Why spend so much time on Restaurants?

[heart4dis]

General Disney Restaurant Forum Question:
Why do you spend time evaluating/planning restaurants? Are there REALLY any good ones in theme parks? I mean, when I go, I am there for the Disney experience, the rides, shows and attractions. I don't expect to get EXCELLENT food. I am pleased to get decent food, but park food at that. If I want a dining experience, I go somewhere else.

I could see Epcot being an exception given the ethnic theming.
I could also see character meals--but again, not for the food but for theming.

If the parks appeal to families w/children, every restaurant will have its staple offering of chicken nuggets, pizza, pbjs, etc. Are the chicken nuggets at Le Cellier better than at Brown Derby??

Help me. If it's worth it, then I'll spend more time on this aspect. Up to now, I've overlooked it. (I'm genuinely seeking guidance. As I read over this, it sounds snippy and critical, but that is not meant to be my tone. )

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

I don't expect to get EXCELLENT food. I am pleased to get decent food, but park food at that. If I want a dining experience, I go somewhere else.

If the parks appeal to families w/children, every restaurant will have its staple offering of chicken nuggets, pizza, pbjs, etc. Are the chicken nuggets at Le Cellier better than at Brown Derby??

Dining is a HUGE part of vacationing for some people, myself included. We've done WDW about 6 times in the last 10 years, DL 4 times and so far 2 DCL cruises. (WDW & another cruise scheduled for Dec 2007.) Eating is more than just "quick grab some calories so we don't pass out before the park closes". There are a LOT of very good restaurants at WDW if you do the planning ahead of time. If you're more of a "we'll figure it all out when we get there", you'd likely not get to experience most of those restaurants because they are in high demand.

As for the "do the chicken nuggets taste different at Le Cellier", my kids may be different than most, but my DD5 is a huge steak person and would likely order that over chicken nuggets 75% of the time. (Despite the fact that she loves McD's.) DD8 is also more adventurous while on vacation and I allow them to eat whatever THEY chose while on vacation. I'm one of those "bad" parents that would let them eat dessert for lunch if that's what they wanted. It's their vacation too and they are both incredibly healthy eaters when we're at home. Most of the time their bodies regulate what they eat and after about two days of sweets binging, they are asking for fresh fruits/veggies for snacks as well as the cotton candy.

It really depends on the family and to us food is as much a part of the vacation experience as riding Space Mountain and hugging Mickey. A bit more planning before we go and we've had some amazing dining experiences we talk about for years.

 

[Terk-1]

I think dining is part of the park/resort experience. I can eat typical "park" food at Six Flags. At WDW, I think different restaurants add to the theming or aspect of a park or resort.

For instance, the Crystal Palace has great food and characters and reminds me I'm in the Magic Kingdom.

The 50's Primetime Cafe relieves great home cooking, plus you feel like you in some mom's kitchen with all the 50's style tables and chairs, decor and watching old 50's tv programs. Makes me appreciate Disney Studios that much more.

EPCOT allows me to try food from different countries and never have to leave the park. My particular favorite is the Rose & Crown. Great food and service and a wonderful location, especially at night.

 

[erin1715]

I have never been able to really experience all that Disney dining has to offer, because in the past my husband and I could never afford to buy the dining plan, and so we usually only ate at 1 signature restaurant while we were there. From the pictures I've seen of the food, I am very impressed with Disney dining and to me it's part of the whole Disney picture and being on vacation. I am SO excited to try all of the different restaurants that Disney has to offer...we will be on the dining plan. But as the above poster said, if you don't make reservations and plan where you want to eat, then of course you're just going to end up with quick service meals. In my opinion, the signature restaurants that Disney offers are just as good as any restaurant I could find where I'm from, if not better!

 

[kaybird]

The difference in Disney Park food is roughly equivalant to the difference in a rollercoaster at World's of Fun compared to Expedition Everest. For a long time we have been real fan's of Disney dining, as the themeing carries into the restaurants. We rarely feel the need to lose valuable park time resting in the room, as we relax in the restaurants, and come out refreshed and ready to ride. Have never ever eaten a chicken finger in the parks, and many of the counter services far exceed expectations. Last week the best salmon we had was CS at Tusker house. Try that at 6 flags!

OP- have you had a chance to browse the menus?
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm
May Change your mind, but if not--more room for me !!!
Either way, have a GREAT TRIP!!!

