We recently returned from a week at WDW. Although I'm not planning on doing a full trip report, I wanted to share thoughts on a couple of specific things, one of them being dining.
Rather than post a bunch of individual reviews, or a standalone bunch of numbers, I thought it might be helpful (or hopefully at least amusing) to provide a brief snapshot of what Disney dining looked like for my allegedly-normal family of four, during our August 12-18, 2023 WDW vacation. For those looking ahead to 2024 and the re-introduction of the DDP, I'm also comparing what we spent to what a comparable DDP would have cost us, in case you'd like to get an idea of how eating habits (and their level of divergence from what the plan covers, which in my family's case is considerable) affect the analysis. Perhaps if you're planning a trip for the first time in a while, or just trying to get an idea of current food costs, this information might be of use to you. It's for science.
All of our meals were paid-for using Disney gift cards left over from a previous trip, purchased at ~9% off (4% BJ's discount + 5% Discover cash-back for wholesale clubs), but in the interest of keeping the numbers simple, I'm ignoring those savings in my calculations. As far as restaurant choices, each family member was asked to choose 2-3 table service restaurants ahead of time where they wanted to eat, without regard to pricing, and I would work them into the schedule: the resulting list represented old favorites and new places, with a variety of cuisines and service styles.
Offsite Food: Per usual, we ate most of our breakfasts in the room (with a $30 grocery delivery order that included bagels, cream cheese, apples and caramel dips, and milk). We combined these groceries with granola bars, fruit leather, water electrolyte flavor packets, cereal, and a single-slot travel toaster, all brought with us in our carryon luggage from home. (*Note: Yes, I know toasters aren't allowed, which is why we unplugged, cooled, and hid ours away in an insulated travel bag when we left the room each day. Rest assured that this is as rebellious and wild as we get, and we wouldn't have resorted to it had Disney had the courtesy to leave clothing irons in the room, which can be covered with tin foil and used to toast things, MacGuyver-style. Disney took the irons away, and forced us into this life of crime.) We didn't buy any bottled water, preferring to drink free iced water from CS locations, or refill bottles in the room with tap water and electrolyte flavor packets and then chill them in the fridge to take with us.
Onsite CS Restaurants, TS Restaurants, Lounges, and Snacks (quickie review plus cost, including tax and tip):
Beaches & Cream (Beach Club TS, $110.00) – We’d just touched down in Orlando on Saturday, August 12th, and the 99-degree high that day -- with a "real feel" closer to 115 -- was hitting us like a ton of bricks! Sitting down to lunch in air-conditioned comfort felt amazing, and we were excited, as always, to try out a restaurant we'd never visited before. Our meals ranged from "subpar but okay" to "average" (veggie and beef burgers, a French dip with beef so thick and tough that I had to cut it into tiny pieces because I couldn't bite through it cleanly, a dry chicken sandwich, a couple fountain drinks, and a milkshake). Although the restaurant was unusually loud and chaotic, and the food quality and portion size couldn’t live up to what we’d find at the local diner at home, the decor and ambiance were charming, and service was excellent. Perhaps someday we might return, if only for the famous Kitchen Sink, which several parties ordered during our meal, to great fanfare!
Raglan Road (Disney Springs TS, $137.00) – We last visited Raglan Road some 10 years ago, and were excited to come back. Waiting a few extra minutes for a table near the musicians/dancers was well worth it, and the entertainment (we saw two different Irish dancing presentations, and a live musical performance, during our meal) was fantastic. While the boisterous atmosphere made conversation next-to-impossible and our vegetarian daughter struggled to find something to order from the protein-heavy menu, we were all pleased with what we got, which included a goat cheese salad, bangers and mash, chicken wings, and a vegetarian fritter, kicked off with the Irish egg appetizer, fountain drinks, and a beer flight, which DH and I split. The Guinness dipping glaze for the complimentary bread was the biggest hit of the night, and a recipe I want to try and copycat for use at home.
