Soooooooo over disney food quality and prices.

[Grumpy92]

Honestly it is hit or miss. We dont do the dining plan as it is cheaper for us to pay as we go and it is just too much food. We go several times during the year and have since it's opening.
I can say their quality has decreased. Menus are limted and old favorites are not consistently good.
An example, We love Tangerine Cafe, the last time we went there it was not very good. Yet Columbia Harbor house as usual was very good.
Kona's was one of our faves too and now it is boring and quality of the food varies from visit to visit.
In the past few years we have started going off property to eat elsewhere. We never did that before.
I can say the following have been consistently good:
R&C, Chefs de France, Yachtsmans, Kona Sushi bar, Trails end, Raglan Road, Earl of Sandwich, Mama Melrose, Citricos, Columbia HH.
That is until we see during our next visit.

 

[Desnik]

We go to Disney often and there are only a few restaurants that are consistantly great. For us it's Kona Cafe at the Poly, Wolfgang Puck Express at DtD Marketplace, IL Mulino at the Swan/Dolphin hotel, and Tutto Italia at Epcot. The prices don't really bother me because I'm from NY and Disney restaurant prices are similar to what I would pay for a nice dinner in the city. Also I expect to pay higher prices for food on vacation. With that said I do expect great food, unfortunatley that is becoming harder to find at WDW.

 

[TDC Nala]

At this point I do not believe that you can expect any Disney character meal to have "exceptional" food.

Disney understands at this point that, in general, guests who go to CRT are not there because they are particularly interested in the food, which is secondary to the atmosphere and characters. And the food quality reflects that.

 

[Tink]

My girls love Via Napoli, and Le Cellier. LC we do for lunch for only one TS. Paying OOP would be expensive but we have eaten at these places many times over the past few years and we have never been disapointed with the food here.

 

[erinscreen]

I just got back from a trip a couple weeks ago with my mother, and we were both commenting about how much BETTER the food at Disney had gotten. Yes, it is still expensive, but there are some great deals if you look.

My family always enjoyed eating at Rose & Crown in Epcot UK pavilion. The food is very good, you get a lot of it, and it one of the most reasonably priced TS restaurants at WDW. I personally don't eat fried food, but my mom loves the Yorkshire fish shop: $8 gets you 2 pieces of fried cod and fries. That is a GREAT deal!

I also discovered Kona Cafe at the Polynesian on this trip. The food there is very reasonably priced (especially breakfast) and you get a TON. It is a great way to kick-start the day.

I was also suprised at how reasonably priced the lunch entrees are at Les Chefs de France at Epcot France pavilion. Again, you get a generous amount of food. I, for example, got the quiche Lorraine which included a side salad for about $14. Much better than spending that same amount on a burger at the QS.

I am a self-appointed foodie, and there ARE deals with great food, just have to search a little and find what type of food works for your family.

 

[minnie mum]

At this point I do not believe that you can expect any Disney character meal to have "exceptional" food.

Disney understands at this point that, in general, guests who go to CRT are not there because they are particularly interested in the food, which is secondary to the atmosphere and characters. And the food quality reflects that.

THIS!! This thread is just another variation on the whole cost vs quality complaint that we've seen a million times on this forum. (No criticism of the OP intended at all!) At least it is not (so far) as acrimonious as the one last month where the OP claimed there was not a single restaurant in WDW that served decent food.

I think that it is pretty much universally acknowledged that the cost of dining at WDW is overpriced and has been since they first opened their doors. I remember having sticker shock over our meals on our first visit back in 1975 for heaven's sake.

And CRT has NEVER been cited as having quality meals. People go there for the experience, not the food. The same holds true at many of the WDW restaurants. Quality is just too subjective. Everyone is going to have their own opinion as to the quality of a given meal at a given restaurant. Some people love the very same dish that others hate with a passion. I can tell you that we've never had a bad meal at Sanaa and would prefer to eat there than at a lot of signature places. The very next person on the thread could say they had the worst meal of their life there. And we'd both be right. So what are you going to do?

DH and I don't go to WDW to dine.It's not our primary goal on a WDW vacation. But at the same time we do like to have an enjoyable meal at the end of a long day in the parks. Over the years we have adjusted our expectations, however. Other than V&A's, you are highly unlikely to find an exceptional meal at a WDW restaurant. A good meal, certainly. An excellant meal, occasionally. An exceptional meal for a reasonable price, never.

 

[hollypoast]

Another vote for earl of sandwiches... Love it there. We haven't been back in over a year... I hope the increase in prices that seems to be happening with food and dining plan is being used to increase quality.

