WORST DISNEY DINING EXPERIENCE

[FeralCatRogue]

I've never had a extremely bad experience in any of the restuarants. I did have one in a deminar in epcot, the food was to be rocky road fried wonton desert and what the host made looked delicious, what everyone got served was so burnt/hard/cold that i couldn't break into it with my knife and was debating getting a sledge hammer. They also refused to serve me a soda (which they give to those under 21) when I said I don't drink alcohol, but this was a food and wine deminar so my request may have just sounded odd to them.

 

[Donn Chesley]

I just sat here and read this whole thread and I'm kinda scared now. This will be the first trip for us as a family(8 total..we have 6 and MIL and FIL are going with us) and we have a dining plan and so far we've made reservations at Chef Mickey's for breakfast b/c my kids are SO excited to eat there and have them come to our table. Now I'm second guessing the choice. is it really THAT bad. Has anyone had a good experience with them? This makes me kinda sad. We've saved for 3 yrs now to take this trip.

WDW has been our family's favorite vacation destination (2 kids, and one trip with the in-laws, also). Chef Mickey's for breakfast has become a family tradition. We've always had fun there! Kids aren't big breakfast eaters, so we're just paying for the experience. That said, we go in knowing there will be a crowd, we might have to wait a little bit for each character, and we have FUN! We still take pictures and videos (our next trip is this summer, and the kids will be 18 and 22), they'll still reminisce about being there as little kids, and it may not live up to a 5-star dining experience (personally, I like the food - scrambled eggs, bacon, grits-yes I'm a northerner that eats grits, breakfast potatoes and fruit), but we're going to have a great time! The food will get us through until lunch time and you never know when one of those magical moments will happen.

With a dozen trips, a good estimate of time spent (always on Disney property) would be about 80-90 days. And with that many meals eaten at the parks, resorts, Downtown Disney and water parks, the ONLY bad experience was a waitress at Rainforest Café (Downtown) in 2012 - completely ignored the birthday request for my daughter (I was probably more disappointed than my daughter, because that dining selection was hers for her birthday). So, we have a nearly 100% positive review for Disney Dining.

Have a great trip - the one trip with the in-laws we had was perfect. Enjoy, go with a positive attitude, rest when you (or the kids) need to, and you're going to have a great trip! Guaranteed.

 

[Jennasis]

That's interesting. DH and I have been to 'Ohana 3 times together and we've always been seated up against the window because the tables right by the windows are 3-top tables. Of course, they could have re-arranged things since the last time I was there.

When DH and I went there we were seated along the parade route/racetrack as well and were constantly bumped jostled and crowded by the kids and parents doing coconut races, conga-line and other stuff. It's among the many reasons why we won't go back (the disappointing food being the main reason).

 

[disneysteve]

When DH and I went there we were seated along the parade route/racetrack as well and were constantly bumped jostled and crowded

We've been to several restaurants, not just at Disney, where they simply had tables where there should not be tables based on the flow of traffic in the restaurant. One time at Seasons 52, they tried to seat us at a table that was literally in the doorway between two rooms. I refused and waited for another table to open up. From my seat, I could see that table and the poor people sitting there spent the entire meal being banged into as guests and servers came in and out of the room.

Disney, and others, should know better but I guess their focus is on squeezing in as many paying customers as possible.

 

[Tom Caselli]

WDW has been our family's favorite vacation destination (2 kids, and one trip with the in-laws, also). Chef Mickey's for breakfast has become a family tradition. We've always had fun there! Kids aren't big breakfast eaters, so we're just paying for the experience. That said, we go in knowing there will be a crowd, we might have to wait a little bit for each character, and we have FUN! We still take pictures and videos (our next trip is this summer, and the kids will be 18 and 22), they'll still reminisce about being there as little kids, and it may not live up to a 5-star dining experience (personally, I like the food - scrambled eggs, bacon, grits-yes I'm a northerner that eats grits, breakfast potatoes and fruit), but we're going to have a great time! The food will get us through until lunch time and you never know when one of those magical moments will happen.

