There are particular issues at Walt Disney World that we love the concept of greater than we truly benefit from the factor within the common course of a trip. For instance, Outdated Key West is a particular place with an awesome vibe, nostalgic restaurant and different facilities we get pleasure from; however it’s an absolute non-starter for us at this stage of our lives, particularly with out a rental automotive.
Eating places, resorts, and even rides like this exist throughout Walt Disney World. When you ask me whether or not I like them, the reply is sure. When you ask whether or not I need to do one within the second whereas we’re truly visiting Walt Disney World, the response is likely to be a bit extra tepid: “eh, perhaps subsequent time.” And such is the story of how we go a couple of years between experiencing issues we allegedly get pleasure from.
This not too long ago occurred at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, after I realized it had been a few years since we’d final revisited a couple of of the eating places. We normally Park Hop between DHS and EPCOT, and eat on the latter more often than not. On the more and more uncommon events after I’m doing all-day subject testing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I’m consuming the very same meal at ABC Commissary.
In my protection, there hasn’t been a “want” to analysis most different eating places–not a lot has modified. Apologies when you’ve been sitting on pins and needles anxiously awaiting a re-review of the Chili-Cheese All-Beef Foot-long Sizzling Canine at Rosie’s All-American Café. It nonetheless tastes like a scorching canine, similar as a decade in the past.
A few exceptions to this are the eating places which are supposedly our #1 and #3 counter service suggestions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We revisited the top-ranked Docking Bay 7 earlier this yr (see Assessment: Is Walt Disney World’s #2 In-Park Counter Service Restaurant Nonetheless Value It?).
At the moment’s overview has us again on the third-rated (or ought to that be third-rate?!) Woody’s Lunch Field to see the way it holds up. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. Not less than, not within the sense of being a holistic eating expertise.
As fundamental background, Woody’s Lunch Field is a quick-service restaurant in Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. This eating location serves American consolation meals–mainly a couple of sandwiches and potato barrel bowls–and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with largely overlapping menus.
Woody’s Lunch Field is just like many different DHS counter service eating places within the sense that it’s simply outside ordering home windows with tables exterior. That means that on a summer time day, you get no reprieve from the warmth or humidity when consuming right here. Sadly, there aren’t any open-access indoor air-conditioned spots in Toy Story Land (until you depend the restrooms), so the covers above tables at Woody’s Lunch Field are about nearly as good because it will get.
This has been a recognized drawback since Toy Story Land opened, and is without doubt one of the explanation why they added Roundup Rodeo BBQ on the opposite facet of the land. That’s a pleasant addition, however doesn’t actually change the equation on the land as a complete until you dine there. There have been different minor initiatives since then to boost Toy Story Land, however they haven’t actually moved the needle a complete lot.
One such instance has been work on the seating space at Woody’s Lunch Field. Our unique expectation when this venture started again in Winter 2022 was that it was a much-needed growth of the seating space. That’s a part of the explanation we hit pause on re-reviewing Woody’s Lunch Field, because the seating space (or lack thereof) is such an enormous part of the general expertise.
I’m not going to recap the entire 3+ yr Woody’s Lunch Field seating saga, which contained extra ups and downs than close by Slinky Canine Sprint. Suffice to say, the venture wrapped up a couple of months in the past and didn’t materially develop the seating space, however did add everlasting shade buildings.
It’s a particular improve and we don’t need to diminish that, however we anticipated a bit extra. Tasks like this have turn into a punchline at this level, particularly since Common constructed Epic Universe in solely a bit longer. (Fortunately, Walt Disney World clearly has a higher sense of urgency with its present growth plans, and appears to have turned a nook from the glacially-slow “what did they even do in all that point?!” tempo noticed from 2022 to 2024.)
Reducing to the chase, the principle cause we don’t dine at Woody’s Lunch Field is the seating space. It’s woefully undersized for demand, and even when that 3+ yr building venture doubled the seating space in dimension, it in all probability nonetheless wouldn’t be enough.
