Credit: Becky BurkettHave you ever wondered how much food Disney needs to serve in order to keep their hundreds of thousands of guests happy and full each day?
We have the answers for you, and they are quite shocking.
It is estimated that around 58 million guests travel to the most magical place on earth, so you might imagine how much food Mickey Mouse has to provide to ensure that all guests have enough to eat.
One of the most exciting things about Walt Disney World is the food, and for many guests, scouting menus, booking dining reservations, and looking up food reviews are the best part of planning a Disney vacation.
Disney has thousands of food items to choose from, all of which range from a simple burger and fries meal or a chicken tender and fries meal to intricate and unique options like a cheeseburger spring roll or a breakfast sandwich cooked inside of a pancake.
On top of the regular menu items that Disney offers, there are also special events, such as the ongoing Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party that guests are partaking in which has specialty menu items, as well as festivals like the current International Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT.
Disney’s food is so popular that one of the dining locations in the Magic Kingdom, Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe, has often been categorized as the second-busiest restaurant in the entire world.
A recent study has concluded that one single restaurant at Disney World prepares 328,500 pounds of chicken alone each year, which equals to 900 pounds each day. That does not include all of the other offerings that this dining location includes.
The most shocking part? This dining location is only open for a few hours each evening.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, a beloved dinner show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, has been delighting guests for over 50 years and has tons of food servings of evidence to prove its long run at Disney.
As Maribeth Bisienere, senior vice president of operations at Walt Disney World Resort, says, “We are so proud of the incredible legacy of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, and the secret to the show’s success over the last half-century has truly been the people. Our cast members, past and present, have created countless memories for millions of guests, which is why the show continues to endure from one generation to the next.”
The show’s enduring popularity can be attributed to its talented cast, who bring unique flair to their characters. Many cast members and servers have been with the show for years, adding to its special atmosphere.
The dinner show features a variety of zany skits, sing-alongs, and audience participation opportunities. Guests can enjoy a delicious meal, including fried chicken, BBQ pork ribs, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and strawberry shortcake (which you can make at home with our recipe!)
Pioneer Hall, the venue for Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, serves an impressive amount of food each night. Over 900 pounds of fried chicken, 400 pounds of pork ribs, 400 pounds of potatoes, 120 pounds of corn, and 30 gallons of baked beans are served daily, per Food and Wine.
Despite some modern updates, the core elements of the show have remained consistent since the 1970s. The timeless appeal lies in its blend of nostalgia, fantasy, and top-notch entertainment.
One of the highlights of the show is the opportunity for audience members to participate in the fun. Actors often interact with guests, inviting them to dance and sing along. Booking a reservation at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is highly recommended, as it offers a unique escape from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Magic Kingdom.
As travel and theme park journalist Carly Caramanna says, “I’ve been visiting Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue regularly since the ’90s. To me, it is the essence of Disney magic — a heavy dose of nostalgia and fantasy paired with enthralling entertainment and legit delicious food.”
The show is utterly incredible, and the unlimited beer and sangria makes the price well worth it on its own, but there is something to be said about the comfort food delights that guests are served on a daily basis that give you that warm feeling of a hug in your belly.
If you want to be further blown away by Disney’s ability to churn out pounds and pounds of excess food each day, “more than 75 million Cokes are consumed each year at Walt Disney World Resort, along with 13 million bottles of water. Guests also gobble 10 million hamburgers, 6 million hot dogs, 9 million pounds of French fries, and more than 300,000 pounds of popcorn,” per cast member Phillip Stahle.
Phillip stated that about 24,658 pounds of French fries are sold at Disney World on a daily basis.
More significantly, over 1.8 million pounds of turkey drumsticks are devoured annually across four Disney theme parks — Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
- At Disney World, 3.3 million chocolate-covered Mickey Mouse ice cream bars are sold yearly.
- 1,200 pounds of ribs are smoked at one time at the Flame Tree BBQ.
- 5 million pounds – that’s the amount of macaroni and cheese eaten each year.
- 1 million pounds of watermelon are eaten in 1 year at the park.
- 18.2 million packets and 2 million pounds of bulk ketchup are used at Disney World annually.
- 720 pounds of pasta are served daily at Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano at Hollywood Studio.
- 26.2 miles – the length of bratwurst served every 60 days at the Biergarten restaurant in the Germany pavilion at EPCOT.
- 70 pounds of vine-ripened tomatoes are served at the California Grill every night during “tomato season,” July through November.
- 125 orders of meatloaf and mashed potatoes are ordered every day at 50’s Prime Time Cafe at the Disney Hollywood Studios.
So, if you were not already salivating before all of this Disney food talk, we are sure your stomachs are now in full hunger mode! With the Disney Dining Plan has now returned as well, it has never been more popular for guests to splurge on food, and luckily, Disney always ensures that they will have enough supply to match their guest’s demand.
What is your favorite food item at Walt Disney World Resort?