 

[Leota]

At this stage in our Disney Lives, retaurants & resorts are as important or more important than the theme park experience. We rarely, if ever, do sit-down meals in any of the theme parks because the resort restaurants are far better in our opinion. Our son is a grown man now (17, almost 18 yo) and has never been a chicken nugget kind of kid anyways. He grew up dining at fine restaurants with us & his taste reflects that. We now do WDW as adults, with or without him.

WDW is all about pampering for us - not just going from attraction to attraction. It's a total sensory experience. That, for us, means fine dining.

If it's not important to you, that's cool too.

 

[Tinky624]

Dining is the biggest reason we go! I like to eat well and the food, options and atmosphere at WDW are phenomenal!

 

[panfan]

Even with children in tow...ages 5 and 9 , Dining is also a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE part of the whole WDW experience!! It's not just all about the rides/shows to us. We enjoyed WDW yearly prior to having kids and experienced many of the fine TS places then and are showing our children our ways now! I do realize for some the food is just not that important and that is okay. Everyone is different and that's what it is all about

 

[Nancyg56]

For my family the dining is a part of our vacation planning. We enjoy relaxing at the end of the day over a good meal, so I spend time on the restaurant board gathering viewpoints and menus so that my family will have a variety of food offerings during the trip.

 

[DisneyFreq]

You know how some people look foward to one particular ride as in "I can't wait to get the WDW, walk thru the gates of MK and make a mad dash for Space Mountain."

Well...each trip since we started partaking in SERIOUS disney dining, our mantra has been "can't wait for our ressies at Canada(kids)/Le Cellier (adults) so I can sink my teeth into ____________!!" I left it blank b/c we all have different answers...my DD = smores, DS = chocolate moose, me = mushroom fillet, DH = biggest steak they got!

We love different resturants for different reasons. We've outgrown character meals but our favorite repeater was always breakfast at CP b/c of quality/location/price.

Le Cellier has become one of our NEW favorites (thanks to DDP) simpley for food quality. The mushroom filet just melts in my mouth and I'm counting down the days till Sept 29th when I get another one! At this TS, my kids are more interested in the dessert. To be honest MOST of the kids a la carte menus are the same.

Ohana's is another favorite. Food quality is still very high but its served "family" style, which means you GET everything and choose what you want. My kids and DH LOVE the peel and eat shrimp and the kids are STILL talking about the games and dance they did. This TS is speical for both food and ambiance. Me? I like the backscratchers! I don't have to worry about a designated driver. AND I don't have to entertain the kids. Ever been out to eat and the adults are TRYING to finish leisurely eating (i mean, you want to talk while you eat so you aren't shoveling it down) and the kids have finished the few bites they want and they keep asking "can we go NOW??" in that whiney tone? Doesn't happen at Ohana's...they are called center stage every 10-15 min to play a game. EVERYONE can enjoy their meal at their own pace, at their own speed and in their own way (HEY COUSIN!! Can you bring me another backscratcher, puhleeeaaaassseee???)

We never got into the dining before b/c it was too expensive & time consuming and we figured the quality couldn't be THAT great. Now we've encorporated as part of the entire vacation experience. We've been twice in the last year, once on DDP and once not. We made sure we went to at least one nice TS during our last trip....its part of emersing oneself in the overall disney experience. ( and just a note: DH would have never agreed to a third trip within one year if it weren't for free dining....whats that saying? The way to mans heart is thru his stomach?? I think he's grudgingly becoming a disney fan!!)

 

[shoney]

General Disney Restaurant Forum Question:
Why do you spend time evaluating/planning restaurants? Are there REALLY any good ones in theme parks? I mean, when I go, I am there for the Disney experience, the rides, shows and attractions. I don't expect to get EXCELLENT food. I am pleased to get decent food, but park food at that. If I want a dining experience, I go somewhere else.

I could see Epcot being an exception given the ethnic theming.
I could also see character meals--but again, not for the food but for theming.

If the parks appeal to families w/children, every restaurant will have its staple offering of chicken nuggets, pizza, pbjs, etc. Are the chicken nuggets at Le Cellier better than at Brown Derby??