Yak & Yeti (Animal Kingdom TS, $171.00) – Yak & Yeti’s Ahi Tuna Nachos and Bhaktapur duck (my son's favorite) are addictive treats that keep us coming back year after year, and this experience was no different. DH had the Korean Beef, our daughter had veggie lo mein, and I tried the lemongrass scallops – a seasonal special – which was one of the best things I ate all week. Although we got the worst seats in the house (downstairs by the bar, where there's no view outside and extra noise from the elevator), service was attentive and friendly, and everyone agreed that this had been their favorite WDW meal of the vacation so far.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Hollywood Studios TS, Fantasmic! package, $239.00) – Although the receptionist greeted us with a well-delivered invitation to go “back in time,” the illusion was immediately shattered when we were seated and handed a well-worn piece of laminated cardstock with a QR code, which was the only way to access the menu. I tried the current Feature Film burger, a bizarre mélange of overcooked beef patty, crab cake, green tomato and cheese that tasted okay if the components were enjoyed separately, but was a muddled mess if one tried to eat them together. (The portion size was certainly impressive, though: I could barely finish half of it!) The rest of the family’s burgers, milkshakes, and appetizers (especially the spinach and artichoke dip, which was a standout) were more successful, if less inventive, and my daughter, who always chooses to dine here as it’s her favorite restaurant at WDW thanks to the fun theming, was pleased with her choice. If we had it to do again though, we'd skip the Fantasmic! package -- it was too much food, and we weren't all that enthused by the show, as it happened, feeling that the Disneyland version we saw 4 years ago had been far superior. Still, it was a bucket list item we were glad to check off!
Primo Piatto (Riviera Resort CS, $42.00 for 3 people) – Not feeling excited about the CS options in and around Yacht Club where we were staying for the first half of our trip, DH, our daughter and I (our son forewent lunch in favor of a nap, and had a hot dog from an in-park kiosk later) decided to take the Skyliner over to the Riviera, both to see the resort in person for the first time, and try out Primo Piatto, about which I’d read many glowing reviews. We were so happy we did! The menu was inviting, the plating unexpectedly beautiful (I had the veggie skewer with quinoa and greens - served on a real plate - and tiramisu for dessert, while DH and my daughter opted for pizza and pasta), and the dining area spacious, clean, and lovely. It lived up to its name – primo! I was reminded of the good old days when Be Our Guest offered a similarly upscale take on counter service.
San Angel Inn (EPCOT TS, $206.00) – My husband was so excited to get back to San Angel Inn, to once again savor the homemade salsa and chicken mole he loves so much. Although I had reminded him to consult online menus ahead of time to take note of changes, he hadn't, so you can imagine his disappointment when he was informed by our server that: (1) complimentary chips and salsa are long gone, and the chicken mole is off the menu, replaced with a pork dish; and (2) if you opt to purchase the salsa as an appetizer, the recipe has changed completely. After some discussion, we did opt to order the salsa and chips, and discovered that the new "salsa" is a culinary sucker-punch of watered-down tomato paste, infused with gag-inducing amounts of salty chipotle seasoning mix. It was God-awful! Fortunately for DH and me, we’d also ordered margaritas, so there was something tasty with which to wash that travesty down. Our meals – spicy shrimp for me, the vegetarian corn masa dish for my daughter, tacos for my son, and pork shank for my husband, were all fine, and our waterside table with a view of the Fiesta boats gliding by (we always ask for a waterside table and indicate that we’re willing to wait longer for one – it’s so worth it!) elevated everything else about the experience. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the menu changes dampened DH's enthusiasm for the place enough (and he had been its biggest fan in the family), that even though our lunch had more positives than negatives, San Angel probably dropped off of his list for future visits.
Nine Dragons (EPCOT TS, $166.00) – My 17-year-old son chose this restaurant, to which we’d never been before, and I’m glad he did. Not only was it one of the least expensive TS meals we had (despite the fact that it included both specialty drinks and appetizers), but the decor was lovely, the restaurant was refreshingly uncrowded, our server (Chun Ho) was impressive in every possible way, and we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate. This included strawberry and mango smoothies for the kids, hot and sour soup, spring rolls, stir-fried vegetarian noodles, honey chicken, pepper beef, and the “Spicy Happy Family,” for which Chun Ho gamely brought me an extra side of face-meltingly-hot chili sauce that was so delicious (even if it hurt to eat it), that everybody was putting it on everything by the time the meal was over.
Space 220 Lounge (EPCOT Lounge, $145.00) – While Space 220 Lounge was just a super-expensive snack break for us (with reservations at 3:20pm at split tables – the best I could do for our family of 4 even at 65+ days out, although they did seat us all together at a 4-top), we really enjoyed it. Our server was funny and quick with one-liners (basically a space-themed version of a Jungle Cruise skipper), and the atmosphere (pun intended) was very cool. Ultimately, we enjoyed two appetizers (the calamari and the short rib sliders) and two desserts (chocolate and raspberry cake, and gelato and sorbet) and split them between the four of us, plus non-alcoholic specialty drinks for the kids, and one beer each for DH and me, all of which came to a whopping $145 after tax and tip. While the price point dictated that it would be a one-and-done for us, its uniqueness made it feel like a worthwhile splurge this time around.
