DHS's Dining Situation

[Brian G.]

After a recent post by Reel...

How do you feel about DHS's Dining Situation. Vote away.

 

[Splatter]

Its no EPCOT, but its not Magic Kingdom either.

Prime Time 50's
Sci Fi Diner
Brown Derby

all restaurants you can get waited on and there are still others but those are the most talked about.
I have heard that The Commissary is horrible, but I really enjoy a lot of the snack cart and quick service at Hollywood Studios. There is a place on Sunset Blvd that has good Burrito like deals with one being a hotdog inside a Burrito packed with rice.

They are pricey per usual theme park value but the flat melted sandwitches at Backlot Express are good. That location is also one of the surviving unlimited refill quick service locales.
Not a complete revamp but they could maybe work harder at making a few of the lesser known locations more attractive.

It is not the best theme park dining in the world, but like I said, its no EPCOT or has no Mythos(Brown Derby maybe? Never eaten there) but its better than Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom could be a toss up(not a fan of quick service though

 

[ReelJustice]

After a recent post by HTF...

How do you feel about DHS's Dining Situation. Vote away.

Actually, it was me! I think it's pretty terrible. I've been to Sci Fi Dine In a few times, and I've never been happy with my food or service. Mama Melrose's was a disaster both with service and food. Pizza Planet is bad as far as cheap pizza goes. I have had pleasant meals at 50's Primetime and Backlot Express but that's it.

 

[USO92]

Honestly I did what HTF did, Epcot's food is terrific. Never actually eaten at Hollywood studios so I can't really say so thats why I vvoted for the "never eat there". Normally I walk in to that park and ride TOT, and RNR and then bust out of there

 

[Skipper Justin]

The Brown Derby and 50's prime time as really great but the rest are kind of lacking. I have been to Sci Fi 3 times and while I really love the atmosphere, the food is bad. Although, their backyard burger is very good.

 

[Splatter]

Actually, the Studio Catering Company is near Honey I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure And Lights Motors Action. The quick service between Indy and Star Tours would be Backlot Express.

 

[Brian G.]

Actually, it was me!

Ooops!

I've only eaten at Sci-Fi, Mama Melrose for sit-downs; ABC Commissary, Studio Catering, Backlot, and Pizza Planet for quick.

Sci-Fi gets a lot of love because of the atmosphere, which is great, but the food was ok. Same with Melrose. Studio Catering and Backlot get the job done and usually eat there when I'm at the park. Pizza Planet always gave me stomach issues, and the Commissary has gotten somewhat better with the new menu. I remember when they had the Chicken Curry called the "McSteamy" after Grey's Anatomy. A lot of jokes were made...

 

[ReelJustice]

Actually, the Studio Catering Company is near Honey I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure And Lights Motors Action. The quick service between Indy and Star Tours would be Backlot Express.

Thanks, that's a bit confusing!

 

[Splatter]

I always thought so too. You have the Catering company by the Backlot Tour themed attraction and Backlot Express by the Post Production, Star Tours and Stunt set theme. Makes little sense.

 

[Nick]

As far as sit down restaurants at DHS, where they mostly fall apart (hitting off what someone else said above), most are "atmosphere" restaurants, with food seemingly coming secondary. This seems to be exactly what happened with BOG as well (that's an entire other discussion though!). DHS needs sit down restaurants with nice atmosphere, but above average food as well. I've never eaten at Brown Derby before so I don't know about the food there (which i've heard is good), but i'm just commenting on my experiences.

 

[Sideshow Mike]

I've had some good meals at the ABC Commissary, Backlot Express and Studios Catering Company. I am not a fan of Sci-Fi. Pizza Planet has been bad every time I have gone there. I've had cold pizza served to me a few times. High Octane Refreshments is very enjoyable.

