Planning a Walt Disney World vacation is unlike planning any other vacation you will ever take.  There are SO MANY DECISIONS to make (including where you want to eat), and you can make dining reservations as early as 6 months in advance!  Some people prefer to be spontaneous and plan trips as little as a month ahead of time, and for those people, a “dream” Disney trip can quickly turn into a nightmare because of the amount of planning that goes into a Disney vacation. The reservations are of course for the table service restaurants, but what should people do with all of their quick service credits that are part of the dining plan?  Or, if a visitor chooses to forego the dining plan, what are some of the less expensive dining options that he/she should consider?  My next few posts will address these issues as I share a few of my favorite Quick Service/Counter Service dining options at each of the theme parks in Walt Disney World.

Let’s start with the Magic Kingdom:  There are a total of 24 restaurants in the Magic Kingdom in the “counter service” category.  Without a doubt, the #1 Quick Service restaurant in this park is Be Our Guest located in Beast’s castle in Fantasyland.  The quality of food offered in this restaurant is comparable to table service meals that you would find elsewhere.  When my family last visited Orlando in 2013, the restaurant was brand new, and we waited in line for about 45 minutes to get in, but no one complained because it was just THAT GOOD.

Just to whet your appetite, here is a sampling of what entrees are offered at Be Our Guest during lunch: slow-cooked pork with carrots and green beans and mashed potatoes (this is what my very picky 8 year-old son ordered, and it was by far the most he ate during our week-long vacation!); a couple of different sandwich options (French Dip or Ham or Turkey); a couple of soups (Potato Leek or French Onion); and some salad options as well.  They also offer grilled shrimp on the kids’ meal menu.  And I don’t have enough time or space to talk about the desserts, so let me just re-emphasize this:  THE FOOD IS REALLY GOOD!

In addition to the food, the atmosphere enhances a visit to this #1 quick serve location. Guests can choose to eat in three distinct dining areas:  The Grand Ballroom (my favorite), the West Wing (it’s a little dark in here), or the Castle Gallery (the most “ordinary” of the three dining areas).

Due to its popularity, Be Our Guest is the one and only quick serve restaurant in WDW that requires a reservation for both breakfast and lunch. (At dinner Be Our Guest uses a TABLE SERVICE credit on the meal plan; it is only considered QUICK SERVICE during breakfast and lunch, but regardless of when you want to eat here, you MUST have a reservation!)

So, what about those impromptu visits to the Magic Kingdom? Guests without a reservation?  Are there any other good options for you?  Absolutely.  My next favorite quick serve choice in Magic Kingdom for lunch or dinner would be Columbia Harbor House tucked away in the Liberty Square area of the park.  I have found this to be a “hidden gem”; during the times I have visited, it has not seemed to be nearly as crowded as some of the other locations in the park.  According to the Walt Disney World website, guests can enjoy “fried fish, shrimp or chicken baskets, lobster rolls, New England clam chowder, grilled salmon, vegetarian chili and salads.” Some of the “finer” seafood options are only available during “dinner” hours, so you may plan your schedule to fit in a dinner at this location.                                                      https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/columbia-harbour-house/menus/

One of my favorite places in the Magic Kingdom to get a quick breakfast is Gaston’s Tavern in the very back of Fantasyland (behind Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and close to Beast’s castle.  While this location does NOT accept dining plans, it can still be an economical out-of-pocket choice because the cinnamon rolls are MAN-sized and large enough to split between two or three people…. (Only the BIGGEST and BEST can be served in Gaston’s Tavern!)

Another place worth an “honorable mention” would be Casey’s Corner on the corner of Main Street, U.S.A.  Walt Disney World’s website promotes it as an All-American favorite:  “Hit it out of the park with American baseball favorites:  hot dogs, corn dog nuggets, French fries, cotton candy and Cracker Jack.”  As a baseball fanatic, this location has been on my list of places to visit for years; however, for some reason, our plans have always had us in other areas of the park whenever it was time to eat, so if you stop by Casey’s Corner, eat a hot dog for me while you are there!

Also on my list of places to try (I haven’t actually eaten here, but I think it looks like a good alternative to the traditional theme park food) is  Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, located in Frontierland.  This restaurant offers some quick Mexican food options in contrast to the standard burger and fries.  Disney describes it this way:  “Rustle up some grub at this Old West saloon!  Tell tall tales over chicken fajitas, beef burritos, and the pepper jack-topped Southwest Burger–all before riding off into the sunset to the taste of sweet treats like mini churros with dipping chocolate.”  My husband LOVES Mexican food, and who doesn’t love churros?  We may have to plan our Magic Kingdom touring around this quick service option.  https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/pecos-bill-tall-tale-inn-and-cafe/menus/

If you happen to have a super picky child in your party who only wants to eat chicken nuggets for every meal, then my final recommendation, Golden Oak Outpost, also in Frontierland will be the perfect stop for you.  They ONLY serve chicken breast nuggets (8 pieces) with waffle fries.  You can find this walk-up counter service option on the far LEFT side of the park as you are walking between Adventureland and Frontierland (close to Splash Mountain).  So get your child some chicken nuggets, and then the adults in the party can walk around the corner to Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe to enjoy some Mexican food.

Hope you find this to be helpful as you begin narrowing your choices in where to eat while visiting the most magical kingdom on earth!  In the next post, we will look at the other “kingdom” in WDW… Animal Kingdom.  Until then… have a magical day!