Dining is a favorite thing of mine to do at Walt Disney World, or any world for that matter, but there is one particular place that draws me in every visit, without fail – ‘Ohana. Located on the second floor of the Polynesian Resort, this open fire pit dining experience is not to be missed. Read more
There is a lot of time and energy that goes into planning meals for your Disney vacation. Researching the many different options, finding out what your family would like, checking menus, picking the best times (and reserving them if possible), and then of course figuring out how to pay for it….are all part of the process.
(Now I do realize that many people prefer not to do that much planning when it comes to meals on their vacation…but I am guessing that if you are reading this, you are probably not one of them. 🙂 Nevertheless, if you are one of those people, keep reading….because this article will be of interest to you too. )
As part of my efforts to provide information for those trying to plan an affordable Disney vacation, a number of months ago I ran a survey asking what you, the readers, needed help with, when it comes to your Disney trip planning.
Overwhelmingly, the response was “We need help with dining”. People wanted to know things like:
And that was just for starters.
There are few things that brighten my day more than having someone who has never been to Walt Disney World contact me for help with their first ever trip. I get so excited for them and I really appreciate having the pleasure of helping them to plan such an important family trip.
No, I am not a travel agent nor do I have the skills of a travel agent. All I can offer is my advice from my own personal experiences and the first-hand knowledge gained from my travels to WDW this past many years. My children are always telling me I should go back to school and become a Disney travel agent but, as I tell them, I am looking forward to actually being able to stop working one day not start a whole new career from scratch. If I had known 20 years ago what I know now, that is exactly the path I would have taken.
Now, back to the reason for my post today. I was recently contacted by a very sweet lady named Andrea. She had some questions regarding her upcoming first-time Disney trip and I was very happy to help her. I thought that maybe others were having the same questions as she and so I thought I would share the advice I gave to her during our correspondence.
Continuing our series on Disney Dining, this week we’re going to discuss the largest food category at Disney World…and the one that nearly 
everyone will experience multiple times throughout a Disney vacation: Quick Service meals and Snacks.
When it comes to food choices in the Quick Service category, there are literally hundreds of places to eat. Over two hundred in fact, between the parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney. And if you add in the many, many more places where you can just grab a quick snack and keep on going….well there are a lot more than that. In other words…..you name it when it comes to food…and Disney has probably got it somewhere.
Quick Service meals are also known as “counter service” meals, and are of course, those meals where you get in and out quickly. You’re at a theme park for heaven’s sake: there are rides to ride and shows to see! Quick Service meals make it easy for you to get in and out, and Disney, being Disney, is pretty good for the most part, at making the process of eating….well…..quickly, pretty smooth.
While many QS places are lunch only, there are some (most, but not all, at the resorts) that also offer breakfast items. Nearly all offer a variety of foods beyond the basic entrees that are featured, with sides, desserts, fruit in some cases, and of course drinks available as well. Here you will also find kid’s meals, and happily Disney lately now offers healthy options for little ones (and parents who are *trying* to minimize the junk, fat, and sweets), with fruit and veggies instead of fries and dessert.
One of the nicest surprises for many folks who are visiting Disney for the first time, is just how much of a variety of food choices there are for QS meals. Yes, you can still get that theme park staple of burger, fries, and a soda…but you also can get many QS food options from countries all around the world, in addition to wraps, salads, “noodles”, turkey legs, sandwiches, chili, rotisserie chicken, soups…and a whole lot more. In fact, there is probably as much variety at Disney World in the QS food category, as there is in the Table Service category.
As to cost, there is again, a variety, but you can expect most QS adult entrees to be between $5-$7 each, but typically under $10. Not cheap, but the portions are also large, so it is very easy to make one entrée serve two people…or at least one adult and one child.
When it comes to snack items, you will find these pretty much everywhere. Many “snacks” are located at the QS places, and if you are on a Disney Dining Plan, you will find all snacks identified with the DDP snack designation. In addition, there are snacks at many little counter areas and carts all around the parks. Some snacks, like packaged chips, pretzels, and candy are available in shops (if you are trying to use DDP snack credits, always ask if you are not sure, as this does change). And again, you’ll find a lot of choices! Breakfast snacks include bagels, croissants, muffins, and breakfast sandwiches …and increasingly, fruit and yogurt.
Snacks for the rest of the day? Well, you name it and it is probably in Disney World somewhere! In fact, there are some really incredible snack options available, with many folks having some strong opinions as to the “best” snack available! In fact, entire articles have been written to describe some of these fantastic snacks, so if you want to really have an idea of specific items that you just HAVE to try, check out these blog posts:
As to cost for snacks? These can really add up if you are not careful. Here is where a food budget can easily be blown, even if you are on one of the Dining Plans because you buy stuff on a whim because it just “looks so darn good!” In general, you will find snack prices to vary widely from a dollar or so, up to $4-$5 each. (Tip: If you are using the Dining Plan, and think you will consume more snacks than your daily allotment of Snack Credits….save the Credits for more expensive items, and pay cash for cheaper things like fruit etc.)
At the resorts, you will find a wide variety of Quick Service and snack options as well. At the Value and Moderate resorts there are food courts, while Deluxe properties don’t typically have food courts, but instead have snack shops or counters where you can get a QS meal or purchase snacks. Because these are in the resorts, most have a decent selection of breakfast items, and some are open 24 hours (always check though, as we have tried to get “late night” snacks a few times and missed out because they were closed).
One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to QS meals or snacks is that being creative can provide you with some delicious food…and possibly save you some money as well….so try some new things, share large portions, watch for healthy choices, and use those Dining Plan credits wisely,
In case you are wondering, here are some of our family’s favorite places for a Quick Service meal, as well as some yummy Snacks:
And if you would like more suggestions on great Quick Service or snack options, be sure to check out these great posts from the Disney Food Blog:
We are pleased that this post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Be sure to head on over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles from some of the internet’s most interesting and talented bloggers!