Have you ever...

[j&j]

you are right everyone has something special we all like. pastry in france nice and cheaper then in the rest.

[PeterJ911]

That may sound strange, and I know they try hard at the "nice" restaurants to present an attractive meal, but I've always felt that even the best meal in the best restaurant at WDW is still a meal at a theme park restaurant. DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND--we love WDW and there are lots of things we like to eat while we're there (Rice Cream at Norway!!), but none of the restaurants compares with a fine restaurant in other locations. I just don't think it's possible for them to take the time and care with fine cuisine considering the masses of people they have to feed each and every day. It's all about expectations. We love the Hollywood Brown Derby at the Studios and have had good meals there, but to compare them with non-theme park restaurants really isn't fair. Having said all that, the food at WDW in general is so much better than it was early in WDW's existance, so improvement is being made!

[Goes4FastPass]

That may sound strange, and I know they try hard at the "nice" restaurants to present an attractive meal, but I've always felt that even the best meal in the best restaurant at WDW is still a meal at a theme park restaurant. DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND--we love WDW and there are lots of things we like to eat while we're there (Rice Cream at Norway!!), but none of the restaurants compares with a fine restaurant in other locations. I just don't think it's possible for them to take the time and care with fine cuisine considering the masses of people they have to feed each and every day. It's all about expectations. We love the Hollywood Brown Derby at the Studios and have had good meals there, but to compare them with non-theme park restaurants really isn't fair. Having said all that, the food at WDW in general is so much better than it was early in WDW's existance, so improvement is being made!

This is the most appalling thing I have ever read. To speak of Cuisine du Disney as being "theme park food" certainly must be some form of sacrilege. The only other thing I can say about this post is it was 100% correct.

[Ropachs]

I agree with so many due to great expectation...Tonga Toast, Cheddar Cheese soup, Schoolbread, Dole Whip...

New one to add - the ham & cheese croissant in France, it was fine but nothing spectacular. Still a GREAT use of a snack credit though!

[SBETigg]

That may sound strange, and I know they try hard at the "nice" restaurants to present an attractive meal, but I've always felt that even the best meal in the best restaurant at WDW is still a meal at a theme park restaurant. DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND--we love WDW and there are lots of things we like to eat while we're there (Rice Cream at Norway!!), but none of the restaurants compares with a fine restaurant in other locations. I just don't think it's possible for them to take the time and care with fine cuisine considering the masses of people they have to feed each and every day. It's all about expectations. We love the Hollywood Brown Derby at the Studios and have had good meals there, but to compare them with non-theme park restaurants really isn't fair. Having said all that, the food at WDW in general is so much better than it was early in WDW's existance, so improvement is being made!

Have you tried the resort restaurants? Some of the resort restaurants can certainly rival restaurants anywhere. California Grill is excellent. Victoria and Albert's, top notch. The Grand Floridian Cafe does a decent job. Jiko and Flying Fish are both highly rated by gourmet magazines and restaurant reviewers. And I think the Brown Derby and some of the WS restaurants do surpass theme park restaurant expectations.

[texasteacher]

tried eating something or somewhere at WDW that people on various boards go crazy for...and found that it was nothing GREAT...just average?

My experience...the Schoolhouse Bread in Norway. Now, some people (not necessarily on intercot) have created whole threads around the stuff. So I tried it last year (Free dining) and thought that it was an average pastry...nothing out of this world stellar. However, the CM's working at the Kringalai (sp?) Bakery were absolutely wonderful!!!

I agree that Norway's School Bread did not live up to my expectations, but I was not too terribly disappointed. I am in WDW having a great time.
Next time, I will know to get something else like the yummy rice cream!

[texasteacher]

I'm almost afraid to say this, but for me it was Dole Whip.

I agree with this one too. I much prefer the Citrus Swirl!

[ryca1dreams]

That may sound strange, and I know they try hard at the "nice" restaurants to present an attractive meal, but I've always felt that even the best meal in the best restaurant at WDW is still a meal at a theme park restaurant. DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND--we love WDW and there are lots of things we like to eat while we're there (Rice Cream at Norway!!), but none of the restaurants compares with a fine restaurant in other locations. I just don't think it's possible for them to take the time and care with fine cuisine considering the masses of people they have to feed each and every day. It's all about expectations. We love the Hollywood Brown Derby at the Studios and have had good meals there, but to compare them with non-theme park restaurants really isn't fair. Having said all that, the food at WDW in general is so much better than it was early in WDW's existance, so improvement is being made!

Wow, first post! You're exactly right - couldn't have said it better myself.

[Nini5055]

I truly believe that given the sheer number of people that the restaurants in WDW serve in a given day...the food is GREAT!!!

I just think there are some items that get really hyped up and then when others try them...are maybe not up to expectations.

Otherwise, I have never had a truly horrible meal at WDW.

[PeterJ911]

We haven't eaten many resort restaurant meals at WDW--we spend all our time at the parks! Well, not exactly true--we've eaten at Spoodles several times and think that's a fine place (though I understand it will be changing soon). And like I said, the Brown Derby is really great for what it's trying (and mostly succeeding) to be. For me, I know that part of the reason I enjoy eating at park restaurants, even though I know they're not necessarily "fine" restaurants, is specifically because they're at WDW! I love the Brown Derby because the only time I can eat there is when I'm at Disney. I'm already in a great mood because I'm in one of my favorite places on Earth, and am much more willing to forgive less-than-stellar food because, in the long run, it really doesn't matter what they put in front of me. As long as it looks good and tastes reasonable, I'll enjoy it. I pity the serious "foodie" who visits one of the park restaurants expecting haute cuisine and gets an "audioanimatronic" meal ("It looks so real, doesn't it?")