Gasparilla Island Grill (Grand Floridian Resort CS, about $55.00) – Of all the meals we had at Disney World, I didn’t expect the big dud to be at the Grand Floridian, but there you have it. Granted, when we visited Gasparilla Island Grill around 7pm after navigating around the maze of construction walls and scaffolding that completely block its windows, the dining area was full to overflowing, which meant plenty of wailing overtired kids, stuffed-full trash cans, uncleaned tables, and harried CMs. Nonetheless, the menu was so blah that we had trouble finding anything that looked appealing. (After a few days at Disney, one does start to get tired of the ubiquitous flatbread/burger/sandwich lineup, and although I saw later that the online menu for Gasparilla included a couple of tasty-sounding rice bowls, we saw no mention of them on the menus inside). Eventually, DH and my son settled on pepperoni flatbreads, I grabbed a Mediterranean salad from the coolers, and my daughter got a fruit cup. We managed to luck into a table as another family was leaving, so we had a place to eat, but the food just wasn’t great. DH’s flatbread was visibly undercooked, with half the amount of cheese and pepperoni that my son’s had, while my son’s was loaded with toppings, but toasted into blackened oblivion. The fruit cup and salad had clearly been sitting for hours, so the fruit was macerated and the salad was disconcertingly wet, wilted, and unappetizing. Not one of us finished our meals, and we left still hungry, eager to get back to the room and snack on the bagels and fruit we had on hand for breakfast. Ah well -- you can't win 'em all!
Pinocchio Village Haus (Magic Kingdom CS, about $50.00) – It’s been years since we’d been to Pinocchio Village Haus, and we ended up there solely because we were standing in front of it when we decided we were all starving, and because only two of us eat seafood, so my pitch in favor of Columbia Harbor House were quickly shot down. We found a table in the “Figaro” room and mobile-ordered some flatbread pizzas (I had the Margherita; my son and DH, evidently hoping for a better experience than the previous night at Gasparilla Island Grill, ordered the meat-lovers, and my daughter cobbled together a mac-and-cheese kids’ meal with additional side orders of fries and extra fruit). Our lunches were ready in no time, and the flatbreads were far superior in quality to what we’d seen the previous evening, to the point where everyone finished theirs and felt a little bit too full. It might not have been authentic or gourmet Italian cuisine, but for four hungry and overheated theme park warriors, it was everything we needed it to be.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (Fort Wilderness TS, about $300 prepaid) – We’ve been to the Hoop-Dee-Doo a couple of times before (not counting the first visit with my parents 40 years ago!), and always sat in Category 2 seating, on the upper level facing the stage. This time, we sprang for Category 1, and ended up in the second row of tables at floor level, with a dead-center view of the stage. As someone who has performed with local community theater companies with some regularity for the past 20 years, and who loves to attend live theater productions (amateur or professional, on Broadway or off) whenever possible, I am always impressed with the quality of the performers at Hoop-Dee-Doo. It may not be the most high-brow production, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple, and the actors make it look a thousand times easier than it is. I think this Hoop-Dee-Doo cast was probably the best I’ve ever seen. To a person, they were flawless. Every character was played to a tee, their comedic timing and improvisation were masterful, their vocals were lovely, and they put so much energy and animation into their performance that it was hard to believe they do this 3 times a day, all week long. The banjo player and piano player were impressive musicians in their own right, as well. The food, which I know from past experiences can be uneven, was good – no crumbling cornbread, dry chicken, or rubbery ribs this time – and my daughter really liked the Beyond Sausage that was part of her vegetarian protein skillet. The general air of merriment was no doubt enhanced further by the sangrias that DH and I were sipping. Hoop-Dee-Doo may be expensive, but we’ve never left feeling like we overpaid.
Pecos Bill’s (Magic Kingdom CS, $60.00) – Is it petty to say that I’m still mad about the $2 guacamole cups and the loss of the toppings bar, which looks so pathetic and empty now? Because I am. That aside, we nonetheless had so much food at Pecos Bill (one burger, one rice bowl with fixins, one order of tacos with fixins, and 1 order of nachos with salsa and cheese, plus at least two orders of churros), that we struggled to finish any of it, and my spiciness toward the lack of the toppings bar was somewhat abated. Sort of like pizza, even mediocre Tex-Mex is still pretty good, so although our lunches wouldn't have won any culinary awards, we were still satisfied with them. Not only that, but the lack of a toppings bar seems to have impacted the restaurant's popularity enough that, for the first time ever, we had no trouble finding a clean table, and enjoyed lunch during the noon hour in a serene, half-empty dining room.
