McDonald’s moving from Downtown Disney? As parent, I’m not lovin’ it
A Mom and The Mouse, Featured, Kristin Ford — By Kristin Ford on February 5, 2010 at 1:32 pm
(Photo from wdwinfo.com)
The announcement this week that the McDonald’s at Downtown Disney’s Marketplace is closing April 30 came as a surprise to many, and I think families with small children will be most affected.
As an adult, I rarely choose to eat at McDonald’s if I don’t have the kids in tow — especially when there are many great choices for dining at Downtown Disney. As a parent, I value having a familiar and affordable brand available when I’m out with my children. I can bank on happy faces if I suggest McDonald’s for dinner.
Sure, we can find chicken nuggets at most restaurants, but at what cost? A family of four can easily spend more than $100 on a sit-down meal at Downtown Disney — and we save those experiences for special occasions. The McDonald’s on property is more expensive than other locations, but it’s still the cheapest option for families.
Although I’ve rarely been to the eatery when it wasn’t crowded, McDonald’s lines move relatively fast — another factor for small children who are inclined to have melt downs when their tummies start to grumble.
The last time my family stopped for a bite to eat at the McDonald’s, we noticed a little girl having her birthday party there. What a great idea for an inexpensive celebration! Most younger kids would love having lunch at McDonald’s, playing at the LEGO Imagination Center and Once Upon a Toy Store, riding the carousel and train, and cruising on the water taxis.
That’s still possible with a little extra driving — the McDonald’s at Crossroads Shopping Center (at the end of Hotel Boulevard) will remain open, as well as the location near Animal Kingdom.
I’m looking forward to trying Pollo Campero, which will replace McDonald’s; the fresh, healthy Latin foods sound delicious. But taking my kids there for a meal is another story.
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Tags: Disney World, Downtown Disney, McDonald's, Pollo Campero
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118 Comments
I have eaten in a McDonalds in 47 states. I have eaten at a McDonalds in all but three of Florida’s counties. I have not gone an entire week within eating at McDonalds in over 30 years. I love McDonalds more than any restaurant in America, and consider it a national tragedy whenever they close one down. I love McDonalds.
Ronald (McDonald): You need to expand your palate instead of expanding your waistline by eating at McDonald’s.
For me, McDonald’s used to be a guilty pleasure once every few years. Tried it a few years ago, and it was so bad, its now just guilty.
If you stop buying crap food, the market would adjust, and start producing better food to meet the demands of the market.
I wish it were easy as saying, “Go ahead, kill yourself, and your children by putting that garbage on their plates. It doesn’t affect me.” But when your lifestyle choices drive up my health care costs, I will speak up.
When you rent a mobility scooter or wheelchair to get your super-sized butt around the parks, getting in line with families of truly disabled people, I will speak up.
I could care less about the chicken joint, but to have one less trough for the mindless “sheep” to feed at is a step in the right direction.
Tradition? Baaaaaah!
Chad, honey….Shhhhhhhhh. Your age is showing.
If you like McDonalds, great. Go there and enjoy your ‘burger’. Some of us don’t care for it quite so much, and are entitled to say so. That doesn’t make us, or you, idiots or retarded.
Having said that, I’m guessing you won’t find too many professionals in the field of medicine or nutrition who will agree that McDonalds is ‘healthy food’. But if that’s ok with you, great! Go there and enjoy your ‘burger’. You will simply have to drive just a little bit further to get it when you’re on vacation at Disney. Better yet, walk to a nearby location and work off some of that sticky white stuff that’s floating around in your arteries. We could all benefit from doing that. I, however, will be walking past McDonalds and on to someplace with food that tastes good and isn’t going to push me up to the next dress size.
And where do we take our kids? I always took mine to full service restaurants. Now that they’re nearly adults, they can enter into any social setting and eat the food presented to them because they learned to appreciate a wide variety of cusines, flavors, and experiences. They also know where all the forks and spoons should go, since they didn’t grow up thinking a paper wrapper was an eating utensil.
Was it hard to get them to eat real food? Nope. And they’re glad they learned how at a young age, since most of their friends break out in hives at the sight of non-McFood and make mealtimes very awkward when the McNuggets don’t show up.
I’m just curious…I just read through the article and the replies again, and a few people (including the author) said they don’t eat at McD’s when the kids aren’t with them (or words to the effect of ‘the kids want to eat there.’
