When it comes to Disney World, people have a lot of differing opinions.
One person’s favorite ride might be someone else’s least favorite ride. One person’s favorite restaurant may be somewhere someone else will never dine at again. Our favorite snack might be your least favorite snack. These opinions tend to be even stronger on the Internet, so we decided to grab our favorite 1-star reviews on Yelp and test them out.
The BOATHOUSE
1-Star Review: “Food is too salty, unbelievably salty. I visited this restaurant almost a year ago, the salt was too much, their New York steak is salty, fries would salt You to hallucination, baked potatoes have salt to the core, and their dips has more salt than you could find in the Dead Sea. Seafood is supposed to be your specialty?… salty. I usually never use yelp, but I had to mention this. Thank You for reading my post.”
Our score: 4 out of 5
Our thoughts: We’ve been to The BOATHOUSE in Disney Springs several times and actually thought it was pretty good. It might be a one and done experience, but we did not experience the saltiness at all. We especially liked the Ahi Tuna entree that was spectacular. The huge Baked Alaska was also a hit with us. It’s a great spot for a special occasion.
The BOATHOUSE Restaurant
Services: Table Service
Chicken Guy!
1-star review: “The food is the shining star of this establishment. The chicken was perfectly cooked, juicy and flavorful, and the variety of sauces were all delicious and unique. The meal was wonderfully prepared and every bite was an adventure. The fries were perfectly crispy and the shakes were creamy and rich. ONE STAR!”
Our score: 5 out of 5
Okay, so we don’t think this person understood how the rating system works on Yelp, but we do love the Chicken Guy! Is it simple? Yes. Is it delicious? Also, yes. It’s basically elevated fast food, and we like it. However, we are still mourning the loss of some of the sauces that were once available here. The chicken tenders here are SO tender with flavorful breading, and the prices for everything are good. We’re big fans. The shakes are also good.
Drawn To Life
1-star review: “Big disappointment compared to previous times. Turned out we paid $300 plus for 2 tickets to watch a 90 minute commercial for Disney. Would NOT recommend!!! It is a pretty slow and sad. Sad music and story. Too much down time and too much Disney oriented. Not my favorite at all. Slow, slow, slow…”
Our score: 4 out of 5
The Cirque du Soleil show is a fairly new one in Disney Springs and this is the first time a Cirque du Soleil show themed to Disney. It’s all about imagination, which we think is very cool. Although the show has some main characters, it’s more of an artistic circus with incredibly talented performers doing feats that are jaw-dropping.
The Edison
1-star review: “Lovely theming and entertainment by way of the singers BUT …. Ordered grilled cheese & tomato soup – soup was 6 spoonfuls !! Very disappointing as the establishment looks plush from outside – we expected a lot more. we paid and left the lowest tip !”
Our score: 3 out of 5
The Edison in Disney Springs is what we would call a retro steampunk restaurant with some great entertainment. There are some notable items on the menu, too, like the bacon that comes on a hanger and the electric fries. It can get pricey, but you’re paying for the atmosphere. The bartending staff are also excellent and will create any kind of concoction you’re craving. You come here for the drinks, the atmosphere, and the entertainment, not necessarily the food that is typically overpriced.
The Edison Restaurant
Services: Table Service
T-Rex
1-star review: “NEVER come here! I was looking for a quick food experience for my upset 5 year old. I thought “look at the theme, this will be perfect” wrong. We couldn’t be sat for 2 hours. At this point i had already promised my kid some cool interactions with dinos and now we have to wait longer than i waited for any disney ride… at least on a disney ride you get a cheap thrill. I just got an expensive burger.”
Our Score: 2 out of 5
T-Rex is a lot like Rainforest Cafe but with animatronic dinosaurs. Our favorite part of the restaurant is the Under the Sea bar with a real aquarium in the middle of it and cool lightning. This is a restaurant your kid will beg to go to. You’ll end up paying double for Olive Garden-quality food, though. The wait here can also be extremely long, sometimes HOURS during lunch and dinner.
T-Rex Restaurant
Services: Table Service
Splitsville
1-star review: “Good for the experience with friends and what not. But the actual experience is beyond sub par. Luxury? Not so much. The oil pattern is at best what was left over from last week. They looked like tar was on the bottom of the slide… which means, no slide.. Will not be back at $33 per person for 90 minutes.”