Help me. If it's worth it, then I'll spend more time on this aspect. Up to now, I've overlooked it. (I'm genuinely seeking guidance. As I read over this, it sounds snippy and critical, but that is not meant to be my tone. )

It sounds as though you just don't look at the dining aspect of Disney. It isn't why we go there either. Even Epcot to me is commercialized ethnic theming. Many people live in parts of the country that do not have authentic ethnic neighborhoods, making epcot a really uniqure experience. Some people do not travel abroad for the true cuisine. Many of the restaurants are serving to the masses therefore it is much like eating catering food at a wedding.

I haven't eaten at the resort restaurants which I am sure are worth a trip...spoodles seems interesting, california grill also sounds nice and of coure V&A (but I travel with small children). Maybe we'll go when they are off to college, much like that commercial on tv.
I wouldn't ever do a character meal or a buffet. That just doesn't appeal to us. It does appeal to alot of others because there are many of them and I think that is great!

Disney for us is not about the dining either.

While at Epcot for instance, we prefer to sit down at Rose and Crown for lunch and eat fish and chips or shepards pie instead of a counter service cheeseburger. For our family, the food there is good considering it is a theme park.

We ate at the 50's prime time cafe once and it was cute. The theming is what makes it,not the food. If the same quality food (minus the theming) were served at a local restaurant, I probably wouldn't go back there.

My husband and I (when we have babysitters) don't mind spending $$$$$ on dinner in an upscale restuarant. Actually we are thinking about Shula's for our upcoming trip because they do offer child care.

Just like anything else there needs to be choices and I think that is why disney appeals to so many regardless of age, race, enthnicity. They make sure all of us are happy.

We will be there in November and am trying to convince DH to go to Epcot for the wine and food festival.....I would like to try a little bit from each country...I still have two months to work on him....He is afraid the kids won't enjoy it (5 and 7 boys). How do others entertain the kids during it????

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

I've never been to WDW and am going for the first time next year... it's always been a dream of mine to get there and I can't wait to sample the 'whole' experience - not just eat burgers all week. There are many restaurants, such as 50s Prime Time Cafe as one poster mentioned, and Sci-Fi Dine In, that I would never ever experience if I didn't dine there - it's just nothing like we have where I live, and probably most people who go there!! I just want the whole package

 

[srgibbs]

We went to Disney on the free dining last Sept and leave again in 2weeks. We planned our meals in advance last year and were not expecting anything much. I sure was surprised at how wonderful the food was. We had such great dining experiences last year that I couldn't wait to make all of our selections this year. We tried Resorts, and different park TS and loved everything. CRT was not our favorite dinner, but the atmosphere more than made up for the food just being fair. I think if you give some of the Restaurants a try you will be very impressed.

 

[goofy4tink]

We love to eat at WDW. It's a big part of our trips. Are the chicken strips different in each place? No, but we like certain places for their own particular atmosphere. My dh really looks forward to eating at WDW since it's the one place he has bisuits and sausage gravy...every single time we go he has to have it at least once, more like two or three times. And he loves the buffets...says it's the only time I don't nag him about quantity.
Now, it occured to me that one of the things I love most about vacationing is that I don't have to cook. So, I suggested to my dh that if we stayed home, and ate out for every meal for a week, it would be almost like vacation!!!

I also plan as early as I can for those WDW meals...I love planning, it gives me something to look forward to, and we get to have a decent sit down dinner every single day, which is important to us. Others have just raised their eyebrows when my dh and I talk about eating in WDW....they just don't understand it either!

 

[Dizneydaz]

We too look forward to our Disney meals. This Sept. will be our second time on DDP for free, and our third time in total. If it wasn't for all the posts, etc. on these boards dealing with dining then we wouldn't have tried several new , to us places, which are now amongst our favorites. They are PF 1900 (dinner) and Kona. We absolutely love Kona and IMHO PF has one of the best buffest I've eaten at, not just at the world, but other places too.

As far as chicken fingers, yes they are pretty much the same everywhere, however, my DD's (6 almost 7) favorite WDW foods are these two:

Sticky wings at Kona-she loves these so much that when I booked this trip back in April all she cared about was was she going to be able to get those delicious sticky wings? The answer, was of course yes, we have an ADR for our first full day there, 9/10, and after that we'll go to MK for EMH p.m. She makes a meal out of them!
Itzakadoozie (popsicle)-she loves these too. She had her first one in Jan. 05 (on DDP) and now it's all she ever wants for snack. Unfortunately, the only place, other than Disney that we have found them is at Knott's Berry Farm so she always wants one there too when we go (we have AP).

