McDonald's pulls sponsorship and fries stands

[Wadeace]

Dose any one else here miss the McDonald's fries stands in the parks.

for me it was a little thing that made the trip feel complete. especially at MGM, while my dad and siblings would go on TOT and RRC, me and my mom would walk to the fries stand and share the fries and talk and catch up.

i know Disney cant control when and if a sponsoring compony decides to remove its sponsorship but a part of me was disappointed to here that McDonald's pulled it and was further disappointed to see the fries stands turned into popcorn stands and what not when i was there last.


so any way, thats my two cents, it there my one else that felt that way or am i the only one.

[seanyred]

Personally I never understood why so many people lined up for something that you can get practically any where in the world. So I really don't miss them

[DisneyPrincess21]

Personally I never understood why so many people lined up for something that you can get practically any where in the world. So I really don't miss them

Practically anywhere EXCEPT disney lol :D

[Itchy]

As a previous poster stated I cant get upset about McDonald pulling out. I can go almost anywhere and get McDonalds stuff.

When I go to WDW I am looking for something that I cannot get at home. My famly and I will walk right by the stands or drive by the McDonalds outside of the All Star Resorts.

Why? go for a Big Mac when you can have a real meal.

I know that sometimes a buck is a buck.

My two cents as well.

[WishesFan13]

I miss them too. I can't really say why because i can get them at home, but i do miss them.

[dtootsie42]

I don't miss them at all. Like others have said I did not really understand why so many people would line up for something that they could so easily get at home.

[Lakin]

I kind of miss them, too.

And for those who wonder why, some of us (Erm, like me) are really picky, and like knowing that for a quick snack, we can get something that we know we will be satisfied with. I get your point, though.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Add me to the list of those that do not miss them. I can't ever recall a time when we purchased anything for any of the Mcdonald's "locations" in the parks. I think my kids may have wanted to once or twice, but I talked them into trying something different. We have eaten at the McDonald's at DTD, but its been years. Nope, don't miss them at all.

[CleveSJM]

... or drive by the McDonalds outside of the All Star Resorts. ...


Does anyone know if this is open again? Last time I was down (May?), it was all torn up.

[SBETigg]

I'm on the side of "don't miss it." We never got McDonald's at WDW, fries at stands or otherwise.

[doombuggygal]

The McDonald's near the All-Stars Resorts has been remodled and is open.

[Wadeace]

i find the the quality of some of the quick service leaves something to be desired, and it was a great snack to between brunch and a late dinner.


also its my understanding that McDonald's has pulled completely out of disney. there is no longer a sponsor for dinosaur all the McDonald's restaurants have been converted into disney quick service. the dtd location is a wolf gang puck express.

when i went last week end, they had already unbranded and the joke about the pipes being condiments was still.

[JPL]

I never really liked them being in the parks in the first place and was happy to see them leave. I felt it really cheapened the parks and started them down the same path as Six Flags with over priced brand name Fast food that you could get anywhere and for a lot less money. I hope Disney has learned from and doesn't do the smae thing with another chain.

[Wadeace]

so i was wrong about McDonald's being turned into wolf gang puck express... but disney has decided not to renew its merchandise contract with McDonald's

[LudwigVonDrake]

No big loss :shrug:

[SandmanGStefani24]

i agree with ludwig...

while i love mcd fries piping hot out of the oil, and did like stopping at Petrifries, and grabbing a quick snack i could eat on the go, im sure there's something else i could munch on at the parks. i could go either way on this one.

as for the giant happy meal shaped Mcds by the all stars, thats another story. i love resort food but sometimes on vacation i wanna go unhealthy and have fast food. it's also cheaper so i'm glad it's there/

[poohspal]

I won't miss it for me, but DD will be disappointed. She is a picky eater, and looked forward to a trip to McDonald's on vacation. It was usually either at AK, or in Epcot. DH and I would get it for her, and we could get something elsewhere that we wanted.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I think this is much-ado-about-nothing.
2) McDonald's was a sponsor, and the sponsorship ended.
3) There was nothing good or bad about Mickey-D's in the parks or DTD.
4) We should all remember that we eat lots of WDW food that's available elsewhere.
5) Actually, we eat A LOT at home and at WDW.
. . . Mickey Bars (are just Nestle bars)
. . . Coke products
. . . Minute Maid juice
. . . Hi-C drinks
. . . Nescafé hot dogs
. . . Orville Redenbacker
. . . Smucker products
. . . etc

NOTE: Before we get into a talk about Nescafé coffee at WDW, Nescafé supplies over 300 different products to WDW & DL under an 11-year contract. So, much of what is eaten in carts and restaurants comes from them, and eaten by many of us at home almost daily.