The Boathouse (Disney Springs TS, $182.00) – We’d never been here before, but the good reviews and the lure of an amphicar ride (DH knows one of the skippers, and he gave us an amazing tour after dinner!) reeled us in. We had a lovely table not far from the windows overlooking the lake. DH and I had a glass of wine and an Old-Fashioned, and the four of us sampled a hummus and veggie appetizer while waiting for our steak, vegetarian pasta, chorizo-and-shrimp mac-and-cheese, and salmon. Our meals were uniformly delicious and perfectly prepared, and our server was exceptionally friendly and attentive, even bringing me a second glass of chardonnay (without charging me for it) after I lived up to my klutzy reputation by tipping the first one over, two sips in, reaching a little too enthusiastically for the hummus! We'd happily come back again.
Grand Floridian Café (Grand Floridian Resort TS, $110.00) – Our departure day was a non-park day, spent doing some escape rooms at The Bureau on International Drive (a very cool facility, and worth their stellar online reviews – I highly recommend!), before we headed to the airport. So after packing our bags, we skipped over to Grand Floridian Café for breakfast. Although the windows were papered-over because of the ongoing construction outside, making the restaurant dark and claustrophobic, our meals – eggs Benedict, Mickey waffle, chicken & waffles, and eggs/toast, washed down with coffee and juices – and the service that accompanied them, were top-notch. The menu had changed since I originally booked here (with those changes including the elimination of both of the two dishes that had made me want to eat there in the first place!), but there were enough decent options left that I was glad we kept it. Our relaxing, "fancy" breakfast helped us say a leisurely goodbye to Disney World in general and the Grand Floridian in particular, and leave both on a high note.
Snacks: 4 cream cheese-stuffed pretzels ($31.00), 1 hot dog ($7.50), 2 Dole whip floats ($15.00), 1 bag of sour balls ($7.00), and one rice krispie treat which I was promised the purchaser wanted desperately and would finish, but only half of which was consumed before said purchaser was SOOOO FUUUULL, LOL ($6.50).
2024 Disney Dining Plan Comparison:
It may seem foolish to compare our dining costs with those of a dining plan that wasn't even offered during our visit, but in response to those who might bid me to stop this foolishness, I can only respond in the words of Gonzo from Muppets 3D, "What foolishness would you like to see?"
To begin with, our out-of-pocket price total for 7 non-signature TS meals, 1 Fantasmic! TS dinner package, 1 TS dinner show, 4 CS meals, 1 snack/drink break at a lounge, and 9 individual snacks, all plus tax and tip, for 4 people over the course of 6 nights and 7 days was: $2,040.00.
To compare this with the soon-to-be-returning DDP, using the DDP (at 2024 pricing) would have cost us $2,263.00 before TS tips, and it would only have covered 6 credits worth of TS meals for each of us (1 less than the number of non-signature TS meals we actually had), and couldn’t have been used to cover our category 1 HDD dinner, our Sci-Fi Fantasmic! package, or our visit to Space 220 Lounge. Adding in those items, plus our TS tips, the result is that if we ate at all the same restaurants and ordered all the same items with the DDP, we’d have spent over $3,100. In short, going wherever we wanted and ordering whatever we wanted, paying out of pocket instead of using the DDP meant we got to enjoy twice as many TS "credits" – including a dinner show and a Fantasmic! package, plus a lounge visit, and all the appetizers, desserts, CS meals, alcohol, specialty beverages, and snacks we cared to eat – for over 40% LESS than we'd have paid if we had the DDP. Obviously, this calculation is completely specific to my family's ages (all over 9, so Disney "adults" for DDP purposes), and our dining habits (twice as many TS meals as CS, high-priced proteins like steak and seafood ordered frequently but not always, 1 diner limited to vegetarian items, alcohol and specialty beverages sometimes but not always, desserts and appetizers sometimes but not always, at least 1 lounge visit for snacks/drinks every vacation, only a few fountain drinks, no refillable mugs, and averaging less than .5 snacks per person, per day).
As such, your mileage would vary depending on where, what, and how much your particular party eats. It could also vary based on things like the weather: I am convinced that had we been visiting during a less hot-and-sweaty time of year, we'd have been hungrier for more snacks than we were this time, as in years past we've averaged 2-3 times as many snacks. My calculation also can't take into consideration whatever menu price hikes Disney will roll out to try and make the 2024 DDP look like a better deal. However, the best I can determine, in our case it looks like we "saved" even more this time around, in comparison with the DDP, than the 33% I calculated when I last did this analysis around 2021. Because, science.
