5 Things to Skip at Disney World

[betty rose]

I disagree with the article. I feel the food's better than the cafeteria goop I used to eat. If I want to buy a souvenir, I will and I'll gladly use my own money. I also like the option of the Park Hopper.

Our cafeteria food in school was just awful. Slimy spinach, hot dog on a plate...no toppings or bun, and mashed potato. What a horrible "combo". I personally love the food in Disney, I wish I had two stomachs! lol

 

[rucifee]

Our cafeteria food in school was just awful. Slimy spinach, hot dog on a plate...no toppings or bun, and mashed potato. What a horrible "combo". I personally love the food in Disney, I wish I had two stomachs! lol

There are great places to eat at WDW and not so great places to eat at WDW. I've had some of my best meals there, and some that were so bad that they were comped. Some of the food at Sunshine Seasons is worse than cafeteria food.

 

[betty rose]

They're great. Nice smoky taste. Most baked beans tend to be a little too much on the sweet side for my taste, which is a problem with a lot of barbecue foods, in my opinion, but Flame Tree's beans are the bee's knees.

Agree, another vote for the baked beans!

 

[betty rose]

There are great places to eat at WDW and not so great places to eat at WDW. I've had some of my best meals there, and some that were so bad that they were comped. Some of the food at Sunshine Seasons is worse than cafeteria food.

Hmmm. I've had very few to almost no bad meals in Disney. I'm not a picky eater. But, awful...just not my experience. I've been going since Disney it opened.

 

[rucifee]

Hmmm. I've had very few to almost no bad meals in Disney. I'm not a picky eater. But, awful...just not my experience. I've been going since Disney it opened.

I'm happy for you. I've had two meals comped in the last 3 months which were over $100 each (table service for two) because of poor quality and / or poor service. I've had a few really poor quick service meals as well recently that I didn't bother to complain about because they weren't worth the time. I've also had some really great meals, to be fair.

 

[tglancy]

I generally hate articles about trying to save money @ WDW. Maybe if you are looking to save money on a vacation, you don't try to go to WDW?

 

[Chef Mickey]

To be fair, I can agree with her on some of the food... it really depends on what place she ate at because there are some places at Disney that are really below cafeteria quality, other much better... I think she's wrong for saying they all are, but then you are equally wrong by defending all the place in World Showcase, they aren't all great.

Which restaurants would you say are below cafeteria food quality?

I can see some places being categorized and "junk" food because the options are unhealthy, but cafeteria quality implies below average food quality. I just don't think that's true.

Even the chicken nuggets a lot of places use white breast meat. The condiments are name brand like Heinz, name brand ice cream, soft drinks, etc.

 

[thomas998]

Which restaurants would you say are below cafeteria food quality?

I can see some places being categorized and "junk" food because the options are unhealthy, but cafeteria quality implies below average food quality. I just don't think that's true.

Even the chicken nuggets a lot of places use white breast meat. The condiments are name brand like Heinz, name brand ice cream, soft drinks, etc.

My first pick and the absolute worst food in all of DIsney World would be Cinderella's Castle at Breakfast time... If we are talking World Showcase only then the prize so to speak would be San Angel Inn where you find the only mexican food fit for someone adverse to spice.

I don't call out food based on it being bad for you, some of the junkiest food tastes great... but Disney has some stinkers and when they stink they really stink.

 

[bethymouse]

I wouldn't do the "Quick Service" Dining Plan only, but some folks like the idea of having an "all inclusive" vacation where they don't have to worry about much of anything. The portion sizes are large ( pooh-sized), and can sometimes be shared. I always plan a signature dining experience on my dining plan ( 2 table service credits). I don't eat dessert, but my family helps eat it sometimes ( sometimes it's wasted, it depends). Example: Narcoossees... 410$ bill for 5 people! Yes. We got the steak and lobster tail ( the most delicious ever). But, making the dining plan worth it for you can be possible ( we ate at 'Ohana as well) especially if your family likes buffets and character meals.