[DisneyFr33k]

Personally I never understood why so many people lined up for something that you can get practically any where in the world. So I really don't miss them

:exactly: This is how I feel. Plus, since switching to a healthier eating life style, when I eat their fries, I end up sick. Even it I eat just one or two. Whatever oil they cook them in does in my intestines! So we won't miss them one bit!

[Sunshine1010]

I'm not on one 'side' or the other....but.......

......I think it's 'okay' to miss them. Perhaps some people actually like them. Who are we to wonder why people like McDonald's fries.

[BluewaterBrad]

I never really liked them being in the parks in the first place and was happy to see them leave. I felt it really cheapened the parks and started them down the same path as Six Flags with over priced brand name Fast food that you could get anywhere and for a lot less money. I hope Disney has learned from and doesn't do the smae thing with another chain.



I feel the same way!:mickey:

[jillluvsdisney]

I won't miss them. Thankfully the McDonald's by All Stars is still open though. I MUST have my iced coffee fix.:secret:

[PETE FROM NYC]

I avoid McDonalds totally.
Never cared for their food except when I was desperate and nothing else was available.
PS I have the same feelings about Burger King.
If, on a rare ocassion I want a fast food burger,I much prefer Wendy's or White Castle.
The only positive thing I can say about McD's or BK is that its a good first job for teens.

[Seasonscraps]

For some reason, I thought McDonald's pulled the fry carts out a while ago. I may have had them as a snack a couple of times - I am not really a fan of Disney's CS fries but I don't go out of my way for them. Is the McD's in DTD closing too?


I avoid McDonalds totally.
Never cared for their food except when I was desperate and nothing else was available.
PS I have the same feelings about Burger King.
If, on a rare ocassion I want a fast food burger,I much prefer Wendy's or White Castle.
The only positive thing I can say about McD's or BK is that its a good first job for teens.

I love White Castles -- one of the good things about living in queens. :D

[Mrs Bus Driver]

I don't go to WDW or DL for the fries :mickey:

[epceddie]

I stopped eating french fries a year ago to help with my blood sugar, which has gone way down, so I can't say that I miss them. Also, I've dropped some weight and I feel a whole better.

[Live4WDW]

:mickey: I have to say, I like fries. It had been awhile since a Disney visit, probably the late 80's, the penny arcade was still there. I finally got to go in 2006 and I saw the little french fry places with mcdonalds on them and I thought how pitiful it was. I could not believe they had that in Disney. I must say, I am glad they are gone. They just did not belong. I was really stunned, at how the World had changed, maybe now it is changing for the better. I would feel the same way about any other chain restaurant being allowed in the park. It turns it into something else. See ya Ronald, go play in the sand at a beach near you!:mickey:

[VWL Mom]

I'm not on one 'side' or the other....but.......

......I think it's 'okay' to miss them. Perhaps some people actually like them. Who are we to wonder why people like McDonald's fries.

:exactly:

[prttynpnk]

I won't miss the fries, but I will miss the dino themed ads in front of Dinosaur- I thought they were cute. :secret:

[Goes4FastPass]

I think it's OK to "like" McDonald's fries. I think it's not OK for them to be important to someone.

I recently heard a co-worker of mine say, "My child knows which brand of chicken nuggets are the right brand and she won't eat any others. I only buy her the right brand because anything else would be a waste or money." This a bad parent doing a lousy job of preparing her child to be a person living on the earth.

PS: I confess I haul Diet Mountain Dew to Disney World in my checked luggage.

[MNNHFLTX]

To the OP--it's understandable that you miss the fries for nostalgic reasons. It sounds like you have some fond memories of the time spent with your mom that is associated with them. :)

I was not a fan of the fries (or McDonald's), but I have similar memories associated with the ice cream shop on Main Street in the MK and would be disappointed if they closed that down.

