Does anyone else hate they keep going back to the same restaurants?

I try to have a good mixture of old favorites and new experiences. I can only think of a couple of must-dos for every trip.
 
When we want to avoid choosing familiar restaurants, we simply don't make advanced dining reservations. A couple of hours before we're ready to eat we get on the app and see what has availability and choose from that. It's a lot of fun. Obviously don't do this if you're going to be disappointed about missing a favorite. It also won't work if you're on a tight schedule, because it's not time efficient. We do this on trips where we want to deliberately spend most of our time exploring rather than going on rides and such.
 
My wife & I just got back from a week at WDW and one of our goals was to eat at places that were new to us. It worked out great! Had breakfasts at Olivia's and Ale & Compass. Had dinners at Tiffins, Toledo's, Tutto Italia and The Boathouse. I definitely recommend branching out.
 
Skipper Canteen was amazing when I tried it. Have been wanting to go back but it doesn't fit in my times usually. What did you think of Topolino's?
We enjoyed it a lot. Great food and atmosphere. While we waited to be seated, we enjoyed a cocktail on the terrace. It was also our first time staying at Riviera (recent new owners there) and part of the charm was that we just had to walk a short way down one hallway to the elevator and then straight up to the restaurant.
 
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I try to have a good mixture of old favorites and new experiences. I can only think of a couple of must-dos for every trip.
Sebastian's is almost a must do for me. Boathouse I've been trying to make a tradition to go. The past two trips we've eaten there, including my past birthday. I plan on eating dinner there for my next birthday too :)
 
We enojoyed it a lot. Great food and atmosphere. While we waited to be seated, we enjoyed a cocktail on the terrace. It was also our first time staying at Riviera (recent new owners there) and part of the charm was that we just had to walk a short way down one hallway to the elevator and then straight up to the restaurant.
Congrats on being new owners! I hope that within the next few years I can be an owner myself. Will definitely try to get a res for the restaurant.
 
Just mentioned to my wife that we will not be doing 'Ohana on our next trip. For years it was the only must do and it has really fallen off. Last year it was unpleasant. Will be taking a break from that. We will hit up a lot of the ones we have done before but the only dining experience there for us that is actually A+ is Narcoossees. That's really the only must do at this point.
 
Just mentioned to my wife that we will not be doing 'Ohana on our next trip. For years it was the only must do and it has really fallen off. Last year it was unpleasant. Will be taking a break from that. We will hit up a lot of the ones we have done before but the only dining experience there for us that is actually A+ is Narcoossees. That's really the only must do at this point.
Narcoossees was superb on our last 2 trips this past May and December.
 
I have some traditions I try and follow. My first Dinner is always at Via Napoli. I will hit 50's Prime Time and probably Sci-Fi because I don't have anything like that around me. I almost always do Crystal Palace and Tusker House Character breakfasts. However this trip, I am going to Beirgarten (which I have only done once, years ago). I am also hitting two new places for me - Steakhouse 71 and Jungle Navigation Company. A couple of years ago, I did a spur of the moment trip and I couldn't book any of my regular restaurants one night.. so, I booked The Wave - and I was so glad I did.. the food was AWESOME.
I am trying to do new places or some place that I haven't been in a while that I liked on each trip now.
The problem with trying something new is that if you have a bad meal, at Disney prices, it really hurts. So, I want to make sure I am getting something good for my money.
 
I have some traditions I try and follow. My first Dinner is always at Via Napoli. I will hit 50's Prime Time and probably Sci-Fi because I don't have anything like that around me. I almost always do Crystal Palace and Tusker House Character breakfasts. However this trip, I am going to Beirgarten (which I have only done once, years ago). I am also hitting two new places for me - Steakhouse 71 and Jungle Navigation Company. A couple of years ago, I did a spur of the moment trip and I couldn't book any of my regular restaurants one night.. so, I booked The Wave - and I was so glad I did.. the food was AWESOME.
I am trying to do new places or some place that I haven't been in a while that I liked on each trip now.
The problem with trying something new is that if you have a bad meal, at Disney prices, it really hurts. So, I want to make sure I am getting something good for my money.
I recommend the curry dish ar Jungle Navigation
 
I recommend the curry dish ar Jungle Navigation
Thank you for the suggestion, but I am so not a vegetable eater :) I am going to try either the "Tastes Like Chicken" or the "Baa Baa Lamb Chops"
 
Being really honest for a second but I find myself going back to the same restaurants since I know they're consistently good, especially with how expensive eating at WDW is nowadays. I don't want to risk spending money to go somewhere new and it's mediocre or bad. I'm the same way outside the bubble. I go to the same handful of places at home lol
 
I used to do that but decided I have to try at least one new restaurant per trip. I find it fun to research new places and decide what to try.
 
There are some Disney places we like and usually go there over the years. I don't think there is anything wrong with returning to places you enjoyed previously. Always good to check the current menu/prices to avoid surprises if something has changed. We aren't huge eaters, so none of those pricey fixed menu places appeal to us even if might have eaten there in the past.

I don't find online reviews to be particularly helpful since you have no idea if those people complain about everything or if their tastes are similar to yours. We would probably be more likely to go somewhere new if someone we know with similar tastes recommends it. There is really no point in eating somewhere that only serves sushi (for example) if your family doesn't care for it.
 
I usually want to try too many new restaurants and don't have the time. I have repeated some, but mainly because of their location and convenience.
 
We're trying Tiffins for the first time. I've wanted to do that for years. 'Ohana has been on my list but I look at the price and always remove it. I just can't bring myself to pay that much. Close to the cost of a Signature is just a hard no for me. DH has wanted to eat there in the past but I feel bad because I always talk him out of it. :hyper2:
Tiffin's got blacklisted from our upcoming trip. Mrs. wabbott perused the menu and proclaimed that she saw nothing there she wanted to eat.

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I'd love to try some different spots but my travel party has an extremely limited palate so we remain in a very lovable rut. :earsboy:
 
Yeah, I fall into habits too. I don't go so often that I want to skip certain favorites. It may not be every time, but it can be tough, expecially with shorter trips. I like to hit the known highlights, you know?
 
I tend to go back to the same restaurants because they are reliable and always good. Liberty Tree Tavern is at the top of that list, although I think I will get an ADR for Diamond Horseshoe next time just to mix it up :) Kona is a place I reluctantly tried and I ended up loving it! I did Skipper's Canteen once on the 4th of July because I wanted a dinner reservation that would put me past the craziness of Main Street and have me finishing in time for fireworks. It was OK for me, but not one I will book again. Mama Melrose is one i had given up on for about 20 years, but when they started the F! dining package I booked it and had a great meal. So now I book it frequently if I can get the package. And while I really enjoy breakfast at Topolino's (hoping to book it in May!), the dinner was a one and done. I will be doing a solo trip in July, so I want to try Nine Dragons on that trip. I have never been there. There are a lot of restaurants in Epcot I have never eaten at, but that is because the menus just don't appeal. It took me forever to try CA Grill, and once i did it became a staple on every trip. But I haven't gone since they moved to the prix fixe menu because I will not eat any of the appetizers offered. Now if they could make me the sausage flatbread that used to be on the menu, I would go back in a flash!
 

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