With a dozen trips, a good estimate of time spent (always on Disney property) would be about 80-90 days. And with that many meals eaten at the parks, resorts, Downtown Disney and water parks, the ONLY bad experience was a waitress at Rainforest Café (Downtown) in 2012 - completely ignored the birthday request for my daughter (I was probably more disappointed than my daughter, because that dining selection was hers for her birthday). So, we have a nearly 100% positive review for Disney Dining.

Have a great trip - the one trip with the in-laws we had was perfect. Enjoy, go with a positive attitude, rest when you (or the kids) need to, and you're going to have a great trip! Guaranteed.

I know it is possible to have a bad experience. I am not that naïve. That being said, I completely agree with what you said.

 

[hedgehog2owl]

Rose and Crown. Server just didn't care. we looked so forward to it too

 

[L&Lfan]

Auntie Gravity's isn't a sit down but my husband had such bad service it was funny. Well, funny now he was seriously irritated at the time.

Husband: can I have vanilla ice cream with strawberries.
Server: whipped cream?
h: no whipped cream.
She hands him I e cream with whipped cream
H: I'm sorry, I said no whipped cream.
Server throws it away and makes a new one and puts whipped cream on it.
H: uh, my daughter doesn't like whipped cream. Please just ice cream and strawberries. No whipped cream.
Server hands him a new one. With whipped cream.
H: uh, I don't know... I want one without whipped cream. Just ice cream and strawberries.
Server: oh yes, ok, no whipped cream.
H sees her pick up the whipped cream and says: you're not going to out whipped cream on it right?
Server nods and PUT WHIPPED CREAM on it!! Lol!
I don't know how he did it but he eventually came out of there with ice cream and strawberries without whipped cream.

That really sounds like the server had some type of mental impairment issue. That's all I can think of with making the same mistake so many times. Unless it was a language issue and they didn't know the difference between ice cream and whipped cream. But what a waste of food!

 

[knkmom]

Worst service, food and overall experience.....Coral Reef! We were seated 45 minutes past our reservation time, our waiter rushed us through our meal and was super cranky and the food was awful!

 

[Firsttimer15]

I didn't like Coralreef food either. The chicken the kids had were totally dry, the Sauce that came with it disgusting, server forgot my soup. Neighboring table got refills of their drinks without asking by same server we had. She Never showed up again until she thought it was time for the bill.
BOG breakfast the Crêpes from the kids menue were really awful. Neither ate more than one bite even though both love Crêpes and Joghurt.
What I noticed in all restaurants is that no Server cared to give us an attentive service I assume bc. it is just me and two kids so that they know their tip won't be the biggest. Very disappointing. I treat all my customers the same.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I think my biggest disappointments have involved reading rave reviews and opinions about certain food items available in WDW, buying them myself with huge expectations, and realizing they just weren't that good. I've never had what I would consider bad food or bad service at WDW, but my expectations might be a bit lower than others.

 

[austinsmommie]

Every place can have a bad, off day. Some of these places people had a bad experience are some of our must do's every trip. Hollywood and Vine is one we keep returning to, we aren't really paying for the food as much as the fact that my daughter loves Disney Junior. The fun she has dancing and getting hugs for Doc and Sophia make it worth it, plus my son is happy anywhere that has bacon! Coral Reef another one we love. My husband and I enjoyed a nice meal together at California Grill last November. Tusker House is always on our list. Have we had some not so great, we have but I have read others have enjoyed their meal there. Everyone is different.

 

[DISNEY1975]

IMO, the worst restaurant at WDW is also the best!

Tusker House.

The bad: Food is disgusting (IMO)
The good: Its the only restaurant I walked out of not feeling stuffed and I felt good walking the parks the rest of the day

 

[MEP2013]

That really sounds like the server had some type of mental impairment issue. That's all I can think of with making the same mistake so many times. Unless it was a language issue and they didn't know the difference between ice cream and whipped cream. But what a waste of food!

I think it was a language issue. My first reaction also was that it was a total waste of food. Honestly, I think that was my husbands biggest issue too because he always mentions how she kept throwing the mistakes in the trash. But it is pretty funny after the fact.

