So much Disney food is terrible

[mickeyluv'r]

I'm very familiar with WDW eateries, and find many of them to be mediocre to bad, especially for the price. We don't tend to eat at McDonald's, but I get OP's point. During a trip to WDW last summer we were VERY happy to eat carry out from Panda Express, even though I don't normally consider PE to be all that great. What made PE a great option though was that we were starved for vegetables and rice. We eat a fair amount of rice, but it is hard to find at WDW. We also eat a lot of fresh vegetables that are steamed or sauteed. IMO, if a vegetable is fresh, most don't need to be drowned in salt, grease, or any kind of sauce. (with a few exceptions) At WDW, good produce is a bit scarce. I have often ordered side veggies that arrived inedible. They are often swimming in grease, or wildly not fresh, or wildly overcooked, or wildly over-salted, or a combination.

Ironically, we find some the WDW quick serves to be among the best options. Docking Bay 7 has a limited menu, but excellent options. The grab and go at the Swan has a delicious turkey sandwich. The turkey sandwich at Roaring Forks was also great, but RF otherwise has a limited menu. We found the breakfast at Mara to be really bad. We have a thing for the fried rice at the Yak and Yeti QS. The Y&Y QS chicken salad isn't nearly as good as it once was, but it is still fairly good. Another tasty option in AK is the taco stand. I think it is called the Smiling Crocodile. ("Never smile at a crocodile. Don't be taken in by his smiling grin...." the name is a reference to the song, FYI.)

If you happen to be there during one the Epcot festivals, the stands now have some of the better food options, IMO. They aren't all great, and it adds up if you try a bunch of them, but some have been excellent. We like some of the crepes at the crepe stand, but some we skip. I haven't tried it very recently, but we were often able to find something okay at the food court in the Land. More recently we tried Connections. Our food wasn't memorable, but it was okay. The dessert waffle was the highlight.

Over the past 20 years, we've gone back and forth on groceries. We are now back to having groceries in the room, especially for a quick breakfast. A good option for us is the aptly named Just Fruit bars, esp the mango. Tangerines are also a great option because they are easy to peel, don't require a fridge, and can be packed in carry-on bag. Baby carrots come ready to eat. We also get plenty of liquids.

 

[BrianL]

I think it's at least more consistent. I would take Satuli Canteen over pretty much any quick service in Disneyland, but the basic things like burgers and chicken seem to be better on the west coast.

Oh, it's definitely true that more quick service at DL is way better, including burgers, corn dogs, and pizza. WDW is catching up though with their better QS places like Satu'li. The average in-park burger though is still pretty lousy. California does have better food in general though.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

What made PE a great option though was that we were starved for vegetables and rice. We eat a fair amount of rice, but it is hard to find at WDW. We also eat a lot of fresh vegetables that are steamed or sauteed. IMO, if a vegetable is fresh, most don't need to be drowned in salt, grease, or any kind of sauce. (with a few exceptions) At WDW, good produce is a bit scarce. I have often ordered side veggies that arrived inedible. They are often swimming in grease, or wildly not fresh, or wildly overcooked, or wildly over-salted, or a combination.

…

If you happen to be there during one the Epcot festivals, the stands now have some of the better food options, IMO.

The lack of vegetables is definitely part of it! And we had five good things at the Epcot food stands, so agree with you that some of the better food is there.

 

[lowlight]

I guess I don’t get comparing WDW to a Six Flags or a baseball stadium. Price aside, are they not aspiring to be more?

I don’t have the decades of Disney experience that some have, but I do know that many people agree that food was better at some point until a certain CEO took over and the Disney dining plan became a thing.

I’ll give an example- Ohana has steadily declined to the point we don’t even bother making a reservation. Dinner is a no go for us, and breakfast was ok until I had to start begging for bacon. It was undeniably good at one point, and then in each new iteration something was downgraded or taken away, except the price which steadily increased. It’s ok to call Disney out on their BS- they can provide good and expensive food, not just mediocre and expensive food. They aren’t the Dodgers stadium.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

I guess I don’t get comparing WDW to a Six Flags or a baseball stadium. Price aside, are they not aspiring to be more?

Agree with you on this - we don’t go to Six Flags or other theme parks. They don’t interest us. I love WDW because of the theming, gardening, music, etc. I’m well aware of what the “good” spots to eat are, so this is not a case me failing to research, but when you’re staying at a dis resort you should be able to get decent food without traipsing out to other resorts or specific spots in the parks. I also think you should be able to get something decent to eat without a reservation at a TS because who wants to eat every meal at a TS. We did have a decent flatbread in Trader Sam’s yesterday, so not everything is terrible.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Over the past 20 years, we've gone back and forth on groceries. We are now back to having groceries in the room, especially for a quick breakfast. A good option for us is the aptly named Just Fruit bars, esp the mango. Tangerines are also a great option because they are easy to peel, don't require a fridge, and can be packed in carry-on bag. Baby carrots come ready to eat. We also get plenty of liquids.

