There are lots of things at the Disney World parks that we love.
Aladdin and Jasmine on the Magic Carpets
We love seeing characters wandering the parks and meeting guests (and even riding some rides with guests!). We are HUGE fans of the EPCOT festivals. And shopping at the stores in the parks is one of our favorite pastimes. There are lots of things that Disney does well that make us keep coming back for more. However, there is one trend that we’ve noticed at the Disney World parks that we wish Disney would get rid of.
Food is obviously something that we here at Disney Food Blog enjoy a lot. We LOVE tasting everything new, returning, and park favorites. Disney World may be a theme park, but the food is generally way better than you might expect from a theme park.
Yak & Yeti Restaurant full-spread
As much as we seriously dig Disney World food, we do have some beef with a trend that affects a lot of it. As good as the food is, there are a lot of times that we find it to be relatively bland. Even something that is “spicy” at Disney World isn’t really that spicy. There’s Disney World spicy, and then there’s real spice. We know there are a lot of fans that are happy to have this bland food, but we would LOVE to have some real SPICE in our lives at the parks.
Meal at Nine Dragons
There are not a lot of super adventurous foods either. You’ll often find beef, chicken, and pork options, but having some off-the-wall, fun items would be a new trend we’d enjoy seeing. A lot of times, “new” food items are just a new spin or take on something we’ve previously seen (we’ve been eating Disney World food for a long time; we know when something is really new.) If we started getting some exciting new flavors, a spice level that makes us sweat, and more variation in food, we would be in food Heaven.
Pizzafari eats in Animal Kingdom
Yes, bland and basic food is certainly needed when Disney World is serving food to thousands of people every day. We know and understand that there’s a place for these options. But we’re begging to see MORE adventurous options sprinkled in, as well. Of course, there are a few great options around the resort that we really enjoy; we’re not saying it’s impossible to find, but it’s far less common to find spicy and adventurous food than basic, bland ones.
Full Spread at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
We’ll continue to try Disney World’s food, and we KNOW there is a lot that we’re gonna love. We just hope that a bit more spice and new flavor is sprinkled in with every other option.
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What trend do you wish Disney would get rid of? Let us know in the comments!
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Where in the world did you get the idea that Boomers are the ones who demand bland food? I’m NOT a Boomer, but the writing in this article is potentially insulting to that generation and makes assumptions that are not based on any kind of evidence. Generally, when a new restaurant opens with inventive, adventurous food choices, it is gradually homogenized over the next few years to match what is available at most of the other restaurants. Why? Because families with children complain that the cuisine is not approachable. There has to be some form of chicken nuggets, burgers, fries, or pizza available on every menu or people complain. You don’t see this so much in the non-Disney “real world” in restaurants that don’t market to families with children because people simply choose the type of cuisine they want. But at Disney, nearly everything (with only a few exceptions) needs to make this demographic happy. So blame the kids, not the Boomers!
Seriously? This Boomer LOVES spicy food!
Wanna be starting something, gotta be starting something…
I agree completely. While I loved spicy food I’m of a certain age where it doesn’t love me. A lot of restaurants ask how hot do you want it. Why not Disney? It is possible you know. Simple.
It does appear that Disney ‘under seasons’ to make some dishes more appealing to a wider audience, both young and old.
I’m a boomer & would welcome the spicy and flavorful food. Why are you singling us out? It’s a little insulting to think this is because of “Boomers.”
I don’t think you can blame Boomers (I’m one!). I always felt they had to accommodate people from the middle of the country. People on the East and West coasts try multinational restaurants more than the middle of the country.
I am a boomer. I agree that the perception of spiciness changes with age but not always in the same direction, some older diners want more spice as their taste buds are no longer sensitive enough for subtlety
My complaint with the current dining trends is that there isn’t a mix of options on the menu. More adventurous plates and less complicated presentations on the same menu.
I LOVE dining at Disney as I have a food allergy that isn’t usually addressed on a menu but the Disney chefs handle it easily However, if I had to just order off the menu there are several restaurants we would not choose.
Variety to reach the broadest clientele.
I’m not sure why you think Boomers would be unhappy with your idea. My husband and I are dead in the middle of the Boomer Generation and we would LOVE to see more spicy and adventurous food!!! We get really bored with what seems like “cafeteria” food in most restaurants. Just because we are old it doesn’t mean our taste buds are dead. LOL I hope Disney is paying attention!
Yes, I am a boomer but I also am a supertaster. If you look up the definition, you will see that we have more taste buds and are sensitive to spicy food. You will also see that 25 % of the population are supertasters, not just boomers, and have trouble with spicy foods. Good food is not bland just because it does not make you sweat. Food tastes good because of the quality, cooking, and flavoring of the food. Three quarters can tolerate the spicy foods but does that mean that number of people want the food to be overly spicy to be “good”. I have had to throw away many dishes because there was no warning that they were highly spiced. Yes, create spicy food for those that want it but some cannot eat it.
I would argue that the opposite of spicy is not “bland.” Bland is more the opposite of “tasty,” and nothing needs to be spicy in order to be tasty.
I am also a supertaster and it’s getting harder and harder to eat at Disney World. It seems with every menu change that’s announced, Disney is catering to foodies and adventurous eaters and leaving those that can’t eat like that behind. And just to be clear, in addition to being sensitive to spicy food, we are also sensitive to texture, and particularly to combining textures, something Disney has been embracing recently. Nobody wants to eat chicken tenders or a burger (in my case deconstructed) at every meal, but that’s what Disney will ultimately leave us with. Considering that supertasters make up 25% of the population, it might not be a good business decision to continue dismissing us the way Disney has been.
In other words Disney just doesn’t really do spicy. Probably because of children !
Do the math people! Children and spicy foods don’t mix!🧐🙄
That’s true almost everywhere. Spicy doesn’t mean spicy. Don’t blame the boomers. This boomer loves spicy food.