Elephant in the room

[80sTerraceCafeFan]

If you grew up with any kind of home cooked italian food, I would steer very clear of Tony's. If large chain style Italian places are ok by you (which kids usually are), then you may be fine with it. Sitting outside is a great spot - and it's nice if you're a Lady and the Tramp fan....but food-wise, Pete's review was deserved.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I would say everything I have eaten at Disney is better than Applebees, but I have gotten food poisoning twice there. Never got food poisoning at Disney

EDIT: Forgot to add that I have only eaten at Applebees twice. Not good odds.

That is kind of amazing considering most of their food is just reheated frozen stuff. They barely have an opportunity to screw it up.

Only place I have experiences like that is Subway. We had a location on campus in college that regularly gave people food poisoning.

 

[gmi3804]

If you grew up with any kind of home cooked italian food, I would steer very clear of Tony's. If large chain style Italian places are ok by you (which kids usually are), then you may be fine with it. Sitting outside is a great spot - and it's nice if you're a Lady and the Tramp fan....but food-wise, Pete's review was deserved.

I did, and almost all of their stuff is sub-par and depressing. The chicken parm set won't have much to complain about, since that's their pinnacle of eye-talian food. But their red sauce (really the easiest thing to make, and make well) is dreadful. The only thing I've enjoyed there is the antipasto plate; it's hard to screw up sliced cheese, meat, olives, and grissini. Really the only edible thing on the menu.

 

[Smugpugmug]

OK, but this eliminates the possibility of your dogs ever getting to share a strand of spaghetti a la "Lady & The Tramp"

I'm surprised Lady or Tramp didn't get food poisoning afterwards.

 

[Jwaire]

I've said it before but I feel like almost all of the food at WDW hovers between a 5-7 on a 10 point scale. The "bad" food is average theme park food and the "good" food is slightly above Applebee's (at 4x the price).

There’s some gems (like Sanaa), but this is so accurate. At times, I'm willing to pay for atmosphere (Trader Sam's) and convenience (Chef Mickey's or a character buffet).

But I've rarely been at a Disney (or even a Disney Springs) restaurant and thought "this was worth it."

My problem with Tony's is the marinara sauce. If you can't even get to off-the-shelf Rao's quality, why are you serving it?

 

[gmi3804]

There’s some gems (like Sanaa), but this is so accurate. At times, I'm willing to pay for atmosphere (Trader Sam's) and convenience (Chef Mickey's or a character buffet).

But I've rarely been at a Disney (or even a Disney Springs) restaurant and thought "this was worth it."

My problem with Tony's is the marinara sauce. If you can't even get to off-the-shelf Rao's quality, why are you serving it?

The thing is, Sanaa is just boilerplate Trader Joe's-quality Indian/African. Nothing special. And don't get me started on that tired old "bread service." It's the blooming' onion of Sanaa. But it's not filet and chicken parm, so I guess we should be grateful.

Agreed about the marinara. Marinara literally takes whole (even canned!) tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt/pepper, a potato masher, and 15 minutes. No excuse for the turgid slop they try to pass off.

 

[Jwaire]

The thing is, Sanaa is just boilerplate Trader Joe's-quality Indian/African. Nothing special. And don't get me started on that tired old "bread service."

It's growing in popularity, but most people don't have access to Indian and African food unless they live in a metro. So I still consider Sanaa and Boma unique enough for now. Although my last experience at Boma was pretty terrible.

I guess it all depends on where you're from and what you have access to. I'm from a southern state and folks on this board and elsewhere just love Homecoming.

I eat there and I'm like you know I can get better food at my local diner for $10 or better yet my grandmother's house for free, right?

 

[gmi3804]

I eat there and I'm like you know I can get better food at my local diner for $10 or better yet my grandmother's house for free, right?

...or any Cracker Barrel.

 

[Smugpugmug]

It's growing in popularity, but most people don't have access to Indian and African food unless they live in a metro. So I still consider Sanaa and Boma unique enough for now. Although my last experience at Boma was pretty terrible.

I guess it all depends on where you're from and what you have access to. I'm from a southern state and folks on this board and elsewhere just love Homecoming.

I eat there and I'm like you know I can get better food at my local diner for $10 or better yet my grandmother's house for free, right?

I feel like this applies to any restaurant at WDW tbh. Morimoto Asia is extremely mediocre compared to what I can get where I live for a similar price or cheaper. Sanaa isn't super special to me since I live in a neighborhood with a lot of Indian neighbors but the food is still good for what it is.