This is one thing Disneyland does significantly better than WDW. Availability of fruits and veggies for sale IN the parks. That was something I noticed during my visit and what I miss when I'm in the Florida parks.

 

[BrianL]

This is one thing Disneyland does significantly better than WDW. Availability of fruits and veggies for sale IN the parks. That was something I noticed during my visit and what I miss when I'm in the Florida parks.

Not to mention, that California fruit is SO much better. When I was there in October, my friend's mother-in-law stopped by a farm stand on her way in (drove from Arizona). The fruit was out of this world. Good snacks are DL can be the pineapple spears or fruit cups.

Florida has oranges, but, you know, they make a better Citrus Swirl than they do a hand fruit.

 

[ttintagel]

To be fair, it does seem like the variety of food took a bit of a hit during the pandemic, and has probably not 100% caught back up.

 

[Instagramhusband]

This.... if you're familiar with ALL of WDW, there is lots of good food to find (and seriously OP,McDonalds? Why would you bring up this topic and McD's with a straight face???) I wouldn't eat Mcdonalds if you paid me, yet I thoroughly enjoy all the variety to be found on property. We rarely eat burgers,chicken nuggets or the like while visiting WDW, IMHO part of the fun is trying various eateries there. I know everyone has different tastes, and yes, quite a bit of the qs options can be 'premade' etc- As pp says...just do your research. The variety of lounges,restaurants,qs and ts on property is astounding... not always perfect but lots of it is quite good.

At the end of the day its a theme park. There is something for every mood. I have gone 40 plus times over the last 7 years and there is enough variety to not have tried everything. Is all of it fit for a king? Nope. However, the goal is to get you out enjoying the park. There is a burger/BBQ place near my house that has a sign out at the drive thru.. "This is not fast food, your food is prepared the moment you order it, so be patient" Disney has to get you out the door quick, its an assembly line. Some sit down places are really outstanding some are just ok. It varies.

 

[CynBeth]

Why did I click this post? Nothing I contribute will change any opinions.

I’m literally centering my entire Disney vacation plans around where I’m eating.

We are the same way. My other family members have food allergies so we mostly eat at TS and have our favorites we have to do every trip and then might try one or 2 new.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I guess I don’t get comparing WDW to a Six Flags or a baseball stadium. Price aside, are they not aspiring to be more?

It's comparing like for like. Disney is theme park and an entertainment venue. So are they. What's not to get about that?

I don’t have the decades of Disney experience that some have, but I do know that many people agree that food was better at some point until a certain CEO took over and the Disney dining plan became a thing.

Ahhh yes The irrational hate of the Dining Plan folks once again makes an appearance. LOL we DDP abusing rif raf are responsible for it all too.

I’ll give an example- Ohana has steadily declined to the point we don’t even bother making a reservation. Dinner is a no go for us, and breakfast was ok until I had to start begging for bacon. It was undeniably good at one point, and then in each new iteration something was downgraded or taken away, except the price which steadily increased. It’s ok to call Disney out on their BS-

Oh yes, I remember the constant grousing about 'Ohana. The day I stopped bothering to pay attention to it was the day I came back and said they replaced chunks of pineapple with a nice bread pudding with bananas foster sauce, a 100% no brainer upgrade, and you'd think Disney dropped a nuclear bomb on this board with all the complaining. Of course that was the fault of the DDP abusing rif raf too.

they can provide good and expensive food, not just mediocre and expensive food. They aren’t the Dodgers stadium.

Good food, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. If you'd rather have that $21 hot dog, by all means you're free to do so. And again, Disney has to feed 150k mouths, most of them more than once per day. I mean V and A's just got a Michelin Star. What more do you want? We've had some bad meals at Disney. We've had some good to great ones. But if anyone comes back and claims they couldn't find anything good to eat, they either didn't do their homework or didn't want to.

 

[Sweettears]

At the end of the day its a theme park. There is something for every mood. I have gone 40 plus times over the last 7 years and there is enough variety to not have tried everything. Is all of it fit for a king? Nope. However, the goal is to get you out enjoying the park. There is a burger/BBQ place near my house that has a sign out at the drive thru.. "This is not fast food, your food is prepared the moment you order it, so be patient" Disney has to get you out the door quick, its an assembly line. Some sit down places are really outstanding some are just ok. It varies.

Well it’s several theme parks but is a resort as well so expectations of better food are warranted. I believe the problem is in the conflict between those expecting a cheap meal and wanting to minimize their time eating so they can get back to the parks versus those looking for a dining experience

 

[tguz]

Some people you can never please, it's better to just smile and walk on by and hope they do the same.

 

[lowlight]

Some people you can never please, it's better to just smile and walk on by and hope they do the same.

That’s one of the weirdest comments I’ve ever seen in response to someone criticizing food.

