If you are at all familiar with dining at Disney World, you know that there are three basic categories: Table Service, Counter Service, and Snacks. Table Service meals can be further broken down by regular table service, character meals, and dinner shows but that is a story for another day. The differentiation between the three categories is important for a few reasons. First of all, if you have one of the Disney Dining Plans you are allowed a certain amount of daily credits for each of the three categories so you want to make sure that you are eating at a restaurant that fits the correct category. Also, the type of restaurant will tell you approximately the price range per meal if you are not on the DDP, which is certainly helpful when budgeting. It's also going to tell you about how long it will take to eat which is definitely helpful if you're trying to plan around a show or parade.
Today I'm writing about some of my favorite Counter Service options all around the parks. Counter Service restaurants are fast food type restaurants where you place your order at the counter and find your own table in a nearby pavillion. If you are on the DDP, you are paying for your meals in advance and this can be a huge savings of your total vacation. I feel like you should maximize your savings by eating at the best places possible, don't just assume all counter service is the same. There is really a very wide range of options with Counter Service meals: some are more along the lines of McDonald's but others are more like Moe's, Zaxby's, or Chik-fil-A. Here in no particular order are some of my personal favorites all over Disney World. These are all places I have personally eaten and enjoyed, but it's not a comprehensive list.
1. Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom-I love this little gem located in Liberty Square! It's decorated like a New England seaside Inn, and I love that it has seating on two floors so it's always pretty easy to find a good table. They also have a cool little coloring station next to the ordering line to occupy the kids for a few minutes while you order. My favorite entree here is the Garden Harvest Salad which comes with mixed greens, grilled chicken, cheese, sunflower seeds, blanched broccoli, and your choice of dressing. They also feature several specialty sandwiches, fried shrimp and fish,
and of course clam chowder. For kids they have a grilled chicken salad, mac and cheese, chicken fingers, and PB and J. If you are on the dining plan, it includes a dessert. I recommend the chocolate cake because I usually am too full to eat the dessert right after lunch and the chocolate cake comes in a great little to go container with a lid and is very transportable. I like to stick the desserts in my bag and later on while we're waiting on a parade or fireworks we have a nice snack handy and the kids aren't begging for a snack from the of the street vendors passing by.
2. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Magic Kingdom-Located in Frontierland, I love going here right after getting a fastpass for Splash Mountain so that when I'm finished eating I can usually get right on the ride. This is a great option for a picky eater because of their "fixin' bar" which is a manned station of toppings for your sandwiches like sauteed mushrooms and onions, cheeses, sauces, etc. I love the chicken wrap here-it's very big and you can add toppings. Burgers are also a great option here because of the fabulous toppings! For kids they only have burgers and chicken salads so beware if you little one is finicky. Another great thing about this restaurant is that there are cast members in the seating pavillion area who will find you a table.
3. Yak and Yeti Counter Service in Animal Kingdom Park-I love to go here when I want a break from sandwiches. My kids also love Chinese food and this is their favorite counter service meal in all of Disney. My favorite meal here is the Honey Chicken, but their Sweet and Sour Chicken is also great. All the entrees come in fun little Chinese takeout cartons, and like all the restaurants in Animal Kingdom the drinks come with Earth friendly paper straws. One tip for those of you with small children-they don't give you lids on your drinks anyhwere in Animal Kingdom so you may want to bring your own sippy cup. If you are on the dining plan your meal comes with a dessert. I love the frozen lemonade here on a warm day for dessert, and it's easy to take with you as you walk to your next ride. If your kids are not big on Chinese food, they also have chicken nuggets or cheeseburgers. Keep in mind that there is also a table service restaurant called the Yak and Yeti. The food for both places is prepared in the same kitchen, so you're really getting a table service quality meal at counter service prices.
4. ABC Comissary at Hollywood Studios-This restaurant is great for groups with a lot of people because there is something for everyone! Fried fish, chicken cordon bleu, Asian Salad (my personal fave), chicken curry, and cheeseburgers with kosher meals available. My kids love the ham and cheese wraps they have here, and we love the strawberry parfait for dessert. They also offer a selection of wines and bottled beers.