Rather than post a bunch of individual reviews, or a standalone bunch of numbers, I thought it might be helpful (or hopefully at least amusing) to provide a brief snapshot of what Disney dining looked like for my allegedly-normal family of four, during our August 12-18, 2023 WDW vacation. For those looking ahead to 2024 and the re-introduction of the DDP, I'm also comparing what we spent to what a comparable DDP would have cost us, in case you'd like to get an idea of how eating habits (and their level of divergence from what the plan covers, which in my family's case is considerable) affect the analysis. Perhaps if you're planning a trip for the first time in a while, or just trying to get an idea of current food costs, this information might be of use to you. It's for science.
All of our meals were paid-for using Disney gift cards left over from a previous trip, purchased at ~9% off (4% BJ's discount + 5% Discover cash-back for wholesale clubs), but in the interest of keeping the numbers simple, I'm ignoring those savings in my calculations. As far as restaurant choices, each family member was asked to choose 2-3 table service restaurants ahead of time where they wanted to eat, without regard to pricing, and I would work them into the schedule: the resulting list represented old favorites and new places, with a variety of cuisines and service styles.
Offsite Food: Per usual, we ate most of our breakfasts in the room (with a $30 grocery delivery order that included bagels, cream cheese, apples and caramel dips, and milk). We combined these groceries with granola bars, fruit leather, water electrolyte flavor packets, cereal, and a single-slot travel toaster, all brought with us in our carryon luggage from home. (*Note: Yes, I know toasters aren't allowed, which is why we unplugged, cooled, and hid ours away in an insulated travel bag when we left the room each day. Rest assured that this is as rebellious and wild as we get, and we wouldn't have resorted to it had Disney had the courtesy to leave clothing irons in the room, which can be covered with tin foil and used to toast things, MacGuyver-style. Disney took the irons away, and forced us into this life of crime.) We didn't buy any bottled water, preferring to drink free iced water from CS locations, or refill bottles in the room with tap water and electrolyte flavor packets and then chill them in the fridge to take with us.
Onsite CS Restaurants, TS Restaurants, Lounges, and Snacks (quickie review plus cost, including tax and tip):
Beaches & Cream (Beach Club TS, $110.00) – We’d just touched down in Orlando on Saturday, August 12th, and the 99-degree high that day -- with a "real feel" closer to 115 -- was hitting us like a ton of bricks! Sitting down to lunch in air-conditioned comfort felt amazing, and we were excited, as always, to try out a restaurant we'd never visited before. Our meals ranged from "subpar but okay" to "average" (veggie and beef burgers, a French dip with beef so thick and tough that I had to cut it into tiny pieces because I couldn't bite through it cleanly, a dry chicken sandwich, a couple fountain drinks, and a milkshake). Although the restaurant was unusually loud and chaotic, and the food quality and portion size couldn’t live up to what we’d find at the local diner at home, the decor and ambiance were charming, and service was excellent. Perhaps someday we might return, if only for the famous Kitchen Sink, which several parties ordered during our meal, to great fanfare!
Raglan Road (Disney Springs TS, $137.00) – We last visited Raglan Road some 10 years ago, and were excited to come back. Waiting a few extra minutes for a table near the musicians/dancers was well worth it, and the entertainment (we saw two different Irish dancing presentations, and a live musical performance, during our meal) was fantastic. While the boisterous atmosphere made conversation next-to-impossible and our vegetarian daughter struggled to find something to order from the protein-heavy menu, we were all pleased with what we got, which included a goat cheese salad, bangers and mash, chicken wings, and a vegetarian fritter, kicked off with the Irish egg appetizer, fountain drinks, and a beer flight, which DH and I split. The Guinness dipping glaze for the complimentary bread was the biggest hit of the night, and a recipe I want to try and copycat for use at home.
