As a Disney fanatic, talking about all things Disney is one of my favorite things to do. I’m sure the majority of you can totally relate. Not only do I love to talk about Disney, but I also love sharing my park tips and helping everyone with their Disney planning and questions. I am your WDWNT Hostess with the Mostess.
I am very excited to announce that I will be posting weekly and talking about my favorite Disney attractions, restaurants, foods, shows, characters, etc! But the fun doesn’t stop there! I want to hear from YOU! Sure, it’s really fun to talk about what I like, but it’s more fun to hear about what you like! At the end of my posts, I will have a poll where you can vote for your “Disney favorite” on that topic. Then, the next week I will post what you voted for! I’m so excited to share my love of Disney with you and to see what all of you other Disney fanatics think.
Picking my first topic was not easy. There is so much to talk about and I really wanted the first post to be simple and fun. I chose my Top 5 Favorite Quick Service Locations in the Magic Kingdom. Simple right? I was wrong! I thought it would be easy since there are just so many great places to eat. But that was the problem! Let’s just say it took some time for me to decide.
So after a lot of thought and consideration on food and theming, here are my Top 5 Favorite Quick Service Locations in the Magic Kingdom.
5. Gaston’s Tavern
Gaston’s Tavern is my number five pick for, you guessed it … cinnamon rolls and LeFou’s Brew! The warm and gooey goodness of those giant cinnamon rolls paired with the marshmellowy mango amazingness of LeFou’s Brew cannot be beat. It’s just a little taste of heaven! And on top of those scrumptious snacks, the theme is what really brings this Tavern to the top five. Gaston did not embellish when he said he used antlers in all of his decorating. Complete with Gaston’s chair (perfect picture opportunity) you feel right at home in this poor provincial town.
4. Casey’s Corner
Casey’s Corner made it to number four on my list. It might have made number three if it wasn’t for the terrible cheese sauce debacle of 2015. For those of you who don’t know, they had amazing cheese sauce that you could add yourself right onto your hot dog or even your fries. And in 2015, they took it away. Sad day for Disney fans everywhere. But, let’s get back to why I still love this place! The hot dogs are delicious. Every single one of them. Even with all of the great options, I still prefer the plain hotdog where I can add my own condiments (unfortunately no cheese sauce) and sauerkraut. And there is nothing like eating your hotdog on Main Street U.S.A while listening to the famous and dearly loved ragtime pianist Jim.
3. Pecos Bill’s
I love Pecos Bill’s! There was no doubt in my mind that it would make my top five and here it is at number three. I have a lot of family members that miss the old menu. Yes, the hamburgers and the topping bar were great, but the food they have now is even better! The menu’s Southwest-Mexican vibe is a better fit for The Tall Tale Inn’s theme and the food is so delicious. I could eat the Southwest Chicken Salad with the Chipotle Ranch sauce everyday … yes, I mean it, everyday. With my salad stacked with toppings from the new topping bar, I go and grab a table in my favorite room (the left side seating area with the hanging lanterns) and enjoy my meal with my fellow cowpoke before riding off into the sunset.
2. Columbia Harbour House
Columbia Harbour House is where it’s at! Why did I chose this seafood eatery for my number two? Not only is the food super yummy, the nautical theming is very impressive. Let’s start with the food. Every meal I have eaten there has been consistently delicious. If you have not tried their coleslaw, you are missing out. And the cobbler is to die for! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! While you enjoy your fish, you can take in the seafaring sights. There are maps and nautical artifacts everywhere. This place was well thought out. As you walk through the restaurant it seems each section is dedicated to a certain ship. But my favorite part is one area in particular. Upstairs there is a window that looks right out to the Haunted Mansion. It’s my favorite place to sit because the area is upstairs away from the crowds and it’s very quaint. During one of my visits, I was sitting there enjoying my battered fish looking out at the Haunted Mansion when I noticed that all of the maps and artifacts in that section were dedicated to lost and ghost ships. Is that by chance? I think not!
1. Be Our Guest
This was a tough call. Columbia Harbour House is so amazing it almost tied for number one. But in the end, Be Our Guest is my number one pick. The menu is unique and everything I have ordered so far has been very tasty. Especially the Carved Turkey Sandwich and the French Onion Soup. Both are so good! And of course, you need to try the grey stuff, it’s delicious! You had to have seen that comment coming. ;) But what this really boils down to is the overall ambiance. From the moment you step foot onto the castle bridge you are transported right into the movie. I love all three rooms inside because each one has it’s own special touch. But the ballroom does have a special place in the my heart. It’s just so beautiful. With Cast Members bringing the food to your table, the feeling that Beast or Belle could come around the corner any moment, and the overall Imagineering details, Be Our Guest is nothing less than magical.
