WDW restaurant food quality

[hiddenMeekey]

Whenever possible I try to stick to salads (without prepared dressing...just balsamic and olive oil), fruit, etc.

Do you have any recommendations for QS Salad options that are your favorites in parks other than Epcot? My DW just made a comment this weekend about how it would be nice to have a good salad option in MK and AK while we're there since it will be hotter than the surface of the sun.

 

[AnnaKat]

I don't go to Disney for the food, and I certainly don't hold them to a higher standard just because they're Disney. I go there expecting mass-produced, preservative-filled, carb-heavy, HFCS sweetened, sodium laden, bland food that caters to the tastes of the majority, and that's exactly what we get. When we get a meal that isn't all that, and it's good, it's a pleasant surprise. When I want a food-centric trip (and we do go on these often) Disney isn't where we go.

Oh, don't forget GMO'd,

It gets harder & harder every year to find non-processed NON-GMO food @ Disney,
just like everywhere else!

"Bad " foods gave me debilitating health problems that almost killed me,
SO i have to avoid them

 

[IrishNYC]

Oh, don't forget GMO'd,

It gets harder & harder every year to find non-processed NON-GMO food @ Disney,
just like everywhere else!

"Bad " foods gave me debilitating health problems that almost killed me,
SO i have to avoid them

Yes, those, too!

We try to eat healthy in general, but it's nearly impossible to eat healthfully at Disney without doing outside shopping. We all feel gross after a day or two.

 

[AnnaKat]

Yes, those, too!

We try to eat healthy in general, but it's nearly impossible to eat healthfully at Disney without doing outside shopping. We all feel gross after a day or two.

Yep, i want to avoid feeling sick whilst @ WDW, so i used to just avoid gluten.

NOW that i learned that i needed to avoid corn(used to be my fave )
and so many other things,

we will splurge on bread service @ Sanaa and on Cali Grill's savory breads

but we order GF bread from Garden Grocer, and a few other things.

We also enjoy the Mara @ our home resort.
They serve real carved turkey sandwiches as a Chef's special,
but i enjoy their GF chicken pita with hummus & greens.

 

[OKW Lover]

Since this topic seems to have evolved from the OP's original comment to a wider discussion about Disney food I'd like to say that we find the food at WDW to be pretty good overall. Yes, we stay away from some restaurants. But there are others that we absolutely love. In general (one or two exceptions), the Signature restaurants provide a very nice dining experience.

 

[Jennasis]

Haven't had a bad meal at Disney in a very long time. I can think of only two table service ones..2012 at Ohana, and 2008 Sci-Fi. And one counter serve...ABC Commissary. Outside of that I have enjoyed every meal.

We DO go to WDW for the food. It's one of our primary attractions.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have only ever had one bad meal at Disney and I think it was a fluke - we had an especially nasty breakfast at Kona about 3 years ago. Other than that, we had always enjoyed the food. It's not the best food I've ever eaten and it is pricey, but I like what we eat and just chalk up the high cost to it being a theme park. We went to our State Fair this week and some of the Disney food seems like a bargain compared to what they were charging there for food.

 

[AngiTN]

Haven't had a bad meal at Disney in a very long time. I can think of only two table service ones..2012 at Ohana, and 2008 Sci-Fi. And one counter serve...ABC Commissary. Outside of that I have enjoyed every meal.

We DO go to WDW for the food. It's one of our primary attractions.

In general, same here. We do find meals as a primary focus of our trips. Especially our adult trips. And we typically do not have a bad meal.
But, we also do not tend to eat much QS at Disney. There are a few we like and we'll try out a few here or there to see if things change but we tend to find that no, they have not.
For our tastes and wants we know Disney TS will suit and Disney QS will not, with few exceptions on both sides.

 

[Sparkly]

We had our worst meal at Sunshine Seasons. DH and I had basically the entire Asian menu between the two of us and it was almost inedible.

We had the exact same experience in 2012, but luckily we've returned since and had some really great meals. We love the chicken with rice and beans!

Yes to both. Threw our food away at Pop it was so bad

I agree, I had chicken nuggets and they were terrible, tasted like they'd been under a heat lamp for too long. And the pasta salad tasted funny. The next time I ate there, I had a turkey and all the trimmings sandwich- served COLD between two slices of bread!! Made me feel really sick.

 

[RebeccaWP]

Good to know, thanks for sharing.

 

[holden]

Do you have any recommendations for QS Salad options that are your favorites in parks other than Epcot? My DW just made a comment this weekend about how it would be nice to have a good salad option in MK and AK while we're there since it will be hotter than the surface of the sun.

At MK Colombia Harbor House has a salad and a salmon dish (I get that with broccoli).

Other than Tiffins (table service) and Nomad Lounge (small plates) I haven't eaten a salad at AK. Check the menues on the Disney site. They are pretty up to date.

