We all know that a good meal at a great restaurant can be a highlight on you Disney trip.
While there are many delicious restaurants in Disney that provide a great experience, we know there are places that don’t always hit the mark. Today, we’re taking you through a list of the top five restaurant SCAMS to avoid in Disney World.
We’re sure that we’ve all had a dining experience that was less than great. As much as we love the restaurants in Disney World, we know this can happen there too. We’ve put together, based on a lot of our own experiences, a list of five scams in Disney World restaurants. You’ll want to avoid these if you can!
1. Plant-Based Eaters Pay the Same Price for a Buffet
Did you know that even if you eat a plant-based diet, you’ll have to pay full price for a buffet at Disney? Yep, that’s right. Even if you don’t eat all of the options, you’ll have to pay the same price as someone who will.
Okay, we get it. They can’t have someone walk around with you the whole time you’re getting food just to make sure you’re ONLY eating the plant-based options. But still, this can certainly feel like a scam if you genuinely are only eating a few select items.
2. Paying for Drinks that You Can’t Refill
This one might not always be possible to avoid, but it can make a big difference if you do! Many quick service restaurants like Flame Tree Barbecue, offer fountain drinks but you can’t refill them. So you’re paying $4 for a drink that you can’t get more of.
While we definitely like eating at Flame Tree, it might be more cost-effective to eat somewhere like Satu’li Canteen or Restaurantosaurus where you pay the same price for the drink but there’s a beverage station that you can go back to as many times as you like.
If you like getting the most out of your money, you could avoid this scam and get drinks at places that offer refills!
3. Fancy Desserts at Fancy Restaurants
Every once in a while we like to splurge on a fancy, high-end meal, especially if we’re celebrating something. But have you ever noticed that while the appetizers and main courses are delicious, the dessert has left you with something to be desired?
You can spend upwards of $12-$16 on a fancy, schmancy dessert and be completely let down. Instead of paying the high-end prices for a low-end dessert, you can save your after-meal treat for when you’re wandering around the parks. There are some amazing desserts that you can get for less like a yummy Dole Whip or almost anything from Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in the France pavilion in EPCOT.
Avoiding this scam can save you some money and disappointment!
4. Baked Beans
Yep, that’s right, baked beans at almost any Disney barbecue joint are a scam. When you go to a barbecue restaurant, you’re expecting some delicious meat, some great mac and cheese, and hearty baked beans.
But we have to be honest. The baked beans that we’ve tasted in Disney World have been less than satisfying. So obviously this isn’t REALLY a scam in the sense that you’re losing out on money, but we feel like we’re being scammed! We expect some tasty baked beans and leave feeling lied to.
Maybe it’s just us; we’d love to hear your opinion on the Disney World baked beans scam.
5. Paying Extra for Sides
Typically when we go to a restaurant we expect our sides, like french fries, to come with our entree. We don’t think we’ll have to pay EXTRA to have our side. But that’s not always the case. At a lot of signature dining spots, you have to pay extra for your fancy sides.
At some locations, like STK Orlando in Disney Springs, you can pay upwards of $19 for tater tots and $22 for bacon mac and cheese!
The food is amazing, but $20 for a side seems a bit steep. We like to go places where the sides are part of the price for the entree.
While not all of these are going to break the bank, we think they’re things to look out for. They might help you save a bit of money and time on your Disney trip. And watch out for those baked beans!
For more restaurant and Disney updates, be sure to follow AllEars.net!
Want to save money a little money on your Disney vacation? Click here to see how!
Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!
What do you think is a Disney restaurant scam? Let us know in the comments!
I think the whole Disney thing is a scam. It’s a major thing with them separating the customers from their money.
I can’t believe the droves of people that blow their hard earned money on that place.
I’m incredibly glad my kids are grown and I don’t have to go back to that place!
#6: The new Disney Dining Plan. While you may have been able to use the DDP to save money in the past, the way it is set up now is next to impossible to do so. It is possible to save money if you are an adult who will have a mixed cocktail with every table service meal and the few counter service restaurants that offer them, but with many other people trying to get into those same restaurants, no guarantees that you will be able to get all the reservations you want. If your party contains kids that are in the 10-20 age bracket that are charged as adults but aren’t allowed to order a mixed cocktail, your party will most certainly lose money on the new DDP.