Most Consistently Disappointing Disney World Restaurant

The one restaurant that I think was my biggest dissapointment has to be the Sci-Fi Drive In. The food was definitely lackluster and nothing special. Thing that spoiled it even more than the food was the seating arrangements. My wife and I were seated in the rear of a "car" (booth) with a family in the front of the same "car". They had a child with them that was standing in the seat the whole time turned back facing us and being a pest all the time, while not being attended to by his parents. If they would have been in another booth it would not have bothered us because kids are kids, but his direct proximity to us (in our face) was a distraction.

Tony's Town Square. I always want it to be good because it's so fun! The fountain, checkered table clothes... but seriously, Chef Boyardee is better. I don't know why I go every few years hoping it's better!

I was disappointed in the recent changes in the menus at Epcot's restaurants. The selections are less, portions are smaller and prices are higher.

Hollywood & Vine - the dinner buffet. We've tried it twice and both times thought it was bland and lackluster and not worth half the price.

For me there are just too many places that are considered good that I havent been for me to waste time trying blah places again. Unless I heard amazing review after amazing review. So far our biggest dissapointments have been Mama Melrose, Tonys and Sci Fi.

oooh I love mama melrose. I'm so picky with my italian food.. I usually dont like any that I dont make (I'm italian and mexican so those two menus have to be just so with me)

anyway.. I'm with Vettelover on this one.. Sci Fi Diner. It's cute to see and all, but the food is nothing fantastic. I'm sure people dont even mention the food when they talk about the restaurant. They most likely just talk about the setting.

We've been pretty disappointed in Chef Mickey's during our last two breakfast visits, but I think it's because we have a "behind the scenes" perspective. When DH and I worked at the Contemporary in the late 90s the hotel made just about everything from scratch - including doughnuts! I even tease DH, because he was the backup doughnut guy..."Time to make the doughnuts" was 4 am! But they buy a lot more stuff now. Also, I don't remember seeing the wonderful Stickey Mickies anymore...but maybe I just missed them. But I hate when it becomes just like every place else in the world, and they still expect you to pay Disney prices. Yes, I get that Mickey is the star of the show. But I still expect a decent meal.

What's a Stickey Mickey??!!

Mama Melrose's is a sentimental favorite of ours, but I think I've said before it's been spotty for us the last few years. It seems to be coming back a little, but I do hesitate every time I go to make our ADRs because I don't want to ruin the memory I have of the place and there are still plenty of places we've NOT been to yet that we need to try. But i usually book it anyhow just because

Kind of like monkey bread...ooey gooey, cinnamony-buttery-sugary pull-apart yumminess. I can't remember why they were called "Mickeys" - other than for obvious reasons. I mean, they weren't Mickey-shaped, I don't think. Sadly, I can't remember. Isn't that ridiculous?

I Goggled it - holy smokes!!!

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-5/1179349/YMUOU-sticky.gif

OH GoSH! That's right - they were Mickey-shaped. Free form. We made those in the bakery. At the Contemporary (I'm sure it's like this everywhere), there's a main kitchen and bakery/pastry, and then there are individual kitchens. In the main kitchen, we supplied sandwiches and other things for the Sand Bar (or whatever it's called today), plus we cut all the fruits and veggies, like diced cantaloupe and watermelon, and the romaine for salads, etc. We also took care of the trays for club level. In the bakery/pastry, we had a whole set up for Chef Mickey desserts on the 3 floor, where we did all of their cakes and pies, plus special birthday cake orders. In the bakery on the first floor, we baked all of the danishes Sticky Mickeys, dinner rolls, dinner bread, etc. About the only thing we didn't do were things for Cali Grill - they did most everything for themselves.

So anyway...I don't recall seeing them the last time I was there. I hope, I really hope, they still make them. The guys that did that shift in the bakery were so awesome.

That looks amazing. If anyone finds them, they should let us all know where because I know I want to eat one...or two...

Why have I never had a Stickey Mickey? I feel so deprived.

I think Tony's Town Square is my most consistently bad place as well. I want SO badly to like it, but every time it's not very good. If the food was even halfway decent the setting would make it a favorite.

I've never ate at anywhere bad more then once but places we at at the last time that I didn't care for were San Angel Inn (i was actually physically sick from the food), The Wave at the Contemporary Resort, and the seafood restaurant at Epcot.

I get so surprised when i see people didn't like The Wave. When I went there I LOVED it. Jason will claim that he thought his meal was just okay - but he liked it enough to ask for the recipe and he has only done that twice! Maybe it is a dish by dish thing, but everything was fantastic when we went.