Our score: 3 out of 5
This is a restaurant that is part restaurant and part bowling alley. So, we are kinda’ fans of Splitsville. We are pleased with the quality of the food served here, as well as the bowling alley. We’ve enjoyed every experience we’ve had here. You might run into long waits here, though. We don’t think this is the best bowling alley we’ve ever been to, but if you want to go bowling in Disney World, there you go. We do agree that it’s a bit pricey both for food and bowling.
Splitsville Luxury Lanes Restaurant
Services: Table Service
STK Orlando
1-star review: “The restaurant is located in the heart of Disney Springs. The furniture is absolutely dirty and falling apart with white couches completely black with dirt. The service is absolutely horrible. The food is overpriced and with bad quality. I order the most expensive steak and it arrived cold with full of fat. The seafood tower is full with low quality seafood on small containers that look from a can. Also the noise level is super high with a DJ??. Save your money and go to many other good restaurants at Disney Springs !!!”
Our Score: 3 out of 5
Okay, so this is a pricey restaurant, and it’s pretty much a classic steakhouse. We’ve only had mostly appetizers and drinks here and those were all great. However, we think the fact that this restaurant has a DJ in a small steakhouse is an interesting choice. If you don’t like loud dining experiences, stay away.
STK Orlando Restaurant
Services: Table Service
Aerophile
1-star review: “There is a reason there are only 17 reviews….they’re never open. No matter what the weather was. Do not buy the groupon, you’ll waste your time. Don’t even bother with disney springs. It did manage to open around 2200hrs. Then the staff were polite.”
Our score: 3 out of 5
So this is a hot air balloon, so, yes, if it’s even a little windy, it may not be operating, and that’s for your own safety. The 5-minute experience is pretty intense (more than we expected), but we do get the complaints that it’s never running but that’s because weather conditions have to be just right for it to operate. Although we have done this, we probably wouldn’t do it again. If you do get a chance to go up in the balloon, you get a unique view of Disney World.
Planet Hollywood
1-star review: “Let me tell you, I’ve had more flavor in a glass of water than in the entire menu of this restaurant! It’s like they hired a culinary magician whose specialty is making taste disappear.. I wouldn’t be surprised if the chef’s secret ingredient is a sprinkle of air and a dash of disappointment. And don’t even get me started on the prices! $28 a person for what feels like a culinary crime scene? I’ve had more satisfying meals from a gas station. So, if you’re looking for a dining experience that leaves you questioning your life choices, this is the place for you. But don’t forget your detective hat because you’ll need it to find those missing flavors! Take a picture outside and keep on walking by. This is simply a tourist trap.”
Our Score: 2 out of 5
Planet Hollywood is a chain restaurant that you can find in cities all over the world. Mostly, though, when it comes to food, it’s very disliked. It is a good restaurant for families with a big menu where everyone can get what they want, though. So if you have picky eaters in your group, it could be a decent choice.
Planet Hollywood Observatory Restaurant
Services: Table Service
Raglan Road
1-star review: “While the entertainment is amazing and what the restaurant is known for, the food is soggy and mediocre. They even call one of these items “world renowned”. In who’s world i ask? We also waited an hour and half for seating to see the entertainment even after making a reservation. Big skip on this one”
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5
Raglan Road has a menu of Irish food and drinks, as well as live entertainment with music and dancing. We love this restaurant. This is one restaurant we come to regularly, even when we’re not working. Raglan Road really fits the lively environment of Disney Springs. The live performances are great and this place just feels authentic. One member of our team loves the food, but another has not enjoyed the food, but likes the entertainment and vibes.
Raglan Road Restaurant
Services: Table Service
Overall, it seems we only agree with the 1-star reviews on occasion, so this is why you should probably ALWAYS read as many reviews of a restaurant or experience as possible to get a full idea of whether it’s right for you and your group.
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What do you think? Is there a restaurant or experience in Disney World that you like that gets a lot of bad reviews? Let us know in the comments!
Are there any one star reviews of Disney hotels? That would be a good one too.