Disney World’s Best Quick Service Restaurants

I have visited Walt Disney World in Florida so many times I have lost count and yet my most recent visit was the first ever time I’ve used the Disney Dining Plan. The Disney Dining Plan covers the costs of most meals during your stay at the parks for a flat fee paid in advance. There are three tiers, the Quick-Service Dining Plan, the Disney Dining Plan and the Deluxe Dining Plan. The Quick Service Dining Plan is often offered free as an incentive for early booking if staying on location at Disney Parks, and you can then upgrade to either of the other two options, which is what we chose to do. We went for the Disney Dining Plan which includes one quick service meal, one waiter service meal and two snacks per day, this meant I tried so many more Disney dining options than I ever had before! The Dining Plan is a complex beast and I will save the full ins and outs for another post (although feel free to tweet me if you have any question) but after two weeks of eating at a quick service location for lunch at Disney World every day I thought I’d share with you my top five Disney World quick service restaurants:

Flame Tree BBQ: Animal Kingdom

The reason this place made my list is simply that the food is really tasty, what more do you need. The fare is different from what you get at a lot of quick-serve restaurants and it’s generally healthier from the usual options. The BBQ food is really fitting to the location within Animal Kingdom and the slightly tucked away outdoor seating is a surprisingly relaxing place to eat when you need a break from the overwhelming nature of the park. The theming is colourful and jungle theme but pretty minimal but the food is where it’s at, tasty food served fast, what more do you need!
Must Try: Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich

Sunshine Seasons: Epcot

This has been a favourite of mine for many years and I eat here on every visit.  While World Showcase does have some amazing offerings from around the world I personally would rather choose a restaurant there for dinner and stick to something more straight forward for lunch so I usually stay in Future World and make a beeline for Sunshine Seasons. Sunshine Seasons has several different stations covering a variety of foods from around the world so it’s great for families when everyone wants something different. Whilst the theming of the seating area definitely isn’t the best (well let’s be real, this whole indoor pavilion isn’t really Disney’s finest) the food is always really fresh and it’s a nice place to cool off and relax over lunch.
Must Try: Selection changes daily so just follow your tastebuds!

Cosmic Rays: Magic Kingdom

Out of all my choices, I think this one will be the most controversial. A lot of people don’t like it here, it is the busiest quick service location in the park but it deals with the crowds really well and sometimes American fast food is just what you need. The real star of the show here isn’t the food its Sonny Eclipse, the crooning alien who has been entertaining dinners with his space-themed patter, cringe-worthy jokes and bizarre songs since 1995 and as cheesy as it is its still super fun to watch while you eat. Long live Sonny Eclipse!

Gaston’s Tavern: Magic Kingdom

The theming of Gaston’s Tavern within New Fantasyland makes it worth a visit alone. As soon as you walk past the statue of Gaston outside and enter the antler filled tavern (yes, he really does use antlers in all of his decorating!) you feel as though you’ve stepped right into the film!  The food has an emphasis on sweet treats rather than lunches but the Warm Cinnamon Roll is so big it’s a meal in itself and definitely big enough to share.   Not only that but I think this is possibly the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had, it’s moist, sweet and truly delicious!   You might recognise it from my Theme Park Snacks post but it’s so good it’s worth mentioning twice!  La Fru’s Brew is also a must order, this beverage is perfectly zingy, sweet and refreshing, a great way to cool off. This location also serves the famous Minute Maid pomegranate lemonade that is only served at Disney parks, much to my despair!

Must Try: Warm Cinnamon Roll, La Fru’s Brew

Blaze Pizza: Disney Springs

Blaze is a subway-style restaurant for pizza and I can honestly say it’s the best pizza I’ve ever had! There was a huge queue for this the day I visited Disney Springs and it was totally worth the wait. Everything about the pizzas is perfect, they are cooked fast and to perfection, plus you can add whatever toppings you like! I am desperate for a Blaze to come to London already!

So that’s my thoughts, do you agree or disagree? Where is your favourite of Disney World quick service restaurants?  If you want to know more about Florida’s best theme park snacks check out my post and if you just want more Disney in your life check out my Disney Parks section.