 

[themommy]

WCC...waited 25 minutes to get seated and then they took us to the tiny back room, with like 5 tables, that is completely separated from the main dining room. I told them we wanted to eat where all of the fun was and she looked at us and said in a very snotty tone, "well, some people like to sit here in the quiet". I proceeded to tell her that I booked a reservation here for the fun and as you can see there is a child with us. She huffed and was totally put off that we wanted to sit where the fun was. She marched back to the podium in double time and told the people there in a very load voice that "we did not like our table and to sit us somewhere else". It was like she was trying to shame us in front of everyone! I then got really ticked off and said very loudly so everyone could hear me as well, "we booked this place for the entertainment you were supposed to offer and you tried to sit us in the tiny room in the back because with a child in tow we looked like we wanted quiet???!!" I was really put off my the rudeness needless to say. We were then given another buzzer and told we had to wait again. 20 minutes later, we finally got seated. After all of that everything was great. Food was good, service was good and even the interaction was good. Mixed feelings about this place now.

CM...they should give everyone a flare gun so when you need a drink refill or dirty plates cleared you can get some service. I hate getting seated and then ignored until they bring your bill.

 

[GAN]

I actually don't think a 25 minute wait is that bad ...unless it was before 6PM. At least it sounds like you experienced some of their charm ...you know, the fun you were looking for. I understand about being in that back room, but they can't always control that.

 

[Annadesu]

Worst experience? Eh, there's two that come to mind. And really, they weren't THAT bad. Not enough to anger me forever, anyway. But here it goes...

1) Waited 1 hour to get seated, when we arrived 10 minutes early and had a reservation. The kids in my group were slowly driving everyone mad. Wouldn't sit still, screaming... then when we finally sat down to eat, the kids were so worked up that we could hardly get them to eat at all. Just generally miserable. XD

2) I don't recall the restaurant, but my family and I were seated next to a family that had clearly just been on a water ride. Pretty much soaked from head to toe, dripping all over the place. And they smelled like pool chemicals. The kids had wet shoes, and whenever they moved (which was a lot), it made a terrible squeaking noise on the wood floor. I asked to be moved after about 15 minutes. lol

 

[sknc78]

The worst dining experience I had was Coral Reef. Common wisdom is that Coral Reef is great. I emphatically disagree. While we were waiting to be seat they "accidentally" tripped our buzzer and said while giggling that we had to wait some more. When we finally get seat, we discover that there is no actual seafood on the menu. There is only fish. For my family seafood is shrimp, crab, and lobster. I was a Disney newbie at the time and it was our first visit, so I didn't know you could preview menus. The waitress was harried and I think had too many tables. We needed refills and I had to get up and grab another waiter to get our one refill of the meal. The food was poor, the service was worse, and I had three little girls with me and no one thought to sit us by the fish tanks. This being said the rest of our visit was amazing and this was the one bad spot in our trip. If I even mention dining at Disney, my oldest daughter says, "Make sure you we don't eat at the restaurant with the fish tank.
Our favorite is Raglan Road. DH and I love the pub feeling to it and made reservations to go back.

 

[disneysteve]

there is no actual seafood on the menu. There is only fish.

I just looked at the menu. There is only one shellfish entree and a couple of appetizers so I could see why you would be disappointed if you went expecting lots of shellfish. Actually, I'm a bit surprised by the menu. There are 9 entrees. 4 aren't seafood. So a place that most probably think of as a "seafood" restaurant really only has 5 seafood meals to choose from.

 

[isaboo]

I just looked at the menu. There is only one shellfish entree and a couple of appetizers so I could see why you would be disappointed if you went expecting lots of shellfish. Actually, I'm a bit surprised by the menu. There are 9 entrees. 4 aren't seafood. So a place that most probably think of as a "seafood" restaurant really only has 5 seafood meals to choose from.

I was actually going to make reservations this trip but couldn't get past the limited menu offerings. We are not a super picky family, but I couldn't find much that appealed to me. For us, the worst meal we ever had at Disney was at the old Concourse Steakhouse that used to be in the CR. I have never had such a poor quality steak!

 

[Lilylogan]

I would probably say Chef Mickey's for dinner - I just thought the food was blah. And it was just DH and I - I think it would be more fun with kids/the food was geared more to kids.