 

[JZCubed]

My apologies if I sound like a food snob....

I have often expressed to friends and family that I'd prefer to spend a bit more and have a dining experience, then spend nearly as much to simply eat. For instance, Mesclun or Micro- Salad Greens are my preference over Iceberg Lettuce, a fresh potato is preferred to frozen, etc.

Further, when I travel on vacation, it should feel like a vacation. I can eat baked ziti in my kitchen, why would I avoid Florida Red Snapper to save a few dollars. In particular, while I vacation I have made a choice to eat like a king and treat my family similarly. Yes, I spend more than most for my Disney dining, but at least I know I ate as well I could have.

In other words, I would rather pay a few more dollars for a good piece of fish or meat, then paying too much for a poor hamburger or pizza. I do not feel ripped-off when I eat at Signature restaurants because I pretty much get what I paid for, I cannot say the same thing about some of the Table Service establishments. A great $40 steak is my preference to a lousy $30 piece.

As to the Dining Plan - unless you eat three meals a day with multiple courses at each and/or you have teeenage sons, I cannot calculate a way for this option to offer a substantial monetary reward. For instance, do you typically order a dessert at a Quick Service place (like an apple pie at McDonald's)?? I have found that Tables in Wonderland (TIW) is a better way to go if you eat a normal amount or prefer the Signature places to dine. And I feel great when the check is presented at a 20% discount for my $40 steak (it ends up being $2 more than the mediocre one I might have had for $30).

 

[JZCubed]

One more comment about expensive food - has anyone ever been to a RESORT where the food was very good and inexpensive?

I'm not talking about the local 'diner, drive-in, or dive' near your hotel, I'm simply asking about the Resort itself.

If you could find a better place to vacation for fun and relaxation that also had inexpensive food, then please let us all know about it.

In the mean time, Disney is still the best value for my vacation budget.....even after I spend too much for Signature dining......

 

[ccgirl]

I just got back from a trip a couple weeks ago with my mother, and we were both commenting about how much BETTER the food at Disney had gotten. Yes, it is still expensive, but there are some great deals if you look.

My family always enjoyed eating at Rose & Crown in Epcot UK pavilion. The food is very good, you get a lot of it, and it one of the most reasonably priced TS restaurants at WDW. I personally don't eat fried food, but my mom loves the Yorkshire fish shop: $8 gets you 2 pieces of fried cod and fries. That is a GREAT deal!

I also discovered Kona Cafe at the Polynesian on this trip. The food there is very reasonably priced (especially breakfast) and you get a TON. It is a great way to kick-start the day.

I was also suprised at how reasonably priced the lunch entrees are at Les Chefs de France at Epcot France pavilion. Again, you get a generous amount of food. I, for example, got the quiche Lorraine which included a side salad for about $14. Much better than spending that same amount on a burger at the QS.

I am a self-appointed foodie, and there ARE deals with great food, just have to search a little and find what type of food works for your family.

I guess it depends on the food you are used to. In the Northeast, I am very used to cod and would not say the two little pieces of fried cod and fries are a good deal at $8. But, if you are not used to it I suppose it would be. A piece of quiche up here with a side salad for lunch would be a little overpriced for $14. The burgers at WDW are no better than the McD's and BK's, IMHO.

I forgot one of our surprise favs this past trip...Boma! We were pleasantly surprised. The food was fresh and yummy. It was a buffet so we got a ton. When my DH and myself go out for dinner up here we very rarely have a check under $50 so we are used to paying a fairly high amount for our food. Having said that, the quality is far superior than the food in WDW with few exceptions.

Opinions are so subjective.

 

[willowsnn3]

Tusker House, BOMA, O'Hana, Cape May, Crystal Palace, are all great kid friendly meals.

If the food is that bad or overpriced, rent a car for $30 per day and go to Golden Corall and the like every day...

My thoughts exactly.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

That's neither particularly helpful nor conducive to a civil conversation (but not particularly surprising).

We are on the dining plan this coming trip and will be trying some places we haven't had before - Yachtsman, Boma, a few others. While I still think these places are way overpriced, if you are going to have more than a couple buffets/table service meals then the dining plan makes sense (which is probably how Disney planned it). Hopefully the meals will be enjoyable. They don't have to be great, just enjoyable.

 

[minnie mum]

While I still think these places are way overpriced,

Hopefully the meals will be enjoyable. They don't have to be great, just enjoyable.