Yak & Yeti (Animal Kingdom TS, $171.00) – Yak & Yeti’s Ahi Tuna Nachos and Bhaktapur duck (my son's favorite) are addictive treats that keep us coming back year after year, and this experience was no different. DH had the Korean Beef, our daughter had veggie lo mein, and I tried the lemongrass scallops – a seasonal special – which was one of the best things I ate all week. Although we got the worst seats in the house (downstairs by the bar, where there's no view outside and extra noise from the elevator), service was attentive and friendly, and everyone agreed that this had been their favorite WDW meal of the vacation so far.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Hollywood Studios TS, Fantasmic! package, $239.00) – Although the receptionist greeted us with a well-delivered invitation to go “back in time,” the illusion was immediately shattered when we were seated and handed a well-worn piece of laminated cardstock with a QR code, which was the only way to access the menu. I tried the current Feature Film burger, a bizarre mélange of overcooked beef patty, crab cake, green tomato and cheese that tasted okay if the components were enjoyed separately, but was a muddled mess if one tried to eat them together. (The portion size was certainly impressive, though: I could barely finish half of it!) The rest of the family’s burgers, milkshakes, and appetizers (especially the spinach and artichoke dip, which was a standout) were more successful, if less inventive, and my daughter, who always chooses to dine here as it’s her favorite restaurant at WDW thanks to the fun theming, was pleased with her choice. If we had it to do again though, we'd skip the Fantasmic! package -- it was too much food, and we weren't all that enthused by the show, as it happened, feeling that the Disneyland version we saw 4 years ago had been far superior. Still, it was a bucket list item we were glad to check off!
Primo Piatto (Riviera Resort CS, $42.00 for 3 people) – Not feeling excited about the CS options in and around Yacht Club where we were staying for the first half of our trip, DH, our daughter and I (our son forewent lunch in favor of a nap, and had a hot dog from an in-park kiosk later) decided to take the Skyliner over to the Riviera, both to see the resort in person for the first time, and try out Primo Piatto, about which I’d read many glowing reviews. We were so happy we did! The menu was inviting, the plating unexpectedly beautiful (I had the veggie skewer with quinoa and greens - served on a real plate - and tiramisu for dessert, while DH and my daughter opted for pizza and pasta), and the dining area spacious, clean, and lovely. It lived up to its name – primo! I was reminded of the good old days when Be Our Guest offered a similarly upscale take on counter service.
San Angel Inn (EPCOT TS, $206.00) – My husband was so excited to get back to San Angel Inn, to once again savor the homemade salsa and chicken mole he loves so much. Although I had reminded him to consult online menus ahead of time to take note of changes, he hadn't, so you can imagine his disappointment when he was informed by our server that: (1) complimentary chips and salsa are long gone, and the chicken mole is off the menu, replaced with a pork dish; and (2) if you opt to purchase the salsa as an appetizer, the recipe has changed completely. After some discussion, we did opt to order the salsa and chips, and discovered that the new "salsa" is a culinary sucker-punch of watered-down tomato paste, infused with gag-inducing amounts of salty chipotle seasoning mix. It was God-awful! Fortunately for DH and me, we’d also ordered margaritas, so there was something tasty with which to wash that travesty down. Our meals – spicy shrimp for me, the vegetarian corn masa dish for my daughter, tacos for my son, and pork shank for my husband, were all fine, and our waterside table with a view of the Fiesta boats gliding by (we always ask for a waterside table and indicate that we’re willing to wait longer for one – it’s so worth it!) elevated everything else about the experience. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the menu changes dampened DH's enthusiasm for the place enough (and he had been its biggest fan in the family), that even though our lunch had more positives than negatives, San Angel probably dropped off of his list for future visits.
Nine Dragons (EPCOT TS, $166.00) – My 17-year-old son chose this restaurant, to which we’d never been before, and I’m glad he did. Not only was it one of the least expensive TS meals we had (despite the fact that it included both specialty drinks and appetizers), but the decor was lovely, the restaurant was refreshingly uncrowded, our server (Chun Ho) was impressive in every possible way, and we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate. This included strawberry and mango smoothies for the kids, hot and sour soup, spring rolls, stir-fried vegetarian noodles, honey chicken, pepper beef, and the “Spicy Happy Family,” for which Chun Ho gamely brought me an extra side of face-meltingly-hot chili sauce that was so delicious (even if it hurt to eat it), that everybody was putting it on everything by the time the meal was over.
Space 220 Lounge (EPCOT Lounge, $145.00) – While Space 220 Lounge was just a super-expensive snack break for us (with reservations at 3:20pm at split tables – the best I could do for our family of 4 even at 65+ days out, although they did seat us all together at a 4-top), we really enjoyed it. Our server was funny and quick with one-liners (basically a space-themed version of a Jungle Cruise skipper), and the atmosphere (pun intended) was very cool. Ultimately, we enjoyed two appetizers (the calamari and the short rib sliders) and two desserts (chocolate and raspberry cake, and gelato and sorbet) and split them between the four of us, plus non-alcoholic specialty drinks for the kids, and one beer each for DH and me, all of which came to a whopping $145 after tax and tip. While the price point dictated that it would be a one-and-done for us, its uniqueness made it feel like a worthwhile splurge this time around.