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

I've never found any food at Disney to be truly bad. Is it worth the price, no way!

The best value meals at MK used to be the delicious baked potatoes with sour cream, butter and cheese you could pick up opposite Haunted Mansion. Cost about $4. Alas, I don't think they've been a thing for some time.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I guess it all depends on where you're from and what you have access to. I'm from a southern state and folks on this board and elsewhere just love Homecoming.

This is really what it boils down to and why we have to be so careful with food reviews.

If you spend time in New York/Chicago/LA and eat a diverse cuisine the stuff you eat at Disney World is unremarkable. If you live in Terre Haute Indiana and eat at Golden Corral often the food at Disney World will probably blow you away. Both people get the same standing on a message board like this so it becomes hard to decipher.

I've gotten to the point where I just ignore food reviews (unless I really trust the reviewer) and try to go in with zero expectations. I feel like that is the best way to go.

 

[jimmymc]

I've said it before but I feel like almost all of the food at WDW hovers between a 5-7 on a 10 point scale. The "bad" food is average theme park food and the "good" food is slightly above Applebee's (at 4x the price).

There are a few exceptions on the high end, but overall I agree. They're better than most theme park food (looking at you, Universal), but not as good as your favorite local restaurant.

 

[jhglassman]

There are a few exceptions on the high end, but overall I agree. They're better than most theme park food (looking at you, Universal), but not as good as your favorite local restaurant.

If a place like Citrico's had "normal" prices it would be considered a darn good semi-upscale neighborhood restaurant anywhere in the US. Applies to several of the "Signature" restaurants.

 

[jimmymc]

If a place like Citrico's had "normal" prices it would be considered a darn good semi-upscale neighborhood restaurant anywhere in the US. Applies to several of the "Signature" restaurants.

Yup! Citrico's, Flying Fish, Hollywood Brown Derby, and plenty others could survive in most any city in the US if their food was priced appropriately. And as far as theme park dining goes, places like that are far above anywhere else.

 

[soniam]

That is kind of amazing considering most of their food is just reheated frozen stuff. They barely have an opportunity to screw it up.

Only place I have experiences like that is Subway. We had a location on campus in college that regularly gave people food poisoning.

We had a scary Subway near campus when I was in college. The workers routinely had bandaids on their hands and no gloves I would walk in with friends but never order anything.

 

[JimmyV_2.0]

Pete's review was deserved.

Wasn't Pete's review in 2016? I think the Disney Dining Show did a re-visit to check on it again about a year ago. Have that on my Watch List but haven't gotten around to viewing it yet. Maybe things improved? AllEars has a review from 2 months ago, (again, haven't viewed it yet) that has the title: "Magic Kingdom's WORST Restaurant Got WAY BETTER -- Tony's Town Square Review"

 

[80sTerraceCafeFan]

Wasn't Pete's review in 2016? I think the Disney Dining Show did a re-visit to check on it again about a year ago. Have that on my Watch List but haven't gotten around to viewing it yet. Maybe things improved? AllEars has a review from 2 months ago, (again, haven't viewed it yet) that has the title: "Magic Kingdom's WORST Restaurant Got WAY BETTER -- Tony's Town Square Review"

It has a newer menu and has gotten a bit better than total trash - but Pete was on point at the time...and then they gave it marginally better reviews when they returned. There is a serious ceiling on the quality and authenticity here, given the ingredients and expectations of its diners. Once again, if you grew up with the real thing, forget about it - if you are ok with elevated egg noodles and ketchup - it's a nice location and theming.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

To answer your question---yes, I think it's that bad. Don't waste a precious Disney meal there if you can have something so much better.

Sadly, it doesn't have to be. It seems that they could drastically improve it easily without cutting significantly into their profit margin just by not settling for sub-par sauce.

 

[Flynn's Gal]

I'm pretty forgiving with marinara sauce and have the palate of a 10 year old. I went to Tony's in Oct. 2022 with an open mind, thinking, "It can't be that bad." Why yes, yes it can. It was a one and done for me.

 

[raidermatt]

Oh there's a much bigger range for food in the parks than 5-7. And Tony's is way below that. Been twice, and its easily the worst two meals I have had on Disney property. And I am hard-pressed to come up with any worse off Disney property. It must have happened, but nothing comes to mind. And yes, that includes the chains like Applebee's.

MM is fine. Food is decent, atmosphere is decent as well. Definitely in that 5-7 range.

All that said, PW's food reviews often seemed to be missing some context. To the point where I assumed there was something else going on so I didn't put a lot of stock in them. Certainly I consider them useless at this point.