eliza61nyc
Well-Known Member
I'll put that on my list for my next trip. never ate there
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A Comprehensive Guide the Best Orlando Theme Park Restaurants!
- Thread starter Henry Mystic
- Start date
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
I'd love to weigh in, but I'm not qualified to give a broad-based opinion on the different WDW restaurants.
My family doesn't visit WDW long enough, often enough, or with a sufficient budget, to visit the same restaurant repeatedly and develop a well-founded idea of how they perform. That means that if we have a terrible experience the first time around (I'm looking at you Restaurant Marrakesh, California Grill, Oga's Cantina, and Hollywood & Vine), we will never, ever go back to that restaurant. We don't want to waste time and money, trying to figure out if our bad experience was anomalous and if we misjudged the place. We'd rather try something new, or failing that, return to an old favorite that hasn't ever let us down (e.g., Biergarten, Via Napoli, Yak & Yeti, Raglan Road, Hoop-dee-Doo). However, given our infrequent visits, even the "old favorites" are places we've been to only 3 or 4 times.
Nonetheless, while I can't say that the OP's list comports with my limited experience, I do appreciate the OP taking the time to share it, as a few of the places they mentioned may find their way onto my family's list of "new places to try next time."
My family doesn't visit WDW long enough, often enough, or with a sufficient budget, to visit the same restaurant repeatedly and develop a well-founded idea of how they perform. That means that if we have a terrible experience the first time around (I'm looking at you Restaurant Marrakesh, California Grill, Oga's Cantina, and Hollywood & Vine), we will never, ever go back to that restaurant. We don't want to waste time and money, trying to figure out if our bad experience was anomalous and if we misjudged the place. We'd rather try something new, or failing that, return to an old favorite that hasn't ever let us down (e.g., Biergarten, Via Napoli, Yak & Yeti, Raglan Road, Hoop-dee-Doo). However, given our infrequent visits, even the "old favorites" are places we've been to only 3 or 4 times.
Nonetheless, while I can't say that the OP's list comports with my limited experience, I do appreciate the OP taking the time to share it, as a few of the places they mentioned may find their way onto my family's list of "new places to try next time."
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This is very true and a good point, but sig places really shouldn't have bad nights.... Maybe something gets overcooked for one person but it shouldn't. I live in Boston and we have our favorite 10-12 places and I can't think of any bad meals ever..... Disney is doing a poor job across the board these days including their stock price...It is difficult to assess someone else's experience, especially since for many of us, we're just not qualified to do so. We don't visit WDW long enough, often enough, or with a sufficient budget, to visit the same restaurant repeatedly and develop a well-founded idea of how they perform.
That means that for my family, if we have a terrible experience the first time around (I'm looking at you Restaurant Marrakesh, California Grill, Oga's Cantina, and Hollywood & Vine), we will never, ever go back to that restaurant. We don't want to waste time and money, trying to figure out if our bad experience was anomalous and if we misjudged the place. We'd rather try something new, or failing that, return to an old favorite that hasn't ever let us down (e.g., Biergarten, Via Napoli, Yak & Yeti, Raglan Road, Hoop-dee-Doo). However, given our infrequent visits, even the "old favorites" are places we've been to only 3 or 4 times.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
I hear that…
But to be fair for the old and aggrieved…what they are longing for probably predates your travel (by your own admission). What made Disney parks truly outstanding is it had EXCELLENT restaurants for an expensive, but fair price from the 1950s through 2000. You often walked out smiling like a ride. It held through Eisner and has been systematically, blatantly dismantled by the Bobs.
So I get the longing for it. I do miss the $15 character buffet with double the food choices and often more characters…or the $26 seared filet that was perfect compared to the smaller $56 hockey puck from le cellier now.
Not “inflation”…deliberate.
Last couple of times I was at V&A I think it was $70 and then went up to $85…maybe $95???
Check it now…it wasn’t that long ago.
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Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Oh man…I’d love to give you recommendations the NEXT time you go. You got some doozies there when Marrakech and Hollywood and vine.I'd love to weigh in, but I'm not qualified to give a broad-based opinion on the different WDW restaurants.