Gasparilla Island Grill (Grand Floridian Resort CS, about $55.00) – Of all the meals we had at Disney World, I didn’t expect the big dud to be at the Grand Floridian, but there you have it. Granted, when we visited Gasparilla Island Grill around 7pm after navigating around the maze of construction walls and scaffolding that completely block its windows, the dining area was full to overflowing, which meant plenty of wailing overtired kids, stuffed-full trash cans, uncleaned tables, and harried CMs. Nonetheless, the menu was so blah that we had trouble finding anything that looked appealing. (After a few days at Disney, one does start to get tired of the ubiquitous flatbread/burger/sandwich lineup, and although I saw later that the online menu for Gasparilla included a couple of tasty-sounding rice bowls, we saw no mention of them on the menus inside). Eventually, DH and my son settled on pepperoni flatbreads, I grabbed a Mediterranean salad from the coolers, and my daughter got a fruit cup. We managed to luck into a table as another family was leaving, so we had a place to eat, but the food just wasn’t great. DH’s flatbread was visibly undercooked, with half the amount of cheese and pepperoni that my son’s had, while my son’s was loaded with toppings, but toasted into blackened oblivion. The fruit cup and salad had clearly been sitting for hours, so the fruit was macerated and the salad was disconcertingly wet, wilted, and unappetizing. Not one of us finished our meals, and we left still hungry, eager to get back to the room and snack on the bagels and fruit we had on hand for breakfast. Ah well -- you can't win 'em all!
Pinocchio Village Haus (Magic Kingdom CS, about $50.00) – It’s been years since we’d been to Pinocchio Village Haus, and we ended up there solely because we were standing in front of it when we decided we were all starving, and because only two of us eat seafood, so my pitch in favor of Columbia Harbor House were quickly shot down.
We found a table in the “Figaro” room and mobile-ordered some flatbread pizzas (I had the Margherita; my son and DH, evidently hoping for a better experience than the previous night at Gasparilla Island Grill, ordered the meat-lovers, and my daughter cobbled together a mac-and-cheese kids’ meal with additional side orders of fries and extra fruit). Our lunches were ready in no time, and the flatbreads were far superior in quality to what we’d seen the previous evening, to the point where everyone finished theirs and felt a little bit too full. It might not have been authentic or gourmet Italian cuisine, but for four hungry and overheated theme park warriors, it was everything we needed it to be.Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (Fort Wilderness TS, about $300 prepaid) – We’ve been to the Hoop-Dee-Doo a couple of times before (not counting the first visit with my parents 40 years ago!), and always sat in Category 2 seating, on the upper level facing the stage. This time, we sprang for Category 1, and ended up in the second row of tables at floor level, with a dead-center view of the stage. As someone who has performed with local community theater companies with some regularity for the past 20 years, and who loves to attend live theater productions (amateur or professional, on Broadway or off) whenever possible, I am always impressed with the quality of the performers at Hoop-Dee-Doo. It may not be the most high-brow production, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple, and the actors make it look a thousand times easier than it is. I think this Hoop-Dee-Doo cast was probably the best I’ve ever seen. To a person, they were flawless. Every character was played to a tee, their comedic timing and improvisation were masterful, their vocals were lovely, and they put so much energy and animation into their performance that it was hard to believe they do this 3 times a day, all week long. The banjo player and piano player were impressive musicians in their own right, as well. The food, which I know from past experiences can be uneven, was good – no crumbling cornbread, dry chicken, or rubbery ribs this time – and my daughter really liked the Beyond Sausage that was part of her vegetarian protein skillet. The general air of merriment was no doubt enhanced further by the sangrias that DH and I were sipping. Hoop-Dee-Doo may be expensive, but we’ve never left feeling like we overpaid.
Pecos Bill’s (Magic Kingdom CS, $60.00) – Is it petty to say that I’m still mad about the $2 guacamole cups and the loss of the toppings bar, which looks so pathetic and empty now? Because I am. That aside, we nonetheless had so much food at Pecos Bill (one burger, one rice bowl with fixins, one order of tacos with fixins, and 1 order of nachos with salsa and cheese, plus at least two orders of churros), that we struggled to finish any of it, and my spiciness toward the lack of the toppings bar was somewhat abated. Sort of like pizza, even mediocre Tex-Mex is still pretty good, so although our lunches wouldn't have won any culinary awards, we were still satisfied with them. Not only that, but the lack of a toppings bar seems to have impacted the restaurant's popularity enough that, for the first time ever, we had no trouble finding a clean table, and enjoyed lunch during the noon hour in a serene, half-empty dining room.