 

[Hockeyman55]

I voted that it is ok. Ive eaten at Sci-Fi at least a half a dozen times with the most recent being this past May and thought the quality of the food was slacking a little from the past. But the atmosphere kind of makes up for it, for me at least. Ive heard both positive and negative stuff out of Mama Melrose but personally haven't tried it. Really the only sit down ive eaten at at DHS has been Sci Fi so cant really comment on the others. I can vouch for the some of the counter places though. Ive grabbed food at the stands across from the Fantasmic entrance and also a hot dog in a pretzel at a place on the lake and thought both were pretty decent for counter service food.

 

[TomTheRiddle]

I was at DHS the other day and it really hit me as I was actually hungry for once at Disney and hungry enough to spend the money. There's not a lot of great options for food. I did end up walking across the park just to end up at Pizza Planet, but the pizza was not only $9 for a mini pizza, but it was awful. I ended up getting a meatball sub as a replacement and while that was decent, I still had just paid $9 for a meatball sub.

If Disney really wants to improve their dining situation, they need more options and cheaper options. I understand there is a significant theme park mark-up, but WDW has always redefined just how much you can mark-up food and drink options. Perhaps they could even bother to allow AP discounts and souvenir cups like Universal. When I go to Disney, I generally refuse to buy any food or any drink except perhaps a coke because there is no way to justify it.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Yeah the lack of AP discounts on counter service food at Disney (besides AK) is really disappointing. They discount food for DL AP holders if im not mistaken.

 

[Bryan]

There's no AK counter discounts what you talking about?

 

[jtsalien]

The counter service is definitely above the line thanks to Studio Catering and Backlot Express. BriMan is right that the Commisary has improved, but still needs work. I've eaten at Sci-Fi twice. The first I loved the atmosphere and not the food, so I gave it another shot. I probably won't be back for a long time.

I used to want to try the lunch with an Imagineer at the Brown Derby, but now I would have to avoid the urge to reach across the table and smack some sense into them :fist:

 

[JungleSkip]

DHS's food is miles better than both MK and DAK. No, it's not as good as EPCOT, but very few theme parks are.

50's Prime Time and Brown Derby are both great sitdowns and Studio Catering Co, Backlot Express, and some of the stuff on Sunset are really good counter services.

Those are more than I can say for the Mk or DAK.

 

[Eric]

I'm surprised many of you haven't mentioned Mama Melrose's. I just went last week over Thanksgiving and I thought it was really good. There's not that much to choose from, but I think it's great if you're actually going to eat at the parks.

Eating at any of the counter service restaurants at Disney World makes no sense though, especially if you live in Orlando. You can take a 10 min drive to Olive Garden and pay the same amount and actually get real food.

 

[SeventyOne]

Brown Derby is amazing. It's also so far ahead of the typical WDW crowd (you know, the people who find Be Our Guest's menu "too fancy" and never drink Starbucks) that I can see why it's largely ignored/forgotten.

50s Prime Time is decent food in an atmosphere that can be anywhere from interesting to flat-out Adventurers Club-level hilarious, depending on your server.

Only been to SciFi once in the past couple years, but I remember an above average burger, very good server. I know the place gets savaged online, maybe I just got lucky. The atmosphere is a lot of fun.

Backlot Express is probably the best QSR on property not named "Earl of Sandwich." I enjoy the outdoor food court on Sunset as well (mac & cheese dog!). Starring Rolls beats the Main St. Bakery, IMO, other than in its limited hours.

On the flip side, ABC Commissary is the worst QSR on property. Pizza Planet is nasty, a close second for worst QSR. Studio Catering Co. is average at best.

Overall, room for improvement in QS but not the worst park in Orlando by any stretch.

 

[Hockeyman55]

There's no AK counter discounts what you talking about?

Yeah Im loosing it :bonk: I could swear in 2011 part of the benefits had discounts at a few of the counter service places or im just getting mixed up with TIW discounts. This year though they do offer 10% at Rainforest and Yak and Yeti for APs.