any meal featuring those things will be significantly higher. People from major metro areas will have less sticker shock.

The theming and entertainment in many restaurants is amazing and immersive, and service is usually really good too. There has, over time, been a bit of homogenization of menus across the property (which you will see if you read all of the menus) but again unless you are a frequent visitor or staying for 3 weeks and eating everywhere, that probably won't effect you. There is plenty of variety to keep someone in at least 2 weeks of daily restaurants without feeling like you are repeating yourself in menu or theme. I have two a day planned for a week and there are still things I am not getting to.

The other caveat is that if you live in a place with amazing local cuisine and Disney does their version of it, I would avoid it. It will invariably be a disappointment. I live in New England and compared to the lobster rolls I get here, the thing at columbia harbor house looks like cat food on a hot dog bun... but some people love it and find it quite tasty. If you're from a place that has stellar bbq you may not find the bbq at WDW to be anything special. I am breaking my own rule and trying Sanaa on my next trip even though I have had excellent indian food and even make it myself so YMMV on that as well. We'll see Chances are if you live in an area with an amazing Ethiopian restaurant you will find the african themed places at WDW to be kind of meh. you get the idea. People call this "dumbing down" and are highly critical of it but honestly I don't have a problem with Disney making the food appealing to more tastes - as long as it is still tasty, I'm good even if it's not 100% authentic.

Everyone has a truly off night and sometimes you get to a restaurant when it is having one, but after being a DVC member since 1999 and a member of these boards since 2000 I will say that the grumbling has been going on for well over a decade and if the quality has been dropping as much as people have said over the years, they'd be serving dog food by now. Believe me, it was never THAT much higher than it is was on my last trip. Maybe a bit more variety and a bit more innovation but not so much that it is not worth dining there now.

Lisa, thank you. Usually clicking "like" is sufficient, but I think you put everything in exactly the right perspective. Things do lose their luster when they are repeated. And frequent visitors will always see less value for their money, it's simple economics... Which explains why so many uberfans are the most critical about value.

As for Disney versions of the real thing, I complete agree with you. Though their lobster rolls have inspired me to plan a trip to New England to experience the real thing. And I started seeking out more Malaysian and Singapore dishes after taking a gamble at F&W a couple of years ago. Just like a visit to World Showcase is no substitute for visiting the real countries, so it is with their cuisine as well.

 

[Lisa F]

Lisa, thank you. Usually clicking "like" is sufficient, but I think you put everything in exactly the right perspective. Things do lose their luster when they are repeated. And frequent visitors will always see less value for their money, it's simple economics... Which explains why so many uberfans are the most critical about value.

As for Disney versions of the real thing, I complete agree with you. Though their lobster rolls have inspired me to plan a trip to New England to experience the real thing. And I started seeking out more Malaysian and Singapore dishes after taking a gamble at F&W a couple of years ago. Just like a visit to World Showcase is no substitute for visiting the real countries, so it is with their cuisine as well.

you should do that. I had this a couple of weeks ago.

 

[smiths02]

I've had meals where everything was lick my plate delicious (Yachtsman) to some things tasted like a Lean Cuisine entree (Mahi Mahi at Coral Reef and kid pizza at T-Rex)

Honestly, most of the food is Applebee's, Olive Garden quality with a smaller selection (especially the non-signature restaurants). I really don't think there is anything wrong with Applebee's or Olive Garden, I would eat there.

Especially for choosing 1 credit restaurants...I would choose based on the experience and how it fits my schedule and not worry about the food.

 

[CynJ]

I just want to thank everyone for the thoughtful replies. I spent some time last night going through all the menus and wrote down any that seemed appealing menu-wise (I don't eat beef and very little pork, and I am also highly allergic to coconut milk/meat so my options get quickly shaved down) and came up with a list of 20+ restaurants.

The menus certainly have changed a LOT! I remember specifically from my 1989 trip (I was 18 and took my 13yr old brother) that there was prime rib literally at every sit down restaurant. I remember this because my little bean pole brother packed away these huge prime rib dinners every sit down meal we ate - now very few places have it if at all. I've been trying to remember what meals stuck out from my 2002 trip with my mom - I remember that we enjoyed Garden Grill (lol we didn't know at the time it was a character meal and had such fun!), Coral reef (mom had the best time trying alligator of all things), Le Cellier, Nine Dragons, Rainforest Cafe (Downtown Disney), and most notably, Restaurant Marrakesh (we had a truly wonderful dining experience- food was spectacular and our server was fantastic). We also ate a lot of counter service here and there. I remember Cosmic Ray's being good, as was Sunshine Seasons. Pinocchio's in the MK little pizzas were just okay, but my mom's blood sugar had dropped like a stone and they were close with no line and the pizzas were really hot and fresh (for a frozen pizza). The only truly "bad" meal we had was at AK - we had gotten wrap sandwiches that were just inedible (dry, tasteless)- I can't remember what the restaurant was but I remember it closed permanently like the year after we visited.

Some of the things I noticed about the current menus:
-seems to be a lot of ingredients/sauces (eg aioli) that many folks may not know what the heck they are. And some of them have very strong flavors which can throw off the flavor of the meal for those who may not care for them (and not know that they may not care for them).

