Which park's food is superior?

[TiggerTrigger]

Honestly, we found the food quality to be pretty similar between all resorts/parks. Never once while at DL did I find myself saying the food was sooooo much better or so much worse than WDW, and vice versa. I mean, my Dec 2015 meal at Carthay Circle was on par with my Dec 2017 meal at Brown Derby. I ordered similar dishes, both were good, but neither were amazing. My meal at Carnation Cafe was on par with food I got at Sci Fi. The only big thing was that Sci Fi's setting was superior. In fact, the only things that really stood out to me were superior experiences. Ex. Plaza Inn is the best character meal we've ever been to, simply because you never know who you're going to see, but it will be more than double the number of characters of any other meal. The WDW example, there is nothing at DLR to beat the view of California Grill. What's really funny, since we found the food to be vastly overrated at Blue Bayou and didn't care for San Angel Inn. those two experiences sort of canceled each other out.

 

[reluctantredhead]

For a Louisiana girl, that does not compute.

Haha, I totally get it! I actually grew up in Louisiana...Vernon Parish. My relatives that still live there would agree with you...they always tell me there's no such thing as vegetarian gumbo!

 

[gharter]

I think the QS at Disneyland is far superior to almost anything WDW has to offer (there are a few that rival Disneyland).
TS, Disneyland has 2, WDW has many really good restaurants, so have to give that one to WDW.

 

[shanew21]

The food quality is about the same. The variety goes to WDW.

 

[Huff]

Disneyland in CA (and California Adventure) has acceptable quick service food, and very good table service food, but the parks aren't focused on the "vacation experience." They feel more like amusement parks where the main focus is the shows and attractions. It feels like you're a part of the Socal landscape rather than in a Disney bubble.

Walt Disney World in FL is an all inclusive destination in terms of the sheer number of hotel offerings and food offerings.

Agree to an extent. WDW certainly is an inclusive destination with all of the resorts and restaurant choices. But inside the parks at DLR I feel the attention to detail and theming is far superior to inside the parks at WDW. Cars Land vs Test Track, Small World/Fantasyland tent facades vs themed buildings etc. That said we were AP'er at DLR for many many years but have been going to WDW more often recently. Older and enjoy dining as a big part of our vacation. When kids were younger DLR was far more popular for them.

 

[Huff]

As others have said, counter service is better at DLR. Love Bengal BBQ at DL. Nothing like it at WDW.

 

[bryanb]

As per my username, I have extensive experience with all parks on both coasts.

Disneyland in CA (and California Adventure) has acceptable quick service food, and very good table service food, but the parks aren't focused on the "vacation experience." They feel more like amusement parks where the main focus is the shows and attractions. It feels like you're a part of the Socal landscape rather than in a Disney bubble. Therefore, the food comes across as acceptable but not remarkable. A handful of table service locations in Disneyland are very good, especially in the Grand Californian.

Walt Disney World in FL is an all inclusive destination in terms of the sheer number of hotel offerings and food offerings. Plenty more focus is placed on vacation planning to include meal planning. There's a ton more variety of food options both for table service and quick service. As a result, a "foodie" is going to have lots more fun in FL rather than in CA at Disney, especially during Epcot's Food and Wine Festival.

Eating great food is a highlight of every WDW visit I make. Given the sheer size of WDW, it's no surprise that it has so many options to fill a visit of a week or longer... which is something I love. I could go on about my favorites. But (with all respect), I offer my defense of Disneyland.

Disneyland was the birth of the term "theme park," and Walt Disney built this first Magic Kingdom in Anaheim specifically because he hated the idea of amusement parks. Food was a big part of his plan for Disneyland. There's actually a book that talks about the history of food at Disneyland, called Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food. I haven't read it yet, but if you're interested in the topic I've heard it's a good read. Synopsis:

Two decades before the California food revolution, Walt Disney was planning a revolution of his own. Walt knew that food could be more than nourishment - it could be entertaining, too. The concept of families eating and playing at the same time was an innovation in mid-century America. Food in Disneyland wasn't gray or humdrum. It was full of fantasy and color! Eat Like Walt is a culinary tour of the park's six lands. Every attraction has a story, and so do many of the menu items. Disneyland's food transports us as much as it satiates us, or as Walt declared, "The food is as fabulous as the fun, too."​

And I think this has carried on to this day. Proportional to the length of a visit to Disneyland (vs. a longer WDW stay), I'd say there are as many great choices -- with a skew toward quick service.