Food in theme parks were mostly fast food items in the past because visitors did not want to spend too much time eating rather than spending time on amusement park rides. However, in the past years, more and more food offerings are made available to theme park customers.
According to News4Jax, visitors have recently demanded more options when it comes to food in theme parks. Amusement parks also have started responding to the wants of their visitors by opening more restaurants and improving items offered on the menu.
"I think guests expectations' have changed over the years," said Disney Parks and Resorts vice president of food and beverage Beth Scott. "Certainly with things like The Chew and the Food Network and social media, people are becoming much more savvy about their dining experiences."
News4Jax noted that food stalls and eateries at Walt Disney World have expanded during the past years with the number reaching almost 500 this year. Food items offered in these food stops ranges from hearty meals to delicious desserts.
Disney claimed that they a variety of restaurants have opened in recent months to offer different food choices for customers. "We really expanded the different dining options for our guests based on the experiences they were looking for," said Disney's Ed Wronski.
Eater recently made available a Disney World food online guide showing different restaurants that offer desserts, meals and even cocktails. The online publication's editor-in-chief Amanda Kludt said that there are great food finds in Disney World. "Pleasures can very much be found - not only pleasures but ingenuity, quirky surprises and pure joy," she added.
On the other hand, The Brunswick News also said that Universal Orlando has launched events related to food and dining in the past years. This was started by the Harry Potter land in 2010 where culinary skills of visitors were tested. Some of the food items featured in the theme park included the famous Butterbeer, flavored ice creams and the Fishy Green Ale.