Again, if it wasn't for all the posts here regarding restaurants we probably never would have tried Kona. Even as we stood outside the first time we were rethinking going in-it looked like an upscale coffee shop. But, based reviews read, we went in. We were so glad we did! We dined there twice that trip, and at least once the next two trips.

So, thanks everyone, who posts on this topic!

 

[melomouse]

OP - I think you've raised a good question and put it forth with tact and earnestness.

Some of what you've suggested is true -I can understand your sense of confusion... WDW is a THEME park, for goodness sakes, not a culinary adventure!!??? Wassup with that?? And I had to laugh at your comment about the taste of nuggets!! Yes, for me, every chicken strip is the same, as are pretty much the burgers and even the ribs - no matter where they are served!!!!

But for many it is - there's a Food & Wine Fest coming up at Epcot, sold out FDP in the traditionally "slow" season and lots of activity, as always, at character meals and special shows. Anyone looking for ADR's at LeCellier, for example, over the next few ..weeks, months, years,,LOL) is likely outta luck!!!

For myself, my interest in food at Disney has shifted over time. Single folks have very different needs/expectations of their trip than parents with toddlers or small children. Kids get older(as do we!!), palates (hopefully!) refine a bit,other family members tag along, trips are longer or shorter, on or offsite,... you get my drift. Where your need for meals and WHAT you want to feed yourself or experience is entirely up to you. Be prepared to reassess those needs over time!!!

I would not bring DS to a Signature restaurant, for example, but DD at 10 this fall will enjoy CG and AP on our "girl's trip". Better dining offsite? Possibly yes, but as onsite guests, we are a captive audience(and got FDP!)

Liked another posters comments about the variation of guests' hometown cuisines. I think Disney does an amazing job of trying to accomodate almost everyone - that's one of the joys of the World!

 

[i<3Disney]

It's definitely more than just "park food". I live in Orlando and enter Epcot just to eat at the restaurants some evenings

 

[deany]

I have spent a lot of time on these boards - probably more than I should, evaluating and reevaluating my ADR's. I have only had TS a couple of times while at WDW and this free dining is new to me. I am taking a picky DD and her BF with me so I have been trying to cater to their likes as it is her graduation trip. (We have only been 3x before, BF never). HOWEVER, I have decided that enough is enough, some meals will be great, some not so great and if TS meals start taking up too much of our time then we will just do CS because our main goal is to see the parks and the attractions. I can see some people who visit WDW a lot or are foodies would care more about it than I do. Everyone prioritizes differently.

 

[pbnjrockette]

Okay...you've convinced me...my bedtime reading tonight is the restaurant section of the Unofficial Guide. I must become more familiar with all this dining stuff!! Even though I doubt we will be able to do reservations at this time. (Do have Cellier the first night and Chef Mickey's another night because I've never had the character experience---is my husband going to kill me for booking that one?)

Questions: what are the chances of getting TS early (4:30) without ADR?

Are the Food Courts only at the moderate and budget hotels?

Do I need reservations for breakfast??? (staying at the Polynesian).

Somehow food doesn't seem like it should be our main focus for this trip---I doubt if we'll starve!! I really want to experience as much of the Disney stuff that I can only see/do in WDW. I know that although I've been to Paris and really enjoyed the French cuisine..... the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame are what I remember not my meals!!!

 

[scrump]

General Disney Restaurant Forum Question:
Why do you spend time evaluating/planning restaurants? Are there REALLY any good ones in theme parks? I mean, when I go, I am there for the Disney experience, the rides, shows and attractions. I don't expect to get EXCELLENT food. I am pleased to get decent food, but park food at that. If I want a dining experience, I go somewhere else.

QUOTE]

I agree, I don't really expect EXCELLENT food. If it's good food, then I'm really happy, and I've rarely been disappointed even with those relatively lower expectations. I do expect ambience for my restaurant picks, which means I'm expecting something that I truly can't get in my neighborhood, and that is why I don't go to Le Cellier, but I do go to Sci Fi. I admit the food is better at LeCellier, but I can get that kind of food at home. Sci Fi, on the other hand has an atmosphere, that is distinctly Disney and found nowhere else that I know of. It's the Disney brand of "theme park food" that I expect.

My first trip to Disney, we didn't eat at any restaurants because I thought they were going to be a waste of time. It wasn't until our second trip that we tried out some restaurants, and were honestly thrilled to incorporate dining as part of our Disney magic.