For those who cannot afford the table service meals and those who want to eat quickly and get back to the parks I thought this would be a nice subject.
Starting with the Magic Kingdom
We found the best quick service to be Columbia Harbor House, it opens at 11:00 am and usually a line is already formed which can give you an idea how nice it is.
The fish and chicken is great, I usually have the salmon with rice, it use to have couscous which I really don't like, I was going to ask for French fries which they will do.
Remember, if a menu has something you don't like, just ask, they may be able to change it for you.
I will get back to the other quick service restaurants at another time.
EPCOT
The Season's at the land Pavilion has a nice assortment, we enjoy the breakfast platter (use Texas Pete hot sauce)
Liberty Inn in America has a great all American Burger, everything was cooked to perfection (bacon was crisp not rubbery and undercooked).
Another method without spending too much money is to bring cereal, bowls and spoons with you, each morning we would purchase milk and our children would have their favorite cereal in the room. Most resorts have a quick service area along with bread, milk and other essentials.
Then after a very busy morning in the parks, we headed back to the resort for lunch, which we also brought with us, Peanut Butter and Jelly, sometimes we needed to purchase a loaf of bread. Then it was time to swim and relax before heading back to the parks for the night.
This is where we usually purchased a quick service meal.
Maybe I should have explained earlier, we drove to WDW back in those days, not sure about packing these on an airline?
Disney Springs - We always go to the Earl of Sandwich, good food for the price. BB Wolf has a great Italian sausage, pepper and onion sandwich. So many more food options at DS for us to try.
I was going to mention the Dino Diner at Animal Kingdom, this past December I enjoyed the sausage, pepper and onion hoagie. It was good, just like the one at Electric Umbrella the year before, for some reason both are replaced. One of my fun things to do is check the menu's on WDW dining and plan the next trips eats. Some of us think about eating more than others but we all need to eat.
Magic Kingdom: Columbia Harbour House ----- It tends to be a very popular spot. I love their Lobster Roll and my wife has gotten their Shrimp & Fish Combo. For those that haven't eaten here but are afraid they won't get a seat when seeing the crowds, there is an upstairs seating area that a lot of guess don't know about. We always eat up stairs and near a window. It is a place to eat, relax, and watch the park go by below.
Cosmic Rays' Starlight Cafe ----- Basic park food of burgers and fries but better than fast food. The complaint has been for years that there isn't enough seating but WDW just finished a recent addition to more outdoor seating.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe ----- We used to eat here for lunch almost every time we were at MK but that was back when it was burger and BBQ joint and they want the burger bar fixings. We haven't tried it since they switch the menu to nachos and Mexican.
Other heard about but never tried ----- Casey's Corner (if you like hot dogs), Be Our Guest (lunch; dinner is Table Service)
Epcot: Sunshine Seasons ----- A great mix of food selections from Asian food to large salads to pizzas and sandwiches. We love The Land Pavilion so this is a place we visit often.
Yorkshire County Fish Shop ----- A great way to eat Fish & Chips without having to eat at Rose & Crown and their Table Service. Often the only problem is finding a place to eat. There are some benches and curb space on the back side of the UK Pavilion where the Mary Poppins Meet-N-Greet is, or a few tables down around the water, or in the Rose & Crown Pud (sometimes).
Hollywood Studios: We typically eat here before we are hungry and don't want to leave the park so have tried and would eat at again but nothing fancy to "write home about".
ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, and Rosie's All-American Cafe
Animal Kingdom: Satu'li ----- We ate here on our last trip and totally was impressed. We would eat here again. We also believe the grilled beef is more flavorful than the grilled chicken.
Disney Springs: D-Luxe Burger ----- The burgers are delicious and big enough for two to share especially if you share a regular order of fries. We tried them shortly after they first open and we have returned when we are hungry for a great burger.
Cookes of Dublin ----- Same GREAT Fish & Chips from Raglan Road but without the Tablet Service!!!
We want to try the baskets at Wine Bar George.
For us, Earl of Sandwich is a good chain restaurant if you are looking for traditional-style deli and salad place but not one like to visit.
Resorts: We typically don't eat many Quick Services around the resorts. We use resort dining mostly for Table Service so I have nothing to report here.
Mostly all the countries in EPCOT have a quick serve which I have tried one time or another. And I have enjoyed them all at one time or another, with that said, I have also had some that were not that fresh. It all depends on the time of day or night and if they already have most of it cooked waiting for you to purchase. If you find any does not taste fresh, such as the bread is stale or the meat overcooked, just ask for a replacement and they will provide it. The only country I can think of at the moment with no quick serve is Canada, Italy has now made the pizza window permanent.
Back to the Columbia Harbor House. I have attempted to eat the lobster roll a few times but always buy the Salmon which is great. This means our next trip I have to try the lobster, also wanted to try the shrimp and fish, guess I need a few more times. My wife always gets the chicken and this is good also.
