Trail's End worth the trip to FW?

[DISNEY1975]

WOW....I went there last September. It was my first time ever in 25+ trips. We've done the HDDR and BBQ plenty, but never went specifically for a meal at Trails End.

I posted a thread asking for recommendations for a dinner. Trails End got RAVE reviews. Not one bad review/opinion in the bunch. Seemed like a no brainer and I looked forward to that meal for months.

Fast forward to the night of our dinner..... We were staying at the Poly, so took the monorail over to the Contemporary and the ferry from Contemp. to Ft Wilderness. It was a gorgeous night and so nice to be off of our feet, enjoying the Disney transportation! The walk from the dock to the restaurant seemed to take about a minute. Very convenient. We checked in an waited about 5 or so minutes. I sat in a rocking chair and enjoyed watching some kids using the hola hoops. So far - so great! Then our name was called.....

I walked in and it was NOTHING like I expected. Basic campy / rustic mess hall with full bar, multiple TVs on over the bar area and an attached video arcade. Granted it was about 7pm, but foodwise, I was hoping for more than the leftovers from the HDDR and BBQ at the buffet. That is EXACTLY the buffet options. The food was edible at best...seriously, edible is being generous. It wasnt even the actual food from the 2 dining shows, it was their room temp leftovers!!! They had fried chicken (I assume from the HDDR) under heat warmers and it looked like it had been there for days. I'm not going to go on and on and on...but it was pretty bad. Not sure if I got a really bad night or everyone else has completely different taste than me ???

I came home and wrote about it. That's when people started chiming in about how lunch was much better than dinner etc.. Not sure, but look at other options before choosing this place!

 

[DISNEY1975]

When you take the boat from the MK to Fort Wilderness, how far away is the Trail's End after you get off the boat?

A minute. Really quick.

 

[Cassushi]

It is a nice break from the parks; the grounds are beautiful and the food is good. It is nice to do something different.

 

[Clare Voince]

I decided to switch my ADR to dinner on my arrival day. I always pop in the MK on my first day, but never stay late due to being worn out from travelling, so I'll be in the vicinity, and it will give me some time to wind down. Thanks for all the input.

 

[schoen]

I was exceptionally excited about trying this place. I was envisioning the delicious food from Hoop De Doo, without the show and crazy price tag. While the menu was similar; chicken, ribs, cornbread, etc-I did not think it was nearly as good as the same items at Hoop De Doo. Plus it was sort of a pain to get to since we drove. I am glad we finally took the time to try it out, but we won't be back. Not worth the trip in my opinion.

 

[Grumpy247365]

I have a lunch reservation here. Going to take the boat from MK for lunch. I can't wait.

 

[Clare Voince]

Just thought I'd give an update. I decided to switch my ADR for Trail's End to my arrival day, and it was perfect. I wasn't going to the park that day, so I took the bus from the Dolphin to the MK and then transferred to the FW boat. I had some time to walk around Fort Wilderness before my ADR. It was a great, relaxing way to start the trip. I also enjoyed the food. I didn't eat much because I was a little ill that day, but what I did have was great! Thanks for all the advice.

 

[AnnaS]

Just thought I'd give an update. I decided to switch my ADR for Trail's End to my arrival day, and it was perfect. I wasn't going to the park that day, so I took the bus from the Dolphin to the MK and then transferred to the FW boat. I had some time to walk around Fort Wilderness before my ADR. It was a great, relaxing way to start the trip. I also enjoyed the food. I didn't eat much because I was a little ill that day, but what I did have was great! Thanks for all the advice.

Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry you were not feeling great though. We have been going to WDW for years and we finally tried Trails End for dinner two trips ago. Great area to stroll around with the kids. Food was good and fairly priced. Everyone needs to try it on their own. We also knew what to expect from other's reviews and pictures/menu. We will definitely be back. We don't mind the hassle of getting there. We go so often, we have the time.