Once more, this has been an issue from the start. Walt Disney World does (normally) station Solid Members on the entry factors to the seating space, they usually typically forestall friends with out meals from grabbing tables. However this doesn’t at all times work, as individuals slip by means of the cracks amidst chaos and crowds, declare their household is getting meals, or no matter.
It’s additionally frequent for friends to simply linger at Woody’s Lunch Field after consuming. Not as a result of the vibes are immaculate they usually need to savor this expertise for so long as potential, however as a result of Toy Story Land is draining and there’s nowhere else to sit down or stand in shade, save for the restrooms. And I in all probability wouldn’t suggest sitting in there.
It can’t be overemphasized simply how disagreeable the precise expertise is at Woody’s Lunch Field. Even when you Cell Order, which is what we at all times suggest doing for the reason that line for the money registers is routinely the second-longest wait within the land, you’re in for a wait coupled with confusion and Solid Member checkpoints (once more, these are wanted to protect entry to the seating space for friends of the particular restaurant).
When you get your meals, good luck with that! No matter whether or not you eat an extra-early lunch at 10 am or in mid-afternoon, there’s a couple of 90% likelihood you’ll not instantly discover a desk.
There’s a fair larger chance that you simply’ll be certainly one of a half-dozen (or extra) events hovering round, ready for one of many households that has clearly been completed consuming for half-hour and whose youngsters at the moment are enjoying Pokemon on the Change to go away.
However you actually can’t blame them for loitering, as a result of DHS is scorching each line is lengthy, and Toy Story Land doesn’t have some other shade. What are you going to inform them to do, go sit on the ground within the lavatory and play Pokemon there? Good luck with that!
So what you’ll find yourself doing is ultimately discovering a bar-style desk that doesn’t have chairs and is perhaps in use by the social gathering of friends slouched up towards a close-by items of Ok’nex fence (right here’s hoping that has higher structural integrity than what I used to construct as a child), and ask them in the event that they thoughts when you use a spot at that desk. With out wanting up from their Switches and telephones, certainly one of them makes a noise and gesture in response that’s perhaps meant to be sure. Hey, you get it–Pokemon is an engrossing recreation.
You might not have had their consideration earlier than, however you very a lot do once you bust out your massive digital camera and telephoto lens to begin taking dozens of glamour photographs of a sandwich. Instantly, that small seating space feels just a bit smaller. You’re feeling essentially the most awkward you’ve felt since earlier that morning when the dad from the one household in a quiet pool on the daybreak made eye contact with you when you snapping images there.
I hope to your sake that each one of this very particular instance doesn’t apply to you, however the salient level is that the method at Woody’s Lunch Field earlier than you’ve even taken your first chunk will be disagreeable to uncomfortable. And that is one thing that I really feel isn’t totally captured or conveyed in critiques, as theme park veterans typically rope drop eating places to keep away from the crowds, regardless that they’re half and parcel of the general expertise.
Don’t let a few of the images right here idiot you, which have been taken proper round rope drop for the sake of capturing the seating space whereas it was nonetheless empty. As awkward because it was to take meals images with my telephoto lens, it was even worse attempting to seize the seating space. Understandably so. Who needs a digital camera pointed of their route after enduring a scorching day in Toy Story Land and at last discovering a desk at Woody’s Lunch Field?!
In the case of Woody’s Lunch Field, disagreeable and uncomfortable isn’t only a potential end result. It’s the baseline when you’re eating right here on a reasonably busy day throughout daylight. It does get higher at night time when the sundown provides pure shade throughout Toy Story Land. However previous to that, there’s an excellent likelihood–a probability–that Woody’s Lunch Field is simply extra trouble than it’s value.
To every their very own on that, although. Each time I make restaurant suggestions and exclude Woody’s Lunch Field, there are at all times Walt Disney World followers who touch upon it being snubbed. It’s clearly common and a few followers love and revel in it, and there’s a cause for that–the meals is sweet, addictively so!
Talking of the meals, not a complete lot has modified since Woody’s Lunch Field opened.
There have been some slight tweaks to the menu, equivalent to going from sliced smoked brisket to shredded smoked brisket on the BBQ Brisket Soften. I nonetheless get pleasure from this sandwich nicely sufficient, however it does really feel like a top quality downgrade–exemplifying Disney’s said choice to substitute substances or suppliers to scale back meals prices.