My thoughts exactly. It's a matter of adjusting one's expectations to meet the reality of Disney Dining. An enjoyable meal is entirely possible. An exceptional one, not so much.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

All you can eat Brazilian steakhouse that usually rates in the top-10 in restaurants in whichever city it is in. You can find it in larger cities - D.C., Atlanta, Las Vegas, etc. They actually are opening one in Orlando next month.

http://www.fogodechao.com/

That place looks awesome!

I didn't see any children in the video. Would it be appropriate to take them there? (Ages 6 & 10 - & definitely used to "fine" dining.)
Would love to take the family in July, if kids are OK.

Thanks for the head's up!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

One more comment about expensive food - has anyone ever been to a RESORT where the food was very good and inexpensive?

I'm not talking about the local 'diner, drive-in, or dive' near your hotel, I'm simply asking about the Resort itself.

If you could find a better place to vacation for fun and relaxation that also had inexpensive food, then please let us all know about it.

In the mean time, Disney is still the best value for my vacation budget.....even after I spend too much for Signature dining......

Try Universal Orlando. The table service restaurants serve better food at a similar price point. They also don't have a table service dining plan.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

That place looks awesome!

I didn't see any children in the video. Would it be appropriate to take them there? (Ages 6 & 10 - & definitely used to "fine" dining.)
Would love to take the family in July, if kids are OK.

Thanks for the head's up!

There's a good mix of people there, from families to folks out for a business dinner. So yes, it will be fine to take kids. Very good food.

 

[cymbaldiva]

If the food is that bad or overpriced, rent a car for $30 per day and go to Golden Corall and the like every day...

Always such a helpful answer....

I always rent a car - not a fan of Disney transportation. Do you have a more useful answer that "if you don't like it leave"?

 

[goofyintoronto]

One more comment about expensive food - has anyone ever been to a RESORT where the food was very good and inexpensive?

I'm not talking about the local 'diner, drive-in, or dive' near your hotel, I'm simply asking about the Resort itself.

If you could find a better place to vacation for fun and relaxation that also had inexpensive food, then please let us all know about it.

In the mean time, Disney is still the best value for my vacation budget.....even after I spend too much for Signature dining......

I agree with this. I still find disney a good value, esp considering the promotions they have going on most of the time (FREE DINING!). I have been to universal many times and I can honestly say I DO NOT find them any cheaper than Disney. No way in heck. As i've said before, with all the different restaurants Disney has, you mean to tell me you cant find a handful of places that satisfies both taste buds and the wallet? I agree with the PP who suggested ppl rent a car and eat outside if they dont like Disney restaurants. Not trying to be harsh, but perhaps thats the best way to go instead of complaining about what a rip off Disney is. I can give you a list of Disney restaurant that i think gives you good portions at a decent price, but the only way to find out if a restaurant is worth the money is to try it out yourself. Cause on these boards you will always get varying opinions. You might not like what i like, and whats a decent size for me might be a tiny portion for you and vice versa. Again, JMHO. Not trying to be harsh or anything.

 

[Tramp68]

Always such a helpful answer....

I always rent a car - not a fan of Disney transportation. Do you have a more useful answer that "if you don't like it leave"?

1. I suggested several restaurants that were kid friendly, good and reasonable price for location.

2. You are on Disney property. Expense is part of the equation. The only solution to that is to leave and go off property. We intersperse off site meals all the time. Why is this not a helpful suggestion?

3. Some people are never happy. I have a friend who I refuse to go out to dinner with. he will compare everything he buys to the price of the local diner. My only suggestion is for that person to go to the diner every time they go out to eat then.

4. Many of the Disney restaurants are very highly rated. Some people just do not understand food enough to appreciate what goes into it. They should stick to the simpler cheaper options..

I tried to help. Sorry my suggestions did not meet your approval

 

[ccgirl]

That's neither particularly helpful nor conducive to a civil conversation (but not particularly surprising).

We are on the dining plan this coming trip and will be trying some places we haven't had before - Yachtsman, Boma, a few others. While I still think these places are way overpriced, if you are going to have more than a couple buffets/table service meals then the dining plan makes sense (which is probably how Disney planned it). Hopefully the meals will be enjoyable. They don't have to be great, just enjoyable.

Just wanted to add that I am one who thinks the food is way overpriced. However, the two choices you have, Yachtsman and Boma, we were very pleased with. Was Yachtsman expensive? Absolutely! However, we left there after having a wonderful meal with impeccable service thinking it was actually worth it. Enjoy!