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Credit: DisneyDisneyland and Disney World are alike in many ways, but one controversial dining location is a carbon copy.
All Disney parks have some things in common. While each location has its own individual quirks, there are similarities that link several together – whether that’s dupes of rides, identical merchandise, or replicated restaurants.
Some classic examples include Big Thunder Mountain, Toy Story Midway Mania, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, while restaurants such as Crystal Palace, Plaza Inn, and Casey’s Corner have also been copied at select Disney parks across the globe.
Last year, another duplicate debuted at Walt Disney World Resort – except this time, it was more about tasty treats than an adrenaline rush. Disneyland Resort’s iconic corn dog stand, Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs, was announced for Disney’s Boardwalk Resort in July 2023 and opened to guests just over a year later.
Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs at Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney District is expanding to Disney's BoardWalk at Walt Disney World. The new location will open later this year. pic.twitter.com/dwyhhCG3wt
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 7, 2023
What Is Blue Ribbon Corn Dog?
More than just your average corn dog stand, Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs puts a unique twist on the theme park staple with entrées such as the Pickle Dog (a hot dog wrapped in a pickle, fried in cornmeal batter, crusted in panko breadcrumbs, and served with peanut butter, which has since been replicated by Trader Joe’s) and the Golden Dragon (a classic beef corn dog crusted in panko breadcrumbs and served with a side of sriracha mayo, sweet Thai chili, and a mandarin).
It has previously also offered seasonal corndogs, such as its Fourth of July effort, which featured three cubes of dyed cheese (red, white, and blue, of course) dipped into batter and deep-fried.
Related: Disney World Lacking Compared to Disneyland Offerings
Backlash Against Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs at Disney World
In the months since Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs has opened in what was previously the Boardwalk To Go location at Disney’s Boardwalk, it’s sparked controversy from guests unimpressed by its prices and quality.
While Disney isn’t exactly known for cheap and easy eats, guests have blanched at the dollar signs on the menu of Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs. For context, a simple corn dog will set you back $12.50, with the most expensive offerings stretching to $15.50. Meanwhile, vanilla or pineapple cotton candy can be purchased for $8 or $9, and the large of some flavors of lemonade reaches as high as $10 apiece.
“$20 for a gussied up corn dog, chips and a drink feels Disney reasonable,” wrote one Reddit user. “$8/9 for cotton candy is what seems egregious to me.”
Some Disney World guests have noted that they’d be more accepting of the pricetags if they were reflected in the portions. However, that’s seemingly not the case. As one user noted, “That is some highway robbery on the pricing for a food item that will still leave you hungry after spending $17 dollars.”
Another said: “Unless the size of these corn dogs makes me question my life choices, i can’t really justify the price…”
These sentiments aren’t limited to Reddit. As another guest wrote on Google Reviews, “Food is mediocre at best. The dip on the corn dog is way too thin. All we got was the taste of the dog. It was ok. The mozz stick was bland. Both the breading and the cheese had no flavor. I’ll stick with the corn dogs in [Magic Kingdom] at Sleep Hollow.”
A separate user had similar thoughts. “Very disappointed,” they wrote. “We had seen so many positive reviews. Our party of 3 tried the Dragon, street corn and the Pickle corn dogs. The dragon had a tasty dipping sauce … it was just a subpar corndog. The pickle dog was very large and hard to eat. … No taste at all. We spent $54 dollars on this meal. The only think it has going for it is it is on Disney’s Boardwalk.”
Do you think Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs is worth the price?