My family doesn't visit WDW long enough, often enough, or with a sufficient budget, to visit the same restaurant repeatedly and develop a well-founded idea of how they perform. That means that if we have a terrible experience the first time around (I'm looking at you Restaurant Marrakesh, California Grill, Oga's Cantina, and Hollywood & Vine), we will never, ever go back to that restaurant. We don't want to waste time and money, trying to figure out if our bad experience was anomalous and if we misjudged the place. We'd rather try something new, or failing that, return to an old favorite that hasn't ever let us down (e.g., Biergarten, Via Napoli, Yak & Yeti, Raglan Road, Hoop-dee-Doo). However, given our infrequent visits, even the "old favorites" are places we've been to only 3 or 4 times.
Nonetheless, while I can't say that the OP's list comports with my limited experience, I do appreciate the OP taking the time to share it, as a few of the places they mentioned may find their way onto my family's list of "new places to try next time."
Ogas is a gimmick…not a restaurant…and California grill is a victim of decreased concern for its quality for along time. At higher prices.
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
Jiko's has always been excellent
Coral Reef has been hit or miss
Rainforest Cafe is good
Nine Dragons basic chinese food
Garden Grill terrible
Coral Reef has been hit or miss
Rainforest Cafe is good
Nine Dragons basic chinese food
Garden Grill terrible
SamandplanningUK
Well-Known Member
Agree with 99% but 50's Prime Time's fried chicken is gorgeous and my family really enjoys Rainforest Cafe in AK. We also ate at Yak & Yeti once and it was very loud and busy and the food wasn't great.
I’m currently at WDW, so I decided to update my list, having tried new items and restaurants. Again, I did not factor in service, which ranged from poor to exceptional at these restaurants. The big one I was surprised with was Oga’s Cantina. It and Space 220 have outstanding theming, but I would argue are hardly worth it.
I guess the lounge for Space 220 could be, but I mean, $90 for dishes that ranged from inedible due to the toughness (the duck) to solid for under $20 makes for a horrendous value. Oga's mainly standing-room Cantina with obscenely overpriced drinks and rushing you to leave also falls under this category.
I’m generally a very positive person, but worth considering when booking these restaurants.
Hype does not equal quality.
I guess the lounge for Space 220 could be, but I mean, $90 for dishes that ranged from inedible due to the toughness (the duck) to solid for under $20 makes for a horrendous value. Oga's mainly standing-room Cantina with obscenely overpriced drinks and rushing you to leave also falls under this category.
I’m generally a very positive person, but worth considering when booking these restaurants.
Hype does not equal quality.
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Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Lol…I went to Oga’s and Space this past week and my opinion is near identical.
Oga’s is a poor man’s trader sams. It’s not “bad”…but it’s remarkably uncomfortable/poorly designed for a place that took so long/cost so much. I’m sure opinions vary…but that’s mine.
Space was cool. I was a little shocked at how similar it was to coral reef. I don’t think they did quite as elaborate design of the “station” as they could have? The kitchen isn’t contained very well as far as smells coming through the restaurant…
Come to think of it - very 80’s Epcot - very coral reef.
That’s probably a good and a bad thing.
The food was…fine…but I think they need to drop the fixed price and expand the menu out a little bit. Again - that’s a problem with coral reef and why it’s often viewed as “meh with a view”
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
You know…I think that’s the last enclave of new restaurants I have yet to get to and I regret it. We talk about it…but end up other places.
I’m definitely going to at least one the next time I’m in town.
DHSfanatic
Member
A lot of reasonable opinions.
My only two (mild) disagreements: 50's Prime Time is fun, so we always go and Crystal Palace has a cool ambience and the buffet is generally ok. With the CP, given the limied choices in the MK, we eat there on every trip.
bhg469
Well-Known Member
Just stumbled on this thread and have now lived here a year. We were probably a once every 5 year type of guest before and we didn't move here for Disney but its a nice little perk of living in the area, especially when its just a 15 minute drive. Before we moved down favorites were always:
Boma (which we both agree is just not as good anymore)
Pepper Market (RIP)
Sanaa (still is one of our favorites even though MUUUUUUUUUCH better indian can be found elsewhere)
Raglan Road (not disney)
Whispering Canyon (although it has been a long time since we have gone)
Now that we live here we seem to gravitate to the same things. A year is not enough time to really go to a lot of places if you're not looking to go broke but...