The unique model of the BBQ Brisket Soften was top-tier, certainly one of my favourite entrees in all of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The newer incarnation is a rung beneath my beloved Buffalo Hen Grilled Cheese Sandwich at ABC Commissary. Between the standard distinction and the extra laid again expertise at ABC Commissary, it’s now fairly uncommon that I’m going out of my method to order the BBQ Brisket Soften.
They’ve additionally changed the Monte Cristo with the extra fundamental Smoked Turkey Sandwich. This may very well be perceived as a dumbing-down of the menu, however we will’t fault Disney for making this alteration.
We appreciated the thought of the Monte Cristo, however the execution left one thing to be desired. It might’ve been–and will’ve been–superior. Walt Disney World followers would’ve gone loopy for one thing just like the Monte Cristo served in New Orleans Sq. at Disneyland, however this was removed from that. On condition that, can’t blame them for switching to a daily turkey sandwich.
One other factor we get pleasure from is the Lunch Field Tarts. These are mainly fancified Pop-Tart, with larger high quality pastry, filling, and fondant coating. It’s not a world-class dessert, neither is it the most effective that Disney’s Hollywood Studios has to supply, however we’ve by no means had a foul Lunch Field Tart. They’re reliably tasty.
Conversely, we’ve stopped ordering the Totcho Bowl after a pair underwhelming experiences. It additionally doesn’t assist that it’s such a heavy dish, and also you’re consuming it in an disagreeable setting that’s scorching and missing in air-conditioning. I’ve additionally had disappointments with the common ole Potato Barrels, that are a really fundamental dish that’s seldom nearly as good as what I might make at house–and I’m removed from a grasp chef.
In the end, the query we discover ourselves asking when debating whether or not to eat at Woody’s Lunch Field is whether or not something on the menu is definitely worth the trouble of ordering, pick-up, and looking for seating. For us, the reply is not any.
We’ll persist with ABC Commissary, which stays the precise #1 counter service restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Sure, it’s boring and bland on the within. It’s not as thrilling because the choices in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or Toy Story Land. However the meals is healthier, bang for buck is nice, and the general expertise is superior. ABC Commissary is a powerful sleeper choose for a cause.
With that mentioned, it’s not that the meals at Woody’s Lunch Field is unhealthy. It’s that it’s not adequate to beat the whole lot else concerning the total expertise. And at a time when the eating scene at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has gotten sneakily good, with a wide range of scrumptious counter service entrees and snacks, we see no have to put up with the unpleasantness that comes with lunch on the Lunch Field.
Hopefully this can change sooner or later sooner or later. As famous above, Walt Disney World has labored on addressing a few of the seating shortcomings of Woody’s Lunch Field, and that work seems to be persevering with. There’s a brand new popcorn stand throughout from Alien Swirling Saucers that ought to open any day now; hopefully that pulls some demand away from Woody’s Lunch Field.
It additionally seems that Walt Disney World is setting up an overflow seating space between Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land, which might assist with seating. Sadly, it additionally seems that this space is somewhat small, and nonetheless received’t provide sufficient capability to satisfy visitor demand.
Actually, this sentiment about unpleasantness kind of extends to Toy Story Land as a complete. It’s such an awesome idea for a land, and I’d love for it to be a spot the place we need to linger and spend time enjoying, particularly as our daughter has turn into an enormous Toy Story fan.
In actuality, it’s one of many least nice lands in all of Walt Disney World, and there’s a cause why we both suggest getting out and in throughout Early Entry, or saving Toy Story Land till the very finish of the night. It’s not simply Woody’s Lunch Field–the land as a complete is disagreeable between the hours of 11 am and 4 pm.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Woody’s Lunch Field? Do you discover the expertise right here to be disagreeable, or do you simply have to know tips on how to work across the crowds? Suppose Woody’s Lunch Field is definitely worth the trouble for the consolation meals or not? Agree or disagree with our evaluation of Toy Story Land as a complete? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
