So much Disney food is terrible

[TwoMisfits]

I think we need to start picking up breakfast groceries.

The way to maximize happiness and minimize cost is to plan on one "what meal do we really want to have" per day, and plan the time to enjoy it.

For the rest - have a room fridge. Even better if you have a room microwave, or even oven. Plan morning meals for the room, and then either plan to bring lunch or have leftovers/cold stuff out of the fridge for dinner, depending what meal you want out, where you want it, and what your chosen park's hours are.

Splurge on the groceries (for both quality and convenience) and the meal out - you'll end up much happier overall.

My go-to hotel lunch/dinner for the family is smoked salmon BLTAs with a lemon mayo on bakery bagels with fresh berries and plain potato chips on the side. I buy deli smoked salmon, microwave bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, a lemon, and a jar of mayo (and I have s&p). Most everything reuses to other meals and nothing needs cooking outside of a toaster/microwave (skip the bacon if you have no heat source at all). Delicious but light (which matters in heat) and yet still feels both expensive, vacationy, and splurgy.

 

[Rex1993]

We went to MK, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios for the first time two weeks ago. Across the board I was kind of blown away at how bad I found the food. Pretty much everywhere we ate was mediocre at best. Gasparilla Grill was absolutely terrible. Chicken sandwich, fries, pizza, all so bad we didn’t eat it. Be Our Guest was definitely the best restaurant for food. While it wasn’t great given the cost it was still the tastiest and highest quality meal we had during the week. I definitely think that Disneyland has better food.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

As

My go-to hotel lunch/dinner for the family is smoked salmon BLTAs with a lemon mayo on bakery bagels with fresh berries and plain potato chips on the side. I buy deli smoked salmon, microwave bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, a lemon, and a jar of mayo (and I have s&p).

Sounds delicious!

 

[lowlight]

I definitely think that Disneyland has better food.

I think most people who have been to both WDW and DL agree the food is better at DL. That kind of makes it more annoying, because it obviously is a choice.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I think most people who have been to both WDW and DL agree the food is better at DL. That kind of makes it more annoying, because it obviously is a choice.

My last trip to DL was before Covid so maybe it's different now but I feel like while DL has WAY better quick service options, the table service is better at WDW. I thought Blue Bayou was shockingly bad. The ambiance cannot be beat but the food was horrible.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Never had a bad TS meal, had a few mediocre. We've eaten at pretty much every TS and resort restaurant at least once. Character meals, buffet and fast food has never been attractive to us altho we will eat some specialty places like Flame Tree occasionally.
Compared to other comparable resort areas, Dis isn't super out there price wise. UO and SW/BG are only a little less expensive for most but the have far better dining perks for APs.

We eat really well at home and usually are stocked up on luxury food items but we still go to restaurants from food trucks to diners to 3 Michelin star for more than just how much we get per dollar.
I'd hate to live my life worrying about the price of everything instead of just enjoying it or going where I do.

 

[ttintagel]

I've only ever had one meal at WDW that I didn't love, a veggie burger at the Pop Century food court that came out kind of dry. Everything else has been fine.

 

[Sweettears]

Here now. My biggest complaint is that they dumb down the spice so it all tastes bland. Blame it on the masses

 

[PetePanMan]

IMO there is some very good food in WDW. Certainly not all and Yes, it can be comparatively expensive. Do your research and find the food you will enjoy.

 

[tigerlilly]

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.

You will have a great time and good food. I clicked on the post too lol. Just go into your trip with a positive attitude and trust your plan.

We just returned from WDW (stayed @ CBR) and everything we had was great. My only complaint was the $20 drinks that literally had no alcohol (Looking at you Sunshine Day Bar...). Le Petit Cafe coffee was literally best I have ever had on property (on any Disney Property...including DL...my home state park). Brown Derby Lounge... wine in the afternoon, slathering butter on a sourdough roll... Can't do that in real Hollywood anymore lol.

The biscuit egg sandwich in AK from Tamu Tamu eaten out of foil in the crisp morning air waiting to ride the safari w/ some regular drip coffee and a few packs of coffee creamer... yummmo!! Can't get that at McDonalds or in my hotel room lol

It is not just the food. It is where you are and who you are with. Go enjoy and find the positive... and hopefully most of your food will be great! Or at least the people you are with or the "place" you are will be.

 

[jimmymc]

I've had everything from mediocre to fantastic food at Disney. I could eat the venison from Jiko for every dinner the rest of my life and still look forward to it. But I've also had a cheeseburger at off-hours in the Pop Century food court that was a step below fast food. Fortunately, the bad meals are the exception. A little bit of research goes a long way with Disney food.

 

[jimmymc]

I definitely think that Disneyland has better food.

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.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Couple aps in a TS is likely gonna run about the same as a QS meal, you'll be indoors and water is free.

 

[Pdollar88]

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.

Satuli Canteen is excellent!

 

[hsmamato2]

IMO there is some very good food in WDW. Certainly not all and Yes, it can be comparatively expensive. Do your research and find the food you will enjoy.

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.

 

[Marek Zyskowski]

The food is quite good if you do some research. Even though I would like every dinning location to be a French BYOB Bistro. That is not the case. The strength of the WDW Parks' menus are fried things and portable food. There are affordable options if you do some looking.

 

[lowlight]

Satuli Canteen is excellent!

It is, for now. They’ve already screwed the beef up and it’s only been a few years, though.

 

[Pdollar88]

It is, for now. They’ve already screwed the beef up and it’s only been a few years, though.

I never had the beef before. I usually get one of the other dishes.

 

[bluezy]

Disney food, when you compare it to food at the ball park ($7.75 for a hot dog at a Padres game) or food at the fair, or food at tourist traps is reasonably priced. Of course it's more expensive than your average restaurant in Kalamazoo. But that's because it's in Disney rather than Kalamazoo. If you're truly looking for gourmet dining, you're not going to find it at Disney. V and As is about the best they offer. But why should you expect to? They have on average, over 150,000 mouths to feed a day. You're simply not going to logistically do that with exclusively 3 Michelin Star dining. But what you will find imo is decent to good food that compares imo favorably to other tourist traps.

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$21 at a Dodger's game. HAHA.

Yep! Every time I see someone complain about the quality and/or price of food at Disney I think to myself, "Have they ever been to other amusement parks or sports/entertainment venues???" Disney is a bargain and in most cases has better food than any amusement park, movie theater, sporting event, or Broadway theater I've been to. Notice I didn't say they have *great* food. But Disney tends to have better tasting food than most of those types of venues.

 

[Sweettears]

Don’t pay attention to the naysayers. There are plenty of decent restaurants on property. As others have said it is expensive but do your research and you’ll enjoy your trip