How important is dining in Disney to you?

Sweet Melissa

Well-Known Member
Important enough that we're starting to question how much priority we should give to visiting Disney parks. There are better "foodie" vacations we could be taking. I think that after this year, we'll be traveling more in general, but less to Disney locations.
 

debpeduz

Active Member
Very important! Its not a problem for us to plan in advance and we look forward to going back to some of our favorite restaurants on our trips. We think that Disney does have good dining options. We don't just eat counter service the entire time. Since we have been to the world so many times, we don't rush around all day long. We casually spend our days and then freshen up and change to go out to a nice meal together.
 

RonAnnArbor

Well-Known Member
Zero importance. I like trying out the different restaurants, and pretty much have dined at all of them over the many visits over the years, but it is the single least important part of my trip -- I live in a town that has dozens of "signature restaurants" and there is absolutely nothing at WDW that is better than anything locally -- though I know not everyone else has that luxury...
 

wdwstateofmind

Well-Known Member
Very...I eat a lot of fresh produce and better cut meats with no salt and butter, so lately most of the foods at table service and quick service locations gets me sick to my stomach with the amount of butter they use. At one point in time it was okay, but then about a year or two ago they seemed to have told them to use extreme amounts of butter on everything. I have a tendency to only do signature dining at night so I can make sure I get better quality foods and I'm extremely picky with how I spend my other table (or QS) and snack is usually spent on fruit. It's worth the extra $$$ if it means not feeling like crap later and getting GI problems from food. It's not like I can't not eat.
 

DJMoore2011

Well-Known Member
While I've only been to Disney World once I can say that yes the food is important to me when I go.Since it took us two days to drive to Walt Disney World going off grounds was not for us, we wanted to eat there and stay in that happy little bubble.

While I am not to the point that I have to have reservation on certain days. I am open to seeing what we can get on one day. Over all our dinning plan had us VERY full. We had very good food for our table service and good food for our quick service with only one that we say we wont go back to.

The table service wasn't just about food but also about the atmosphere and weather or not the place told a story that we as a family connected with. And yes I am one of those people that take pictures of my food, especially the dessert. The table service gave us a time to sit down and talk about how our day had gone or what we hoped to do. It allowed us to have one thing the same at Disney that we do at home, all sitting together for one meal a day. The character meals were about the smile on my daughter's face. Especially when Stitch tried to steal her Pin of him and she ended up giving it to him, only to have Stitch come back and "give" my daughter a pin that had the Polynesian Resort on it. To you and me we see it as a trade,to my Special Needs Daughter she saw it as a Gift From Stitch that has it's only place in her scrapbook. That is what makes it so important for me to eat at a Walt Disney World Restaurant. And that is why when we go back in 2015 we are making sure Ohana, if still going, will be one of our table service meals not matter how many credits it is.
 

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Food is incredibly important! Disney has the best theme park food, ever! There are so many options to choose from, whether it be what type of food, the dining atmosphere, the dining show or characters present.. it's so hard to pick! The dining really immerses you in the Disney bubble, you are not just at any old restaurant!
 

Tomi-Rocket

Well-Known Member
Extremely. It's just as important to us as the the rides, attractions and shows. I suppose unlike others we've been lucky to have great food on all our vacations (with a few small exceptions). We each pick either a favorite to go back to or a new one we are dying to try. We love trying new restaurants while there. I think this trip there are 5 new places chosen.
 

Tiggerish

Resident Redhead
Premium Member
For us? VERY important. Sandy and I are older. We always go without children, and fine dining each night is IMPORTANT to us. It's part of our vacation... Sandy will NEVER use one of the DVC kitchens on a trip... I'll burn it down first :).

I feel the same way, but we diverge on our feelings about the use of the DVC kitchen. I find it very handy for my bacon-and-egg loving husband. We stop at Publix on the way in from the airport and pick up breakfast makings. It's a lot quicker to produce breakfast in the villa than to go out for it, especially when my idea of breakfast is cereal or a bagel!

Oh, and thanks for recommending Citricos--it's our new absolute favorite!! :)
 

Jo DeVil

Well-Known Member
It is party of the holiday for us (me DH DS8), we like to finish the day of with a nice sit down meal we do the DDDP so we have signature meal at night and use the other credits for Character Breakfast and use the snacks as we go. We are there for DS birthday and along with O'Hana's for breakfast he has chosen California Grill again for his birthday. God I hope it is open by then.
 

JTT

Well-Known Member
I love Disney Dining! It's all part of the fun. Planning what parks to go to and coordinating the restaurants.

I've never had a bad meal at Disney. I love all of the options at EPCOT.

Also, if I pay ahead of time, I don't look at the prices. Get what you want, we are on vacation.

I will not go without it.
 

disneysince71

Well-Known Member
I agree with everyone. Disney dining is more important than breathing, but I don't like to pay the inflated prices or wait for my meals. So, I have a few tips to aid in planning...First, buy three to four times as many meals as you need and store them in a storage locker near WDW. Food prices only goes up with time and when you return, voila, you have a locker full of delectable delights that you can throw in your backpack and dine on throughout the day. Look at those fools heading into Crystal Palace to eat spoon bread, when you already have a big ole chunk of aged spoon bread to eat. Two - make the fixings bar at Cosmic Rays your go to dining option. Bring in a package of hamburger buns and load up on those free fixings! Be sure to bring your refillable mug from a past trip and inquire into the whys and wherefores of filling it up. Three, look for dads carrying way too much food on their tray. Easy pickings, just grab a plate and disappear into the sea of tourists. Four, (this tip only works if you're willing to leave the bubble) cultivate friendships amongst locals and invite yourself over their house for dining on future trips. Five (a little intrepid exploring is needed for this) - find out of the way alcoves to grow your own vegetables and maybe even start a self-sustaining hog farm. I have a few of these scattered throughout WDW and can even teach you the fine art of "surreptitious butchering". For more tips, please read my food blog, "Dining like Henry VIII at WDW for only a nickel a day!"
George you have to much time on your hands. :)
 

disneysince71

Well-Known Member
Well it's definitely not the reason I go to WDW. But yes,I like to think that if am spending $200 for the three of us,for an evening meal,it will be an enjoyable experience,and apart from one restaurant ,I haven't been disappointed.But the food thing wouldn't be in my top five reasons for visiting Disney.
Mr. Hatter @real mad hatter with all do respect.... You have hundreds of threads on Disney Dining..... Why do you spend so much time talking about DD if it's not in your top 5 reasons for visiting... Seems kind of mixed up? Why spend so much time... And have so many reading and following your threads if it does not mean that much to you? :)
 

mergatroid

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well thanks for all the replies. I'd deliberately not put the thread in this part of the forum because I thought only those who are interested in dining would see it, thus effecting the results. Anyhow we're trying our first character beakfast this year and we've got reservations for the Rose & Crown also so we're definitely not against Disney dining, it's just not a make or break part of our trip.
 

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