-they really really push the beef and pork. And not for nothing, but there are other options for preparing chicken other than a roast chicken sandwich or a 1/2 a bbq chicken (don't even get me started on chicken nuggets). Why no chicken or turkey burgers?

-I was sort of appalled at the "signature" dining. I am doing the regular Dining plan - so for sit down meals I get an entree, dessert, beverage (you only get an appetizer on the Deluxe plan). If I do a signature meal - I have to use two of my credits, which I don't have a problem with per se, but looking at the pictures of things I would actually eat unless you shell out extra money for an appetizer and salad, it's not enough food. Four sea scallops sitting on a small pile of pureed vegetables with a little greens on the and a cupcake sized dessert is insane for two dinner credits. I like fine dining and I understand that the portions are smaller but to not include a full meal (at least a house salad or side) for that cost is a rip-off. Needless to say- none of these made my final restaurant list cut.

-Many of the descriptions of things are like trying to read ancient Greek. I spent a lot of time googling menu terms because I didn't know what they were. Yes, have the technical "gourmet" description - but have a plain English description as well. I can't even imagine how difficult this must be for folks who do not have English under their language belt. And given that you have to make your restaurant plans SO far in advance now, people need to know if there is something they will actually eat on the menu. I don't want a dumbing down of the food, but the descriptions could be simpler.


So all that said- here is the list that is tentatively in my 8 day tour plan (I have back up restaurants in case I can't get an ADR):

AK: Flametree BBQ, Tusker House (I may swap this for RFC but it's a pain to have to go all the way back to the entrance)
DHS: 50's Prime Time Cafe, Backlot Express, Hollywood and Vine (Fantasmic pkg)
MK: BOG (my birthday dinner!), Columbia House, Cosmic Rays, Crystal Palace (Eeyore!!!!)
EP: Garden Grill, Les Halles Boulangerie, Nine Dragons, Rose & Crown, Sunshine Seasons, Yorkshire Fish
Other: Contempo Cafe (I've never visited the Contemporary)

Again, thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies, I felt much better about the whole thing once I read them and I think @LovesTimone summed up my plan the best, I am going to "go with an open mind and let the magic in."

 

[Lisa F]

I just want to thank everyone for the thoughtful replies. I spent some time last night going through all the menus and wrote down any that seemed appealing menu-wise (I don't eat beef and very little pork, and I am also highly allergic to coconut milk/meat so my options get quickly shaved down) and came up with a list of 20+ restaurants.

The menus certainly have changed a LOT! I remember specifically from my 1989 trip (I was 18 and took my 13yr old brother) that there was prime rib literally at every sit down restaurant. I remember this because my little bean pole brother packed away these huge prime rib dinners every sit down meal we ate - now very few places have it if at all. I've been trying to remember what meals stuck out from my 2002 trip with my mom - I remember that we enjoyed Garden Grill (lol we didn't know at the time it was a character meal and had such fun!), Coral reef (mom had the best time trying alligator of all things), Le Cellier, Nine Dragons, Rainforest Cafe (Downtown Disney), and most notably, Restaurant Marrakesh (we had a truly wonderful dining experience- food was spectacular and our server was fantastic). We also ate a lot of counter service here and there. I remember Cosmic Ray's being good, as was Sunshine Seasons. Pinocchio's in the MK little pizzas were just okay, but my mom's blood sugar had dropped like a stone and they were close with no line and the pizzas were really hot and fresh (for a frozen pizza). The only truly "bad" meal we had was at AK - we had gotten wrap sandwiches that were just inedible (dry, tasteless)- I can't remember what the restaurant was but I remember it closed permanently like the year after we visited.

Some of the things I noticed about the current menus:
-seems to be a lot of ingredients/sauces (eg aioli) that many folks may not know what the heck they are. And some of them have very strong flavors which can throw off the flavor of the meal for those who may not care for them (and not know that they may not care for them).

-they really really push the beef and pork. And not for nothing, but there are other options for preparing chicken other than a roast chicken sandwich or a 1/2 a bbq chicken (don't even get me started on chicken nuggets). Why no chicken or turkey burgers?

-I was sort of appalled at the "signature" dining. I am doing the regular Dining plan - so for sit down meals I get an entree, dessert, beverage (you only get an appetizer on the Deluxe plan). If I do a signature meal - I have to use two of my credits, which I don't have a problem with per se, but looking at the pictures of things I would actually eat unless you shell out extra money for an appetizer and salad, it's not enough food. Four sea scallops sitting on a small pile of pureed vegetables with a little greens on the and a cupcake sized dessert is insane for two dinner credits. I like fine dining and I understand that the portions are smaller but to not include a full meal (at least a house salad or side) for that cost is a rip-off. Needless to say- none of these made my final restaurant list cut.

-Many of the descriptions of things are like trying to read ancient Greek. I spent a lot of time googling menu terms because I didn't know what they were. Yes, have the technical "gourmet" description - but have a plain English description as well. I can't even imagine how difficult this must be for folks who do not have English under their language belt. And given that you have to make your restaurant plans SO far in advance now, people need to know if there is something they will actually eat on the menu. I don't want a dumbing down of the food, but the descriptions could be simpler.