 

[LdyApxr]

So I have never been to WDW yet(May 16), but has this woman been to a concert lately? We saw Fleetwood Mac in April in OAKLAND of all nasty places and parking at the Oracle Arena(not the Coliseum, there was an A's game that night too) was $30. THIRTY DOLLARS to park in nasty Oakland? We took a taxi to and from our hotel(we are three hours or so from Oakland) for less than that and that was both ways, no fighting to get to our car, no waiting in lines to leave the lot. I don't get the people who complain about the price of water, soda, food etc. I think these people never go anywhere. At all. Ball Game? Concert? Parades? Nothing is cheap if it cost someone to build it and put it together people. LOL

 

[Konor]

Let's see, lack of preparation before hand...check, complaining...check, thinking that you can enjoy Disney for under $100...check, thinks she knows all there is to know after a single trip...check. All of this can me only one thing, I think Katiebug101 is back writing under a pseudonym.

 

[Matt_Black]

Let's see, lack of preparation before hand...check, complaining...check, thinking that you can enjoy Disney for under $100...check, thinks she knows all there is to know after a single trip...check. All of this can me only one thing, I think Katiebug101 is back writing under a pseudonym.

Can't be- didn't use the word "unmagical" or refer to her children as her little princes and princesses.

 

[Dwarful]

We no longer use the hopper options....although with the cuts to HS we might need to rethink that touring plan. I agree food can be hit or miss. Some places are stepping up their game while others have coasted too long too far and it is showing. We have had some great meals and some that we thought we would never have at Disney.....with all that being said....there is no way I would I'd haul food in a back pack or cooler at WDW to save some money. I don't like to be loaded down while touring the parks so that would bring my mood down fast!

 

[crispy]

I frequently advise people to skip on Park Hoppers. We rarely use them. My old boss complains all the time about how Disney suckered him into a PH he never used. For a lot of people, the cost far outweighs the benefit.

I know some people consider them essential. But I'd be willing to wager that the majority of people going to WDW on any given day would be better off not buying the Park Hopper option.

I agree with this completely. Most first time visitors are overwhelmed enough without trying to figure out how to use Disney transportation to park hop. We stopped buying them once we had children because it is just easier to focus on one park per day since we generally leave the park around dinner time anyway.

 

[Victor Kelly]

I read the article, but mostly ignored everything this idiot said. Seems to me that these "news" outlets are sending complete imbeciles to write articles on something they know absolutely nothing about. Mainly I think it is to bash Disney. And while many of us on the boards bash Disney, we do so from an informed position, that has taken years and multiple trips to gain the necessary perspective.

 

[LdyApxr]

Would you reccomend against a park hopper for someone like me and my family? It will be our first time but we are all older and only have the 17yr old and 14yr old with me and my husband. None of us have ever been but we also will not be doing character meet & greets or parades(we've just never been into watching parades once the boys got older).

 

[KDM31091]

The park hopper is expensive if you won't get use out of it. Realistically, if you're going to spend a day in each park, you probably don't really need it. It's a nice option but Disney knows that and they charge accordingly.

I looked into the dining plans for my upcoming trip but I don't want the stress of "have to eat this many meals to make it worth it", "have to be here and eat xyz at this time", etc. It's a vacation. Also, all the math I did showed the dining plan was more expensive or at least not any kind of significant savings, but YMMV there.

 

[RScottyL]

Only things on that list that I agree with is to find other ways to get there so you can avoid parking, and also the park hopper!

I always spent 1 day in one park, and never liked to go to different parks in one day!

Why spend extra to do this?

I know people want to do it differently!

 

[LdyApxr]

Since we only have experience with DLR, we have always done park hopper since it became available(pre-CA Adv) but then again, it is a walk across the courtyard and we generally stay at the Grand Californian and the kids like to do their own thing sometimes. I might be reconsidering it for this trip. At first I was thinking that if do not spend all day at either DHS or DAK, then the kids might want to bop over to MK or Epcot once we get back to the CR but then again, as a first timer, we might end up spending more time at either of those parks and be ready for some pool time/downtime in the evening. Since the kids are 17 and 13(boy/girl), there are certain things I do not have to worry about(such as character M&G's or Princess hunting LOL) but then again, they may surprise me. Both have been to DLR many times so they have character pics and we will be doing a couple character breakfasts so there will be opportunities there too.

 

[NonnaT]

Would you reccomend against a park hopper for someone like me and my family? It will be our first time but we are all older and only have the 17yr old and 14yr old with me and my husband. None of us have ever been but we also will not be doing character meet & greets or parades(we've just never been into watching parades once the boys got older).

Probably not recommend for a first timer. Unless you can navigate easily it doesn't make sense. Do decent planning (with help from the forums here). There is so much to do at WDW for someone new, you won't have time to fit it all in as it is. But enjoy your trip!