The Boathouse (Disney Springs TS, $182.00) – We’d never been here before, but the good reviews and the lure of an amphicar ride (DH knows one of the skippers, and he gave us an amazing tour after dinner!) reeled us in. We had a lovely table not far from the windows overlooking the lake. DH and I had a glass of wine and an Old-Fashioned, and the four of us sampled a hummus and veggie appetizer while waiting for our steak, vegetarian pasta, chorizo-and-shrimp mac-and-cheese, and salmon. Our meals were uniformly delicious and perfectly prepared, and our server was exceptionally friendly and attentive, even bringing me a second glass of chardonnay (without charging me for it) after I lived up to my klutzy reputation by tipping the first one over, two sips in, reaching a little too enthusiastically for the hummus! We'd happily come back again.
Grand Floridian Café (Grand Floridian Resort TS, $110.00) – Our departure day was a non-park day, spent doing some escape rooms at The Bureau on International Drive (a very cool facility, and worth their stellar online reviews – I highly recommend!), before we headed to the airport. So after packing our bags, we skipped over to Grand Floridian Café for breakfast. Although the windows were papered-over because of the ongoing construction outside, making the restaurant dark and claustrophobic, our meals – eggs Benedict, Mickey waffle, chicken & waffles, and eggs/toast, washed down with coffee and juices – and the service that accompanied them, were top-notch. The menu had changed since I originally booked here (with those changes including the elimination of both of the two dishes that had made me want to eat there in the first place!), but there were enough decent options left that I was glad we kept it. Our relaxing, "fancy" breakfast helped us say a leisurely goodbye to Disney World in general and the Grand Floridian in particular, and leave both on a high note.
Snacks: 4 cream cheese-stuffed pretzels ($31.00), 1 hot dog ($7.50), 2 Dole whip floats ($15.00), 1 bag of sour balls ($7.00), and one rice krispie treat which I was promised the purchaser wanted desperately and would finish, but only half of which was consumed before said purchaser was SOOOO FUUUULL, LOL ($6.50).
2024 Disney Dining Plan Comparison:
It may seem foolish to compare our dining costs with those of a dining plan that wasn't even offered during our visit, but in response to those who might bid me to stop this foolishness, I can only respond in the words of Gonzo from Muppets 3D, "What foolishness would you like to see?"
To begin with, our out-of-pocket price total for 7 non-signature TS meals, 1 Fantasmic! TS dinner package, 1 TS dinner show, 4 CS meals, 1 snack/drink break at a lounge, and 9 individual snacks, all plus tax and tip, for 4 people over the course of 6 nights and 7 days was: $2,040.00.
To compare this with the soon-to-be-returning DDP, using the DDP (at 2024 pricing) would have cost us $2,263.00 before TS tips, and it would only have covered 6 credits worth of TS meals for each of us (1 less than the number of non-signature TS meals we actually had), and couldn’t have been used to cover our category 1 HDD dinner, our Sci-Fi Fantasmic! package, or our visit to Space 220 Lounge. Adding in those items, plus our TS tips, the result is that if we ate at all the same restaurants and ordered all the same items with the DDP, we’d have spent over $3,100. In short, going wherever we wanted and ordering whatever we wanted, paying out of pocket instead of using the DDP meant we got to enjoy twice as many TS "credits" – including a dinner show and a Fantasmic! package, plus a lounge visit, and all the appetizers, desserts, CS meals, alcohol, specialty beverages, and snacks we cared to eat – for over 40% LESS than we'd have paid if we had the DDP. Obviously, this calculation is completely specific to my family's ages (all over 9, so Disney "adults" for DDP purposes), and our dining habits (twice as many TS meals as CS, high-priced proteins like steak and seafood ordered frequently but not always, 1 diner limited to vegetarian items, alcohol and specialty beverages sometimes but not always, desserts and appetizers sometimes but not always, at least 1 lounge visit for snacks/drinks every vacation, only a few fountain drinks, no refillable mugs, and averaging less than .5 snacks per person, per day).
As such, your mileage would vary depending on where, what, and how much your particular party eats. It could also vary based on things like the weather: I am convinced that had we been visiting during a less hot-and-sweaty time of year, we'd have been hungrier for more snacks than we were this time, as in years past we've averaged 2-3 times as many snacks. My calculation also can't take into consideration whatever menu price hikes Disney will roll out to try and make the 2024 DDP look like a better deal. However, the best I can determine, in our case it looks like we "saved" even more this time around, in comparison with the DDP, than the 33% I calculated when I last did this analysis around 2021. Because, science.
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