 

[BayouQueen]

I'd just comment that seems like over the years there is experimentation with "cost cutting." For the record -- and in lieu of one of those surveys they are always doing -- good food is important to us. It's part of the "happy" experience for our family. We accept that prices are higher because it's Disney, but DH particularly gets really miffed if we spend a lot and stuff is crummy. I can love WDW and be forgiving all I want, but if DH is turned off, I won't be able to go back to the parks. Probably others have this kind of dynamic with their loved ones and traveling partners. So keep the quality up and make it easy to "pitch" a Disney trip to our near and dear!

 

[DisneyFranatic]

They key word to look for in ordering a turkey sandwich is carved. 'Sliced' won't cut it either - that can just mean they sliced it from a large heated 'loaf' of processed turkey.

That's my rule - I am the same way as you are about turkey - freshly carved or boar's head only for me. I often don't order much 'grilled' chicken at Disney either for the same reason - it some times a 'formed' piece of chicken vs. a real piece of chicken.

BOG has a very good carved turkey sandwich IMHO.

And yes price and quality of food have no correlation as far as Disney is concerned. They seem to attach much more importance to location when pricing the food. The best snack in all of WDW (for me) are fresh out of the fryer french fries from Casey's - they around $2.50 (they are not on the menu separately, but they can be ordered - I do it all the time). And you sit at a table with a direct view of the castle. SHhhh! Don't tell Disney I said that - they'll upcharge my fries for the view.

To me, the best turkey sandwich on property is from Flame Tree Barbecue at AK. Wonderful!

 

[arminnie]

When I am hungry I want to eat something that tastes good and will satisfy my hunger. And I prefer not to spend a zillion dollars. My definition of what tastes good of course does not match what others think.

So each person has their own definition of what works for them.

 

[1GoldenSun]

I think there is some pretty good QS available in the parks if you know where to look, but it's harder to find at the resorts and more hit-or-miss. A couple moderates (or maybe values; I don't remember) have that grilled salmon, couscous, and steamed broccoli meal that CHH offers, which I think is a pretty excellent meal for the price, even if it weren't Disney.

My family once ended up eating Thanksgiving dinner at the End-Zone food court. Don't even ask how that debacle occurred. I was so sure their turkey dinner was gong to be middle-school cafeteria worthy that I only ordered a couple kids sized meals to share as a token gesture in honor of Thanksgiving, and got us a pizza for dinner. The turkey meal actually ended up being pretty tasty, and I had to go back and get us more, with everyone ignoring the pizza! It was no better than LTT, but it was just a surprise to get even that quality at a value food court. I'd eat that turkey dinner they served any day, and it wasn't even very expensive.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Our expectations for theme park food have never really been high, so disappointment has been rare. We know before we bite into it that burger or chicken fillet will not impress.

But we can remember when TS at a WDW resort was truly an experience to look forward to because the offerings were unique and of high quality. That's not what we've been finding over the last several years and really miss it.

 

[DrunkJam]

Everything at WDW is expensive for what it is.
We tend to do more TS now, as we find the food generally to be better, and we have had some great meals. Also, it's easy to be positive about some of the less good stuff, cos, you know we are on holiday, and I am not cooking for 4 three of whom have food issues. Plus, as someone else said, comparative to UK theme park food, there is *so* much choice!
But, I do think it is wrong to lie, if I ask if x ingredient is this or that, I expect an honest answer, even if it is not what I want, because, that way I can make a real choice.
I have been disappointed in some of WDW meals I have eaten. I will never go back to Chef Mickey's for example. Also Peco's Bills was deeply disappointing.

 

[HopperFan]

QS = lots of DCP on front line, maybe never had a job,
probably not around food, couple days training and gone in 4 mos.

They probably had no idea what you were asking.
They took processed and turned it into pre-made,
so assured you they were making it fresh for you.

If you can't see the food they are working with, ask to see it OR
I tend to glance around at tables to check folk's meals.

 

[LSUmiss]

No it's not a fair comparison at all - but I was just trying to explain that I don't go to Disney for the food. Now I've had some great meals at Disney - but yikes the prices are literally double (or more) what I pay to eat at Commander's Palace in New Orleans.

I have never eaten anywhere at WDW that was double the price of Commander's, but maybe you were just exaggerating to make a point . I agree NOLA is not a fair comparison, but I think WDW food has actually improved since we started going. There are some places that we really like to eat now. But, we also stay away from quick service for the most part now.

 

[tony67]

I've pretty much given up on Disney and food a few years back....maybe that is why I think it is improving the last few years.
I don't expect much form them ...and if I get something that is decent I see it as improving.
Even their food & wine festival is disappointing and lets not even get started on the beer selections.
I will be in Orlando during F&W and will most likely skip Disney completely - there was a time when I went 2-3 times a year - and just from following these boards I know I am not the only one who has walked away