The Fatal Flaw of Disney World's Restaurants

We’ve eaten in a LOT of Disney World restaurants…and by “a lot,” we mean EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

Crystal Palace

Yep, that’s right! We’re Disney food experts and we’ve tried hundreds, probably even thousands, of dishes around the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs over the years. After all that eating, we’ve learned a thing or two, and that’s why we’re here to share with you the fatal flaw of Disney World restaurants!

What’s the fatal flaw with Disney World restaurants? We could talk about how it’s difficult to get reservations at some of the most popular spots or that the food in Disney World can be inconsistent. Both of those things are true and very good points to keep in mind, but that’s not what we’re going over today. In our minds, the fatal flaw is the way that Disney recipes are DEVELOPED.

Chef Mickey’s

If you’ve ever been to a sit-down restaurant that’s not part of a chain, then you probably have certain expectations about the menu. It’s likely that the owner or head chef of that restaurant developed the recipes for the menu and taught the chefs in the kitchen how to make them. The person who developed the recipes might even be the one cooking your meal. But at Disney World, this is usually not the case!

The Full Spread at Roundup Rodeo BBQ

For most of the Disney-owned table service restaurants, recipes are developed off-site in a lab somewhere. Those recipes are tested and put together by a small team, and then sent to the restaurant to be made by the chefs. Because of this, the chefs in Disney World often don’t have a personal connection with their menus.

La Creperie de Paris

On top of that, these recipes are made en masse, and usually, the ingredients are chosen so that the items are appealing to a large variety of people. This means that you end up with fewer unique and original menu items at Disney-owned spots than you would perhaps get at a local place.

California Grill Dining Room

But this isn’t the case for all Disney World restaurants! Many restaurants in Disney Springs, as well as some of the spots in the parks (like in the Italy Pavilion), are owned by outside companies or individuals. At these restaurants, you can often find some truly original and fascinating eats that have a bit more of that personal touch.

Hollywood Brown Derby

Some of the best places to go for those special menu items are the restaurants in Disney Springs owned by James Beard Award-winning chefs. Wine Bar George, Homecomin’, Wolfgang Puck, Morimoto Asia, Frontera Cocina, and Jaleo all fall into this category.

Homecomin’

Now, just because Disney World makes recipes off-site doesn’t mean that the table service food is bad! We’ve been big fans of many Disney-owned restaurants and loved plenty of their menu items. As we said, the food is made to appeal to people, and many times, it succeeds in that goal! We’ve had excellent food at Le Cellier, California Grill, Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Tiffins, and many other spots.

Skipper Canteen

And occasionally, Disney does let their chefs flex a little bit! We’ve often seen chef-created dishes for special occasions like Women’s History Month, Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month, Black History Month, and more. Often, those items are pretty good because you can tell that an individual worked to make the recipe perfect!

Women’s History Month in Disney Springs

So if you’re interested in a true culinary masterpiece, there are a few ways to achieve that in Disney World. Look out for the special menu items made specifically by chefs, head to one of the outside-owned restaurants, or just pay extra to dine at one of Disney’s fanciest spots. The signature restaurants typically have more adventurous menus than their cheaper counterparts.

Stay tuned to DFB for more news and updates, as well as dining reviews from the Disney World restaurants. We’ll share all our food expertise with you so you can have an amazing trip!

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