Why don’t you eat there when it’s just for you?
If it’s not good enough for you to eat when you’re alone, why is it good enough to feed your children?
Haggissolo, Go to any chain restaurant – including McDonald’s – and take note of how their offerings have changed in recent years. If you don’t attribute that to their recognition of changing public demands (including healthier options), then you’re not thinking enough.
This is the reason I hate people. You all complain about the most idiotic things. I am sad that the McDonalds is closing. I have fond memories of eating there. it was never about how much I spent; it was about the memories I was building.
By the way, for those of you yelling at those of us who DO eat McDonalds… Shut up already. I don’t tell you where to eat or how to eat so don’t tell me either. You must be one of those folks I see at the store who is too lazy to put the merchandise back on the shelf where it belongs when you decide not to buy it. But yet feels that the whole world revolves around you. Last time I checked there were almost 5 billion of us on the planet. So who died and made you boss??
Don’t assume you know me, my likes and dislikes or how I live my life . You will be wrong. I understand more than people know.
Wow, what a bunch of vile comments and senseless attacks. I am sorry to see it close as well. I could care less what others think of my parental skills if I choose to take my kids to McDonald’s. Sometimes, it just works for us… and my kids are healthy, active, and at a normal weight. They are robust and well-cared for, so McD’s on occasion will not do any harm. I agree with the other mom’s, sometimes kids need familiarity in moments of unknown, like a family vacation. These awful comments from everyone are unnecessary.
Many of the posts here are nothing more than sanctimonious opinions demonstrating a deluded sense of superiority against folks who enjoy the occasional Big Mac and fries.
Here’s why McDonald’s worked at DTD:
Kids’ circadian rhythms are off. Meal times are off schedule. Sensory overloads from the sights and sounds of WDW. Sugar highs and lows from comsuming one too many Mickey Bars.
McDonald’s offers a familiar experience, familiar food, and a place to sit in air conditioned comfort for 30 minutes.
Done. Period.
If you don’t like the food; or if you think it’s unhealthy, then don’t eat there. I’m sure I speak for the rest of us ignorant, unwashed, unenlightened, ignorant, selfish parents here: STOP PREACHING AND MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS ON WHAT WE FEED OUR KIDS.
Keep denying your kids the opportunity to eat junk food once in a while and see what happens when they have more control over their diets. They will be first in line at McDonald’s along with their friends who have been raised in a similar fashion. The kids who have been raised with moderation in mind will be eating a healthier, more balanced diet BECAUSE their parents gave them the opportunity to indulge once in a while. And isn’t a vacation the perfect time to indulge a little bit?
Professor of BS (DVC member) speaks!
The only BS around here are those individuals who cling to the notion that else is to blame for problems facing our society. If your kid is fat, don’t balme fast food. Look to yourself, as a parent, to ensure that your kid lives an active, healthy lifestyle. Stop looking for a scapegoat and start being a responsible parent.
On that subject, I’d like to know the Body Mass Index of the people that are blasting McDonald’s. I’d bet the majority of them could stand to lose a few pounds.
As a local, I like having McD’s as a food choice. I’m not going to spend $50 for lunch every time I need to make a trip to Downtown Disney. Earl of Sandwich cooks their PBJ’ – what’s up with that? So looks like Wolfgang Puck Express will get our business once in a while…. and all the other times we will shop and then leave and eat elsewhere.
People: has anyone read ‘Fast Food Nation? It tells the story of how America, and now the rest of the world, got to be so fat and the damage fast food does to our kids! What cost involved in feeding kids decent, nourishing sandwiches bought from a deli and fresh food instead of fatty, processed, sugar laden rubbish from Macdonalds?
Stop and take a look around next time you’re in a Macdonalds and wonder why all the adults and a fair proportion of the children are struggling to walk….then ask if it;’s such a good idea!
this particual mc donalds was far more expensive that the average mc donalds and did not offer many of the specials offered by the average mc donalds, but I do feel sorry for the employees being laid off
Pollo Campero “the fresh, healthy Latin foods”
HAHAHA..you mean the Guatemalan Fried Chicken? This place is nothing more than a Central American KFC with plantains. Not saying it’s bad but not sure where you get the fresh/healthy idea from
If you think parents are right to decide what goes into their kids’ bodies, even if those parents choose McDonald’s, you must also think there’s nothing wrong with parents choosing to smoke cigarettes around their children. Fatty, over-salted foods kill, just like second hand smoke does.