5. La Cantintina de San Angel Counter Service in Mexico/World Showcase/Epcot-This restaurant is located just outside the table service restaurant of the same name and like many other Counter Service restaurants the food is prepared in the same kitchen as its table service counterpart. I like to spend the morning at Epcot getting fastpasses for Soarin', Test Track, and Mission: Space so I usually end up getting to World Showcase right at lunchtime. Mexico is your first stop inside WS so timing is perfect to stop for a quick bite! My favorite thing here is the nachos but they have great chicken tacos as well. For the kids they have chicken fingers or cheese empanadas with fruit. Of course, nothing beats the midday heat like a Lime Raspberry Margarita or a Passionfruit Margarita, or a Dos Equis draft, and they also have a selection of Mexican sodas and Agua fresca. Don't forget to go in the big pyramid across the street for a kidcot craft and a boatride with the Three Caballeros afterward!
6. The Mara at Animal Kingdom Lodge- If you are staying at this resort, this restaurant is a must, but even if you aren't I recommend stopping by here for a meal. I know a lot of people who like to go to Donald's Restaurantasaurus Breakfast at Animal Kingdom Park but that uses up your table service credit for the day. I always recommend that after a day at AK Park you stop by the AK Lodge to stroll through their massive collection of artwork and eat a counter service meal at The Mara. Afterward, you can take a night vision tour of the Animal Preserve at the resort for free! The Mara is also home to my absolute favorite counter service meal in Disney World- the Vegetable Flatbread with olives, cheese, and pesto. They have a pretty big menu for a counter service restaurant and serve things like a half chicken dinner, Fried Shrimp, Falafel Pita, Angus Burgers, as well as a good choice fo salads and sandwiches. For kids they have burgers, pizza, mac and cheese, roasted chicken, and chicken nuggets. Another great thing about this restaurant is that if you don't want a dessert they will let you get one of their grab and go sides like their hummus with pita bread (my fave). If you do want something sweet, they have great little zebra dome cookies that come in a to go container so you can easily take it back to your room to enjoy later
7. Pepper Market at Coronado Springs Resort- The Pepper Market is an open air food court which is perfect for large groups that can't agree on what to eat. When you arrive, a CM gives you a ticket and takes your party to a table. You take your ticket to each station and get it stamped according to what, you want to eat. If you aren't on the DDP you take your ticket and pay for what you got at the end. Keep in mind, this is not an all you can eat buffet but rather cafeteria style dining (think Piccadilly). Each station will offer daily specials as well as some standards like Nachos, Fajitas, and Steak at the Chef's Station, Salads and Sandwiches at the Market Station, Burgers, Ribs, and Steaks at the Grill Station, as well as a choice of Paninnis and Pizzas. They also serve specialty coffees, margaritas, and beer. I like to get the Pizza Margherita here, but everything I've tried is pretty good.
8. Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney Marketplace -I'm always a little surprised to find this restaurant in the Counter Service category, but it is! They offer a pretty wide variety of choices from hot sandwiches, soups, and salads to large pasta dishes, but I'm of the opinion that you can't go to Wolfgang Puck's and not try one of the famous wood fired pizzas. My personal favorite is the four cheese pesto which has parmesan, mozzarella, fontina, goat cheese, plum tomatoes, fresh basil, and sun dried tomatoes (YUM). There are several other specialty pizzas to choose from and as far as I'm concerned you can't go wrong! You can't beat this level of food for this price!
As I said before this is by no means a comprehensive list of all the good Couner Service restaurants found all over Walt Disney World, just a short list of my personal favorites. I like to try new places every time I go but the vast majority of them I haven't tried yet so I can't give a review. Please don't assume that if a restaurant is not on this list that it will be gross. Here are a few more tips I can give you on finding the best places to eat at Disney. I try to go to the places off the main hubs of the parks. The giant burger places closest the the center hubs of each of the parks are usually the lowest quality food and the busiest, a pretty bad combination if you ask me. Head to the outer corners of the parks for the restaurants that are themed to the area in which they are located (like Pecos Bill's in Frontierland). Ask other people in line for rides where they ate and if it was good. Most people are in the same boat as you and would love your input as well. Also, ask a cast member (all Disney Parks employees are called Cast Members by the way) for a suggestion. You will quickly find that Disney Cast Members are about the nicest people in the world and love to talk about the parks. If I'm ever in an area of the park and not familiar with any of the places to eat, I'll usually ask the closest CM what is good around there are what do they serve. Of course, the best way to plan your meals is to talk to your Disney Travel Agent for a list on the best places to go. You can tell us your family's favorite things to eat as well as any food concerns or allergies and we will be glad to help you create a list of places to try and map it out for you!
