Theme Park Food (the good stuff)

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

We've all talked about how bad the food is in the parks. The parks don't always put the best stuff on, but I thought it might be time for us to talk about the GOOD food we've had, andor where we always go when we hit the coast.

(And naturally, this discussion will devolve into talking about food at parks across the world - but lets get the GC parks covered first, eh?)

Movie World - For me - Baby Back Ribs in Wild West Roadhouse are some really good ribs... albeit pricey. The Peri Peri burger at the Gotham Cafe is also good value, and the Peri Peri isn't 'smack in the face' hot, but still has some nice heat to it.

Wet N Wild - Steer clear of Dominos here - There isn't much variety here with two main outlets right next to each other. I'm usually starving by the time i get to eating at WnW, so a Mammoth Burger hits the spot (although I haven't been in a year so not sure if the menu is the same)

Sea World - I actually don't have favourites at Sea World. Most of the time I'm only spending the morning there before heading to something else for the afternoon... I'm interested to hear your favourites to try next time i'm there....

Dreamworld - This is not intended to be a 'dreamworld bash' but i can honestly say that I don't have any favourite best food at Dreamworld or Whitewater world. Both parks pretty much sell the same stuff at the outlet at the front of both parks, and it's typical 'fair fare'. I usually grab a cold dagwood dog and some unsalted fries (it's ok you can salt them yourself!). Importantly, Dreamworld does stock Ben and Jerry's which is the one staple requirement of a visit to the park.

What are your favourites?

Edited March 12, 2014 by AlexB

[themagician]

We've all talked about how bad the food is in the parks. The parks don't always put the best stuff on, but I thought it might be time for us to talk about the GOOD food we've had, andor where we always go when we hit the coast.

(And naturally, this discussion will devolve into talking about food at parks across the world - but lets get the GC parks covered first, eh?)

Movie World - For me - Baby Back Ribs in Wild West Roadhouse are some really good ribs... albeit pricey. The Peri Peri burger at the Gotham Cafe is also good value, and the Peri Peri isn't 'smack in the face' hot, but still has some nice heat to it.

Wet N Wild - Steer clear of Dominos here - There isn't much variety here with two main outlets right next to each other. I'm usually starving by the time i get to eating at WnW, so a Mammoth Burger hits the spot (although I haven't been in a year so not sure if the menu is the same)

Sea World - I actually don't have favourites at Sea World. Most of the time I'm only spending the morning there before heading to something else for the afternoon... I'm interested to hear your favourites to try next time i'm there....

Dreamworld - This is not intended to be a 'dreamworld bash' but i can honestly say that I don't have any favourite best food at Dreamworld or Whitewater world. Both parks pretty much sell the same stuff at the outlet at the front of both parks, and it's typical 'fair fare'. I usually grab a cold dagwood dog and some unsalted fries (it's ok you can salt them yourself!). Importantly, Dreamworld does stock Ben and Jerry's which is the one staple requirement of a visit to the park.

What are your favourites?

I agree. The food at Dreamworld isn't that great at all. Don't bother with Dominos at Wet n Wild. When I buy food at Sea World I usually buy food at the front of the park, because its the best I think. Movie World also does some really nice food and has a variety. I would recommend Gotham City Cafe (When its open), Wild West and/or Ricks Cafe. They are all pretty expensive, but I always find that a burger, chips and drink at Movie World and Sea World fills me, which is good. If you don't want to spend money just take your own in a cooler bag and leave it in your car. Providing you put ice blocks in it, it stays cold, you just get a stamp out.

[Brad2912]

Quite liked the double cheese & bacon burgers they had at Gotham

[themagician]

I always get the cat woman burger. It's my favourite.

[AllegroCrab]

I liked the cheese and bacon burger from GCC. The Lattice chips are also incredible.

[Richard]

When your average pub these days serves up a decent gourmet burger for $10, it's kind of disappointing to see the same old bad imitations of fast food that our parks dish up for the better part of $20. In every other aspect of their operation, our theme parks charge the premium they do by offering a unique, quality experience. Food on the other hand seems to be an afterthought driven by sheer dollars.

They like to jump onboard current trends (peri peri, Angus beef etc.) but I've not tried too many different options at any of our parks that I'd recommend or go back for in a hurry and these days tend to avoid park food altogether.

I don't mind paying premium prices and I'm not looking for hand-rubbed pulled-pork brioche sliders (or anything else worthy of an eye-roll on MasterChef), but when you can get fresher, better and cheaper food just about anywhere outside of the parks it just becomes an aspect of our parks that I happily ignore.

[liz.wis]

I've had better chips at Dreamworld than SeaWorld, but better burger buns at Movie World than the others. Other than that, I find it all fairly interchangeable.

I'd typically go to Gotham at MW, mostly because of its location. I also once had a really helpful staff member there help me find a table quickly when I had my daughter in a pram and the rain started bucketing down.

[iwerks]

Rick's @ Movie World usually offers good value and a great place to eat away from the crowds when I've been there.

Adventure World in Perth has really lifted their game. They have some great quiches and baguettes as well as a good selection of beers and ciders if you want a drink . A friend of mine was really surprised that the chicken burger actually had a real piece of chicken in it!

Loui's or that Jurassic Park place at Universal Studios Singapore are usually pretty reliable. Do not get the churros in the park.

Singapore's other parks (the zoo, the bird park) used to have really good places to eat before Bongo Burgers took over. There are a couple of little stalls left where you can get a decent local or Indian dish there.

I think it's really important for parks to have good quality food without too much of a wait. It's all a part of the experience and it sucks when all you can get is some bad hot dog (although the Perth Zoo does a nice little sausage sizzle).

Nothing compares to EPCOT for choice or quality.

Edited March 13, 2014 by iwerks