Parents who allow their children to eat McDonalds and similar junk are abusing their children, plain and simple.
Fat, salt and lots of carbs are bad for you. No question. But, as my 94 year old grandmother used to say ‘Everything in moderation. So long as I get to everything.’ Parents who take their children to McDonalds on occasion aren’t doing anything as horrible as some of the posters here are saying. I’m a vegetarian and wouldn’t eat a burger a McDonalds (unless they start serving veggie ones) but telling somebody else that they shouldn’t go there is rude. Mind your own darn business!
The other Downtown Disney restaurants want McDonalds out because it costs them business. Plus disney is in bed with the franchise and operators of the new place because they have other Disney places. It’s not about healthy. Disney hasn’t made anything totally smoke-free. The loser is the guests who were never asked if they’d rather have the new place. Disney is slowly pricing out some families by taking away lower priced options. Walt Disney would not want the parks to cost what they do. He’d rather charge less and make the big bucks on those that want the 5 star hotels and restaurants.
Having been an employee of both Disney AND McDonalds over the past 25 years, I’d like to ask each and every one of these holier-than-thous to swear on a million bibles, all their relatives graves, and hook themselves up to a ton of lie detector tests to state with ALL HONESTY that they have NEVER EVER touched ONE food item from McDs, NEVER EVER stepped FOOT in a McDs, and if McDs was the LAST choice on earth to eat and the alternative was starving, they would NOT choose to eat a french fry because it was “poison” (their words) or…most recently as Bob Smith stated “abuse.”
Give me a break! I was a vegetarian for many years and eat a mostly organic diet with a bit of meat now and then and I would NEVER dream of spewing the HATE that these sanctimonious posters are doing – I presume they are vegans and vegetarians who eat 100% PERFECT diets, right?
All this HATE directed at a few people who say they like McDs and take their kids there for a treat…??
I bet you all NEVER had a Happy Meal growing up, huh? I bet you all NEVER drank alcohol, NEVER smoked a cigarette, NEVER did a DANG THING WRONG!
Go stand on your soapbox elsewhere and leave the McDs patrons alone!
This was the only place left where a family could grab a quick, relatively inexpensive lunch in the Downtown Disney area. I will make plans to eat outside of Disney prior to visiting, and yes that would be lunch at another McDonald’s or like restaurant.
As for the haters, these are the same people who say, I would never let my kid do that or my kid would never do (fill in the blank). And as we know, these are the same people who have NO kids but like to tell others how perfect their imaginary kids would be…
so… dont go to downtown disney to eat.. there is a MD’s just outside of one of the parks. That might work. PLAN AHEAD, thats always a good thing as well!
Another Latin blot on the landscape I am from the UK and getting a McDonalds is a fun and cheap. We spend a lot of money getting to the US and I for one Hate Latin food and indeed this increase of Latin Florida I have seen in the past 10 years of coming to the US. Sometimes im not sure if im in the USA. I for one will not be using this new place and in fact this is another nail on the board for not coming back to Florida again
Well then stay in the UK. You’ve got McDonalds slop over there, right?
And compared to British food, it’s damn near gourmet!
As a fan of Disney World, I encourage you to not visit Florida again. We have more than our fair share of rude tourists. In case you haven’t grasped the concept, the name of the place is Disney World, not London. Disney World celebrates many peoples and cultures and yes, we do have our share of “Latin” visitors. We also have French, Japanese and Chinese visitors. I am not a big fan of Fish ‘n Chips but I am not petitioning for The Rose and Crown to be torn down. If you can’t deal with the situation, by all means stay home. Believe it or not, you will not be missed.
Oh dear Chris, you have come out with the most Jingoistic tripe I have ever read.
I am Northern Irish, I have been to Florida a few times over the past 10 years, and I am sorry to read what you have said.
Florida IS chock full of Latin people, what is wrong with that?
That would be like me saying I don’t like England because there are too many Curry houses
Grow up and start respecting diversity!
I had half of a box of Girl Scout cookies for breakfast and a hot dog from a convenience store for lunch. I washed it down with a Pepsi.
I figure I hit four major food groups: Chocolate, sugar, sodium, and caffeine…
I think it will be a smash hit!
http://www.zagat.com/Verticals/Menu.aspx?VID=8&R=120117&HID=16495 link to a menu as per zagat’s website.