So all that said- here is the list that is tentatively in my 8 day tour plan (I have back up restaurants in case I can't get an ADR):

AK: Flametree BBQ, Tusker House (I may swap this for RFC but it's a pain to have to go all the way back to the entrance)
DHS: 50's Prime Time Cafe, Backlot Express, Hollywood and Vine (Fantasmic pkg)
MK: BOG (my birthday dinner!), Columbia House, Cosmic Rays, Crystal Palace (Eeyore!!!!)
EP: Garden Grill, Les Halles Boulangerie, Nine Dragons, Rose & Crown, Sunshine Seasons, Yorkshire Fish
Other: Contempo Cafe (I've never visited the Contemporary)

Again, thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies, I felt much better about the whole thing once I read them and I think @LovesTimone summed up my plan the best, I am going to "go with an open mind and let the magic in."

you have a lot of favorites on your list that get consistently good reviews. H&V is one that gets a lot of bad reviews, but it is on my list (also with F! Package, and minnie's holiday dine) and I am going in with an open mind and medium expectations. You have nothing there that gets consistently bad reviews otherwise so you should have a great time. enjoy!

 

[crazymomof4]

People also have different tastes. I'm from NY and a total food snob. We have great pizza—there, I said it. I refuse to try pizza at Disney (although we're trying Via Napoli this year.) I eat Wolfgang Puck Express pizza because it's not typical pizza, it has crazy toppings. I also feel that, outside of Il Mulino, there's no good Italian food at Disney. Someone from Florida or Georgia may disagree. I love the lobster rolls at Disney. Someone from New England probably hates the lobster rolls. I think the biscuits and gravy are good—someone from the south probably scoffs at it.

Outside of Tony's, nowhere is flat out BAD. Sure, Chef Mickey's isn't the BEST, but you won't leave there feeling like you just went through torture. Enjoy your trip but don't expect Michelin Star restaurants.

Good points made here! Tastes do vary by the locale you grew up in or the cultural influences one has had long term exposure to. So if someone gives a review based on a dish they hated, it may be someone else's favorite dish.
I pay more attention to reviews that give reasons that are just universally accepted as bad meal prep. Like gristle or bone found in meat. This comes to mind bc my husband and I once went to a very expensive restaurant (Not in disney) that came highly recommended. I ordered a dish made with boneless breast and there was a thick piece of gristle that ran the length of the piece of meat. That's just unacceptable. Not a matter of taste (unless you're a caveman and gristle is part of your diet)
To give another example: having had many vacations in the South, I find that very often the vegetables are cooked to oblivion. Green beans are a hair's breath away from mush. I'm told that's a "Southern thing". We live in the North East and prefer veggies to be somewhat firmer when cooked.
Oh and... proof that things ARE just a matter of taste--- My best friend and fellow disney nut and her family absolutely LOVE Tony's!! They eat there at least once if not twice each trip. Go figure!

 

[Nancyg56]

Yep. When I read someone talking about how "amazing" the pastries at BoG breakfast are, I just quit reading. I can't take anything else they say seriously. Either they don't have a Walmart in town where you can get the same quality pastry, or they get a whole barrel of pixie dust dumped on them when they enter the gates at WDW.

Oh dear, you need to stop listening to me! LOL!

Last August my family was served plates of bakery quality pastries. They were delicious! Crispy where they should be crispy, soft and filled as they should where filling and pastry meet and still not be goop. Now December was a different story...thy were like my local Big Y. Good enough if you wanted a breakfast pastry, but not the same as I had remembered.

I think that some of us have different experiences, and while no one knows anyone's background or their taste, the responses they give should at least be respected. I am by no means an expert, but I think I have a decent palate. My Dad was an executive Chef and we learned at a young age what good food tasted like. As a young mother I served in a few fine dining establishments, so I was treated to some outstanding meals. And some not so good! LOL!

Anyway, the point I am making is that every experience at a restaurant is unique, and we all share our own here as a means to help others make decisions.

 

[crabbygal902]

Subscribing to the theory that "where there's smoke, there's fire" has helped me. If an eatery is getting consistent bad reviews, there may be a reason (ABC Comissary, for example.)

I don't think the food quality overall at WDW has gone down at all. I've had some lovely meals as of late, though we tend to skew away from the character buffets and more towards signature dining. That is not necessarily due to food quality but rather about the age of our kids and the type of experience we want.

Dining at Disney is a big part of the fun to us, and so is planning. I love reading the reviews...with a large grain of salt.

 

[brooke789]

I never read reviews. The majority of the time, the only reason people leave reviews is to complain. The only restaurant I ever stay away from is Tony's because I've never seen anyone say one good thing about it. If I listened to people about Disney restaurants, I never would've tried Chef Mickey's, CRT, Crystal Palace - just to name a few - and those are just a few that get our repeat business. We don't take a vacation without stopping at Chef Mickey's.

Have you seen the new thread about how much Tony's has improved. OP said (paraphrasing) it was great and then some others chimed in agreeing!