Those are my Top 5 Favorite Quick Service Locations in the Magic Kingdom. Now I want to hear from you! The poll is below and don’t be shy to comment. I might even share your comment when I post the results next week. If you have another favorite restaurant that is not on the poll, please comment. I will include all comment votes in with the poll results next week. I can’t wait to see what all of you pick!
Before I go, I will be sharing an Extra Magic Tip after every post. What kind of Hostess would I be if I didn’t share tips and interesting facts?
Here is my Extra Magic Tip for this week: When a quick service restaurant has more than one service line, don’t just pick the first one you see. Check out the line furthest away from the entrance. I know from experience, it’s usually the shortest wait!
I’ll be back next week to share your results!
[poll id=”2″]
I feel like the quality of the food served at Columbia Harbor House is head and shoulders above any of the other quick service at Magic Kingdom. The salmon is especially good. And on those hot days when you don’t want a hot meal you can’t beat their tuna sandwich. I do miss when they had that space in Tommorrowland set up as The Noodle Station. But having hot soup in an outdoor venue in Florida is not super practical.
I have to agree with you about the cheese sauce at Casey’s. It was the best on the mini corn dogs. I hope they bring it back some day!
I actually think Be Our Guest is the 2nd WORST quick service location (Pinocchio Village Haus food taste like cardboard). Don’t get me wrong….the food is very good and theming is well done. However, I have been there twice for lunch with ADRs and there is nothing quick about it. Both times I have waited 15-20 minutes to order and then another 10 minutes for food to arrive. If I am going to quick service, I want to get in and out and that’s not happening at Be Our Guest. Also, while the theming is well done, it is somewhat chaotic with people trying to find seats and the overall volume level and that detracts greatly from the atmosphere the imagineers are likely going for. Hopefully next visit I can snag a dinner ADR and experience Be Our Guest in that fashion.
I was under the impression that Be Our Guest is in fact not a quick service, but more of a dine in.. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but you need reservations, usually, days or weeks in advance. With quick service your supposed to walk up, order your food, and move on. On that note, while I’ve never been to Disney World, I have done amazing amounts of research, and been to Disneyland, but my favorite quick service is probably the corndogs. I’m sure this will change when I actually go to the parks, I really want to try Pecos Bill! Yum!
It is a quick-service, but does table-service for dinner. You do not NEED a reservation for breakfast and lunch (not sure about dinner), but it is highly recommended. I think the only reason why this particular QS offers reservations is because of it’s popularity and theme. It is also the first QS that delivers the food to you using RF technology.
No Sleepy Hollow love?
I voted Harbour (what’s up w/ the ‘u’?) House, but I have to drop an honorable (superfluous ‘u’ intentionally omitted) mention on Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. Dinner and show, my friends. Although I, too, must deduct points on account of the Great Cheese Removal of ‘015.
That stadium cheese costs what? Fifteen cents a gallon? Just amortize it into the price of pins. Those folks will pay literally any cost.
Sleepy Hollow has a delicious fruit and Nutella waffle sandwich. The used to have a savory chicken and waffle sandwich, but I’m not sure that is on the menu anymore
Cosmic Ray’s is very nice. Where else can you get a quick service meal and a dinner show at the same time? I will have to check out the Columbia Harbour House room overlooking the Haunted Mansion where all the artifacts are dedicated to “ghostly” things.
I’ve always liked Columbia Harbor House best, for its tuna sandwich and the lobster roll. Always heard/read BAD reviews for Pecos Bill’s, so I’ll never eat there. I finally tried the spicy chicken & waffle sandwich at Sleepy Hollow last year but now it’s no longer on the menu (the maple syrup I requested went well with the waffle and would have gone well with the chicken except the ckn’s spiciness overtook it a bit. I always say no to coleslaw). Can’t do Casey’s any more because of there being no cheese sauce (was best with the mini corn dogs). Be Our Guest – I haven’t done the qs lunch yet but I did the ADRs for breakfast and dinner before (ADRs highly recommended for dinner)….yummy but Sci-Fi’s breakfast at DHS was better food IMO. It might still be a while before BOG is truly a quick service with no reservations needed….for now it is still kind of “new” so ADRs are usually necessary. And there is no way to get out of there quickly….must stay and savor the food and atmosphere.
We are currently visiting Disney this week with our kids. Although the atmosphere at Be Our Guest was very nice, the food didn’t meet our expectations. We have 2 boys (one a teenager) and a girl. The portions left us all wanting a little more to eat – especially my oldest. For the price – I wouldn’t dine here again. Just a side note – I’m not a fan of buffets – just a fan of getting a nice size portion.