Menu.Menus Offered: .
.FRIED CHICKEN
Personal Meals
2 Piece $4.99
3 Piece $6.59
4 Piece $7.59
Family Meals
8 Piece $17.99
12 Piece $23.99
16 Piece $28.99
20 Piece $21.99
GRILLED CHICKEN
Personal Meals
1/4 Chicken $5.19
White meat $1.00
1/2 Chicken $7.59
Family Meals
Whole Chicken Meal $17.99
FRIED CHICKEN STRIPS
3-Strips Meal 1 dipping sauce, 1 side order & choice of breads (tortilla, roll, biscuit) $4.99
10-Strips $11.99
SIDES
Campero Rice
Campero Beans
Black Beans & Rice
Sweet Plantains
Yuca Fries
French Fries
Caesar Salad
Coleslaw
Mashed Potatoes
SINGLE Price: $2.09 FAMILY Price: $4.09
KIDS
Strip Meal 2 chicken strips, 1 dipping sauce, 1 side order, small soda or milk and prize $3.69
Drumstick Meal 1 drumstick, 1 side order, small soda or milk and prize $3.69
SPECIALTIES
Chicken Bowl Juicy slices of our Traditional fried strips or grilled chicken filet layered over our Campero Rice & Spicy Beans. Topped with chopped onions, cilantro and fresh salsa. $4.99
Grande Rice, Bean & Cheese Burrito $4.99
Grande Chicken Burrito Pulled Chunks of our Traditional Fried or Grilled Chicken with Campero Rice, Spicy Beans & Cheese $5.49
Caesar With Grilled Chicken $5.49
Campero Salad Juicy traditional fried strips or grilled chicken filet, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, red onions shaved carrots, shredded cheese with your choice of dressings (ranch, honey mustard, vinaigrette) $5.49
DESSERTS
Caramel Flan $1.69
Rice Pudding $1.69
Apple Pie $1.89
TROPICAL DRINKS
REGULAR Price: $1.99 LARGE Price: $2.29
*Horchata, Maranon, and Tamarindo
*Contains Nuts & Dairy
Disney should replace all of their park eateries with McDonalds instead of running them off the property. The current places to eat are too expensive and the food is terrible. How do park visitors afford the feed their families there? If there were McDonalds outlets scattered throughout the parks, I might actually buy food to eat there. But as it is, I do not want to waste my time or money on Disney food. McDonalds isn’t all the great but at least it’s predictable, reliable, faster and cheap(er).
I am not sure what it is that McDonalds at DTD does to Offend some of you (some people are too easily offended…grow a thicker skin!) Unhealthy foods? Why Yes, I agree….but then again Churros, mickey ice cream bars, chocolate cake, and the zillion other things you can eat at Disney are not necessarily good for you either. You know if McDonalds is something you want or dont want as it is a known quality in virtually any town in the world…so either you eat there or you dont. That being said, I think the previous poster who claims this is a way to appease some of the other more expensive eateries at DTD by Disney is correct. Health concerns, while having some merit, are more of a convenient reason to achieve the goal of evening the price context of the eateries.
If you have a car, the best option is driving to the edge of the property east of DTD, plenty of options there.
ALSO, for those who do not know this….the HESS Gas stations on property serve reasonably priced Pizza… Large is $5.99 on some days and $7.99 on others if I recall correctly…
Thanks for reading…
You know what’s funny? I frequent DTD quite a bit throughout the year (I live in Tampa) & I can honestly say not ONCE have a I had a meal at the DTD McDonald’s…even with my 8 & 4 year old in tow. I found it to be WAY MORE then the average McD’s all over Central Florida…the DTD McD’s was more New York City pricing (where I’m originally from).
the bottom line is the contract between Disney & McD’s is over. Obvious since those of you with kids that frequent fast food joints should know the newest Disney movies are no longer promoted with Happy Meal toys at McD’s anymore…last time I was there my kids got Alvin & the Chipmunks toys & before that, I wanna say Monsters vs. Aliens (a Dreamworks movie)…so it goes a little deeper then Disney just wanting to kick McD’s to the curb.
For what its worth, if I HAVE to eat fast food, I prefer BK…MUCH better tasting burgers & you can’t beat a double hamburger for $1 (no cheese for me)!!!