 

[Instagramhusband]

Well it’s several theme parks but is a resort as well so expectations of better food are warranted. I believe the problem is in the conflict between those expecting a cheap meal and wanting to minimize their time eating so they can get back to the parks versus those looking for a dining experience

I have stayed at every Disney World resort except for the All Star resorts. If people are upset about resort food fine. Some are better than others. However, its the blanket statement that Disney food is terrible is what draws my fire.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

Some people you can never please, it's better to just smile and walk on by and hope they do the same.

I have said throughout this thread that I have been pleased with some of the food, and I specifically said “so much” of the food is terrible not “all of the food is terrible”.

 

[Nancyg56]

Well unless this is someone's first ever trip to Disney, I guess I don't see what the issue is. If you have been there before and find that none of the food is what appeals to you, then it seems you wouldn't return. All of the menus and prices are posted on the official Disney website.

I tend to agree. After a few attempts at finding meals you and your family like and striking out, it seems to me that dining outside of the disney bubble may be the answer.

You heard em boys, close the Disboards down, we don’t need none of this deeescussion stuff!

I understood where that poster was going. I did not get the impression that they were saying that there was no need for discussion, but closer to if you find that there is nothing you like, and that McDonalds is preferable than the meals Disney has, then thats fine. At some point the menus, the prices, and detailed descriptions in the reviews are posted, so you need to use your judgement and find where you like to dine.

It's comparing like for like. Disney is theme park and an entertainment venue. So are they. What's not to get about that?

Ahhh yes The irrational hate of the Dining Plan folks once again makes an appearance. LOL we DDP abusing rif raf are responsible for it all too.

Oh yes, I remember the constant grousing about 'Ohana. The day I stopped bothering to pay attention to it was the day I came back and said they replaced chunks of pineapple with a nice bread pudding with bananas foster sauce, a 100% no brainer upgrade, and you'd think Disney dropped a nuclear bomb on this board with all the complaining. Of course that was the fault of the DDP abusing rif raf too.

Good food, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. If you'd rather have that $21 hot dog, by all means you're free to do so. And again, Disney has to feed 150k mouths, most of them more than once per day. I mean V and A's just got a Michelin Star. What more do you want? We've had some bad meals at Disney. We've had some good to great ones. But if anyone comes back and claims they couldn't find anything good to eat, they either didn't do their homework or didn't want to.

We are the DDP abusers too. We pay the price for a plan that a lot of folks say is a wastes of money, that allows specific choices, and then we make those choices. Somehow we are also responsible for the demise of decent food in DIsney.

I also agree that the parks are parks. You will get a lot of choices within each park, but the reality is that they are theme parks, and have the cost and variety baggage that many theme parks have. There are also options in the resorts and Disney Springs. Many are more costly than what you find at home, but again, you are in a theme park environment. The Hilton dinner menu across from Mystic Aquarium was pricey, but it was located in a touristy area. We paid because we chose to stay within walking distance from the aquarium and the cluster of shopping across the street. It is all about choices.

Well it’s several theme parks but is a resort as well so expectations of better food are warranted. I believe the problem is in the conflict between those expecting a cheap meal and wanting to minimize their time eating so they can get back to the parks versus those looking for a dining experience

Again, a resort in a tourist bubble. People have always had to make decisions when it came to budging their vacation money and time. When my kids were little I would often pack lunch when we took day trips,, but as the exits to the parking areas became treks into the wilderness I chose to find dining within that theme parks we visited. Time.

I am not sure why folks believe that things have changed so much when it comes to vacation planning. Families make a budget, and then find accommodations that allow them to remain within that budget. It might mean staying further away or finding a hotel that includes breakfast. It may mean eating in the hotel or ordering take out. The problem arises when people have a budget, and then make choices outside of that budget. Buyers remorse can spoil a trip.

 

[Jsharp13]

I don't know if it is a good or bad thing, but there are about a million different youtubes, blogs, articles, experts, etc., that are constantly reviewing food at Disney. Down to miniscule details! You are free to look at those and learn about restaurants before you go. It's pretty easy to browse a board like this and even without searching, you'll hear about a few meals or restaurants.
Of course prices are right in the app.
So, maybe seeing all that could either help regulate expectations? Or be overwhelming? It's all just personal opinions of those creators, but I've certainly seen some negative reviews, or posts about bad food (dry, missing toppings, weak drink, etc.).

Then of course, you'll always find a complete range of opinions on any given menu item! Take all that input with a grain of salt (no pun intended).

Lastly, is this a good place to mention that the pizza slice my son and I had last year at All Star Music was one of the best slices we've ever had?

 

[Nancyg56]

I have said throughout this thread that I have been pleased with some of the food, and I specifically said “so much” of the food is terrible not “all of the food is terrible”.

I know, and I have never suggested that you cannot be pleased. I think that the statement is rather broad though, especially given that you choose to order McDonalds. Now I like McDonalds and I make no apology for that. I cannot say that most DIsney food is terrible and that McDonalds is not terrible. I think that is why folks may be a tad incredulous.

 

[tguz]