Rich, wish you didn't tell everyone to go upstairs, that is our favorite place to eat looking out the window and watching people walk below.
If anyone see's an older man with 2 knee braces and cane going up the stairs say hello, most likely it's me.
On our last visit, my wife and I were just finishing up lunch (we were fortunate to get a window seat, most tables were full) and a family from England asked if they could join us. Of course we said yes, the teen sat with us while the parents went to order the food. We didn't want to leave her alone, so we stayed and talked, had a great time talking with her and her family.
That's where we're going for lunch after we unpack. So glad there's an upstairs to people watch.
Briarrose, it opens at 11:00 AM, most days a line starts before then, we usually get a fastpass + for the Haunted Mansion just prior to 11 and then eat lunch. Have fun people watching.
This does deal with Quick Service but not meals. Has anyone realized how quiet it is now at the American Adventure, Liberty Inn? I'm not sure when they finally listened to me until this past December. I wanted a burger and my wife and I decided to try the Liberty Inn. It has been a few years since eating inside due to the noise level. We bought our food and found a table, as we pulled the chairs out, they did not make the terrible scraping of metal on cement noise, the noise used to vibrate off the walls and ceiling. I looked down and they put rubber feet on the metal chairs, I suggested this about 3 years ago. Now I have to suggest open garbage containers or rubber stoppers on the swinging garbage can doors. They are quit loud now. Crying children, oh well. LOL
I also suggested the chairs at UK and Norway be cemented into the ground (being swivel). This will give other guests the chance to sit down to eat since too many take chairs from other tables. Especially at the UK before the fireworks when 1 person saves chairs for 8, Disney says saving chairs is not allowed, but if you complain, they are not allowed to do anything.
This does deal with Quick Service but not meals. Has anyone realized how quiet it is now at the American Adventure, Liberty Inn? I'm not sure when they finally listened to me until this past December. I wanted a burger and my wife and I decided to try the Liberty Inn. It has been a few years since eating inside due to the noise level. We bought our food and found a table, as we pulled the chairs out, they did not make the terrible scraping of metal on cement noise, the noise used to vibrate off the walls and ceiling. I looked down and they put rubber feet on the metal chairs, I suggested this about 3 years ago. Now I have to suggest open garbage containers or rubber stoppers on the swinging garbage can doors. They are quit loud now. Crying children, oh well. LOL
I also suggested the chairs at UK and Norway be cemented into the ground (being swivel). This will give other guests the chance to sit down to eat since too many take chairs from other tables. Especially at the UK before the fireworks when 1 person saves chairs for 8, Disney says saving chairs is not allowed, but if you complain, they are not allowed to do anything.
You let me know when Disney listens to you and figures out how to control the crying kids.
Prior: Offsite most every other years from 1972 - 2000
Most recent: Offsite 2001 & 2003 / ASM 2006 / Offsite 2009 / Poly 2011 / POR 2013 / CR 2014 / GF 2015 / DS Hotel 2017 / BC 2017 / POR 2018
This does deal with Quick Service but not meals. Has anyone realized how quiet it is now at the American Adventure, Liberty Inn? I'm not sure when they finally listened to me until this past December. I wanted a burger and my wife and I decided to try the Liberty Inn. It has been a few years since eating inside due to the noise level. We bought our food and found a table, as we pulled the chairs out, they did not make the terrible scraping of metal on cement noise, the noise used to vibrate off the walls and ceiling. I looked down and they put rubber feet on the metal chairs, I suggested this about 3 years ago. Now I have to suggest open garbage containers or rubber stoppers on the swinging garbage can doors. They are quit loud now. Crying children, oh well. LOL
I also suggested the chairs at UK and Norway be cemented into the ground (being swivel). This will give other guests the chance to sit down to eat since too many take chairs from other tables. Especially at the UK before the fireworks when 1 person saves chairs for 8, Disney says saving chairs is not allowed, but if you complain, they are not allowed to do anything.
You let me know when Disney listens to you and figures out how to control the crying kids.
I keep telling myself it's all for the children and move on. That's our secret, we move on. lol
Always enjoyed the fish and chips in the UK's quick service window. This time while in line the fish had a fishy smell unlike Cod. I asked the lady what kind of fish they have and she said they changed to Tilapia recently. Oh well, I passed on this since I really don't like Tilapia. Could be WDW changed to a farm raised fish to save the wild Cod which I've read has been overfished.
Columbia Harbor House has changed some of the menu, the chicken strips are now chicken nuggets and instead of a plate it's served in a cardboard box. Salmon is still great, I had that twice. The American Adventure's Liberty Inn has a really good bacon cheeseburger and the chicken sandwich is better than Columbia Harbor House chicken.