[bruin1344]

As a previous poster stated I cant get upset about McDonald pulling out. I can go almost anywhere and get McDonalds stuff.

When I go to WDW I am looking for something that I cannot get at home. My famly and I will walk right by the stands or drive by the McDonalds outside of the All Star Resorts.

Why? go for a Big Mac when you can have a real meal.

I know that sometimes a buck is a buck.

My two cents as well.

i agree

[JohnnyNovo]

Its seems most of the people that posted are adults. I tend to think McDonalds was there more for the childern. I do kind of miss them being there for my kids. For example: My daughter fell and skined her knee. The only thing that would calm her down and make her feel better was some McDonalds fries. Its comfort food to kids. While I can see that most adults would have adventurous tastes, kids like food that makes them comfortable.

[Granny Jill A]

I'm in the No, I don't Miss Them column. When I travel, I like to experience different kinds of food. I don't select something I can get on any street corner back home.

Unless I'm staying someplace where all they serve are sheep's knuckles or something weird like that.:D

[EPCOT84]

Bringing in franchise brands may have been an efficient business model, and as one poster said, it is comfort food for kids, but as a park experience somehow seeing the golden arches felt like an intrusion of the real world. That was a first kneejerk reaction.

However, when I think about it, Disney has had corporate sponsors in all its parks and sometimes the food is from those sponsors so there is not that much of a difference. The sodas and popcorn are from outside companies but is part of the park culture. But yes somehow seeing McD in the parks felt odd. Go figure !

[Seasonscraps]

Bringing in franchise brands may have been an efficient business model, and as one poster said, it is comfort food for kids, but as a park experience somehow seeing the golden arches felt like an intrusion of the real world. That was a first kneejerk reaction.

However, when I think about it, Disney has had corporate sponsors in all its parks and sometimes the food is from those sponsors so there is not that much of a difference. The sodas and popcorn are from outside companies but is part of the park culture. But yes somehow seeing McD in the parks felt odd. Go figure !


I was thinking the same thing about corporate sponsorship...look at Coke. I also dont see where having a McDonald's burger is any different then having a burger from one of the CS places.

[darthmacho]

In my opinion, McDonald's can keep their fries, but I hope that your little ritual with your Mom doesn't come to an end. After all, it wasn't really the fries that made those moments special, was it? Maybe you both can start a new tradition by exploring other snack options. How about a Mickey Ice Cream? :bar:

[bkfree]

When you have a child that is ASD with sensory issues, a familiar food such as MickeyD's can be a godsend when at the park. So we will miss them.
I would not be so quick to judge a parent as good or bad in regard to food. You have no idea what other underlying issues may be at work. If you have never parented a child with autism or sensory issues, then you have cannot fathom how welcome the Golden Arches can be at times.
Judge not lest ye be judged.

And I know plenty of adults that will only eat or drink certain brands and they are doing just fine living in the "real world".

[Mrs Bus Driver]

Dose any one else here miss the McDonald's fries stands in the parks.

for me it was a little thing that made the trip feel complete. especially at MGM, while my dad and siblings would go on TOT and RRC, me and my mom would walk to the fries stand and share the fries and talk and catch up.

i know Disney cant control when and if a sponsoring compony decides to remove its sponsorship but a part of me was disappointed to here that McDonald's pulled it and was further disappointed to see the fries stands turned into popcorn stands and what not when i was there last.


so any way, thats my two cents, it there my one else that felt that way or am i the only one.

I would like to make amends to the op for my first response.

I don't go to WDW or DL for the fries
After reading others posts I finally get what you are saying. It's not the fries it is the time with Mom and the fries were a symbol of that. So on that account I am sorry the fries are gone. However you do have your memories and you will make new ones. :mickey:

[ajpa]

No, I'm personally not senti about McD's fries.
But if the turkey legs ever go away you will see me bawl!

[Auroring Good Time]

We actually liked the fries. I don't usually get them at McDonalds at home because they're not as good as they were at Disney. At Disney they were always fresh and hot, just perfect. I could care less about anything else from McDonald's but i will miss the fry carts.