My wife didnt like it because there wasnt really anything there for her to eat. I personally loved it, and the deserts were AMAZING

He's right...I'm not a big meat person so all those fancy dishes aren't really my thing...and he is right...the dessert was good...but when isn't it...lol

For quick service, I'd have to go with Liberty Inn, the American Pavilion Restaurant in the World Showcase.

I ate there on my first trip as an adult because I was overwhelmed by the food options and just wanted something familiar. The greasy thin burger and limp fries were familiar, but by far the worst offering at the World Showcase.

(P.S. I haven't eaten there again as I'm now vegetarian, and they don't have many options for that.)

Lizzy and JeffC -- STICKY MICKEY!!! I WANT!!!!! Why oh WHY did I miss out on those?!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!

JP -- You poor thing! I can understand the overwhelming-ness of it all in Epcot, though. Yeah; I pretty much avoid burgers at WDW these days. Where have you found that you like to eat vegetarian?

Everyone's making the point that "if it was bad the first time why would I go back?" The fact that I needed this pointed out to me make me feel like a masochist. Why DID I go back to these places?

Tony's Town Square is probably the one that I keep wanting desperately to like and never quite having it work out.

I think we are the only people who weren't impressed with Mama's and I honestly think it might be because of what we ordered. Dave went out and tried something he usually wouldn't and he said it tasted like smoke. It wasn't bad..it was just an overall eh. We'd probably try it again though given that there are so few places in MGM.

Everyone told me Mama's was mediocre, but I actually really enjoyed it. It was a little different than other WDW restaurants. It made me think of a Macaroni Grill on property.

usually I'm rally super picky about my Italian food..the only red sauce I like is either my own or my Grandma's (since she was from Sicily and all)...anyway.. I reluctantly tried Mama's and I was pleasantly surprised! They have the BEST Chicken Parmesan! I will not eat at Olive Garden or Macaroni grill.. but Mama Melrose? heck yeah! As for Tony's.. I think it's "ok" but I usually order a pork or chicken dish and scrape off their sauce.

Yuck, I did not like Tony's! I think I forgot to put that on this list!

Finally! Someone else not thrilled with Mama's! I didn't like Mama Melrose either. The food was ok, but I found it very heavy and it wasn't the best italian food Disney has to offer. I found some of our quickservice meals more enjoyable (Golden Oak Outpost! Woot!)

dsoup (and DD and bella again): I haven't tried Tony's because of it's bad rep, but, like you, I desperately want to like it but am scared of being thoroughly disappointed.

bali: Great veggie food at Morocco . . . and pretty much anywhere else, disney is super accomodating to all dietary restrictions.

Agreed. Had the worst burger ever 4-5 years ago. Will never go back.

I only go back to places I like, though sometimes they are better than others.

I'll never forget that at Tony's Dave ordered Pesto Pasta and it was bright green..like nuclear! Not appetizing to look at!

In 2010 we did the (gulp) DDP. First off I'll say, never again. Secondly, it was great to try SO many restaurants. We did 2 a day, which is all we could physically handle. I'm still, to this day, trying to work off the 10 pounds I gained on that trip. The biggest disappointments for us were:

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater ... great atmosphere, same movies every meal/trip, food is blah. I keep wanting it to be better but after 3 trips, I'm done.
Hollywood & Vine (dinner) ... average buffet fare. Lots of flavorless options. It is a buffet afterall. Maybe this doesn't qualify to be on my list as my expectations weren't even set.
Luau at the Polynesian ... I think this is a personal taste kind of thing. Loved the food. Wished there were 2 options for dessert as I hate raspberries and raspberry sauce (sorry no volcano for me). The show was the biggest disappointment. Guess we were expecting something more authentic instead of Disneyfied. Yeah, we were at WDW but guess our hopes were set too high on this one.
Cap'n Jack's Restaurant at Downtown Disney ... don't go! Just don't go! And, please don't ask why we went in the first place. Ick.
And our final disappointment was the California Grill at Contemporary. Reading the reviews, our expectations were set very very high. We had to wait forever to be seated (even with an ADR) but that's not the point of this thread, it's about food. The food was kinda average. I wanted it to be spectacular ... it wasn't. Won't be wasting 2 dining credits here again.

Now, making our reservations for our Dec trip this year it was great that this thread made me read my blog from the 2010 trip. It's gonna help in which ADRs I do this year. Definitely avoiding all those I've mentioned and avoiding some that other posters have mentioned. By the way only doing the DP this year, no DDP for us EVER again.

Oh, yes, I forgot Tony's Town Square. Average, bland food. High expectations not even close to being met. Cute decor though.