Boathouse (We love the food, the cocktails and the bar. We hang at a local bar that is a cast member hangout after hours and met a few cast members that work there)
Sanaa (cant give up the bread service)
Raglan road (But now we go there for St Paddys day too!!!)
Homecomin' (Great bar great VERY VERY unhealthy food, like you lose days off your life if you eat here #worthit)
Nomad Lounge (Great drinks really cool place for a snack)
The Edison (Made friends with a bartender there, we barely eat the food, which is good, but have some awesome cocktails)
Jock Lindsey's (great for snacks and cocktails)
Polite Pig (we also went to its sister restaurant The Ravenous Pig for brunch, EVEN BETTER, much different food though. Not a BBQ place)
Skipper Canteen (definitely not bad, plus my wife loves the puns)
Abracadabar (Drinks only but Disney desperately needs more places where they make unique craft cocktails)
Other than those, we obviously eat off site a lot. We live just south of Hunters creek which if you know the area is close. Our options in the area are plentiful and we have some places that could never compete with most Disney restaurants. Of course there are a few Universal restaurants that are great too.
Boma (which we both agree is just not as good anymore)
Pepper Market (RIP)
Sanaa (still is one of our favorites even though MUUUUUUUUUCH better indian can be found elsewhere)
Raglan Road (not disney)
Whispering Canyon (although it has been a long time since we have gone)
Now that we live here we seem to gravitate to the same things. A year is not enough time to really go to a lot of places if you're not looking to go broke but...
Boathouse (We love the food, the cocktails and the bar. We hang at a local bar that is a cast member hangout after hours and met a few cast members that work there)
Sanaa (cant give up the bread service)
Raglan road (But now we go there for St Paddys day too!!!)
Homecomin' (Great bar great VERY VERY unhealthy food, like you lose days off your life if you eat here #worthit)
Nomad Lounge (Great drinks really cool place for a snack)
The Edison (Made friends with a bartender there, we barely eat the food, which is good, but have some awesome cocktails)
Jock Lindsey's (great for snacks and cocktails)
Polite Pig (we also went to its sister restaurant The Ravenous Pig for brunch, EVEN BETTER, much different food though. Not a BBQ place)
Skipper Canteen (definitely not bad, plus my wife loves the puns)
Abracadabar (Drinks only but Disney desperately needs more places where they make unique craft cocktails)
Other than those, we obviously eat off site a lot. We live just south of Hunters creek which if you know the area is close. Our options in the area are plentiful and we have some places that could never compete with most Disney restaurants. Of course there are a few Universal restaurants that are great too.
Wow I'm impressed. You should be an Orlando food critic.
bhg469
Well-Known Member
Appreciate that but we have barely scratched the surface here! We definitely like to try new places but work, trying to stay healthy and money all get in the way. My biggest concerns when we move here were
1. A decent grocery store
2. Chicken wings as good as home
Well #1 has not been answered but we manage between Publix, trader joe's, whole foods, and fresh market. Nothing and I mean NOTHING comes close to Wegmans. (pub subs are mid tier and I won't take it back)
#2 was hard but there are at least two places to get a decent buffalo wing down here.
I’ve been to Wegmans , even Shop Rite in the Northeast. One tip of shopping at Publix is meet with the store manager. If you can’t find an item you miss from back home, the mgr may be able to locate it and stock on the shelves.
bhg469
Well-Known Member
Its definitely more than just missing items. It is the store experience. Wegmans is a whole next level. There is one Publix in Dr. Phillips that is desperately trying to capture that but its not there. Having said that, all the publix stores have different features. They all need the same things. Salad bar, fresh (not shipped in) sushi, soup bar, olive bar, hot food bar, much better subs and bakery selection. Every single Wegmans has those things.
I’ve always wondered why the better quality supermarkets are located in the Northeast ? And Dr Phillips which is an affluent area. Higher income areas? More educated clientele who are more into more diverse tastes ? Etc . For sure not the Piggly Wiggly and Winn Dixie supermarket crowd.
bhg469
Well-Known Member
Oh certainly! The funny thing is that one is directly across the street from another publix with less features. I guess thats where the "poors" go