Ok, so you’ve just spent a long morning touring atWalt Disney World, and it’s after noon, and you realize – hey, its lunchtime, and I am STARVING! Well, Disney has you covered – there are a TON of great places to grab a quick bite, and they all offer up delicious freshly prepared meals that will help you fuel up and get ready to head back out there! When I am in the Parks, there are certain meals I tend to gravitate towards – so much so that I will even purposely seek them out and plan my days around them! So here they are – My Top 5 Counter Service Meals at Walt Disney World:
1. The Ribs/Chicken combo platter at Flame Tree BBQ – Animal Kingdom is home to this spot that serves up barbeque classics like St. Louis ribs, baked beans, cornbread, smoked chicken, beef, and turkey. The true standout here is the chicken and ribs combo – ¼ rack smoked ribs and ¼ rotisserie chicken served up with coleslaw and baked beans. The meats are smoked on site and are juicy and flavorful, and the sides pair with it perfectly! You can grab some BBQ sauce from the condiment station for dipping, or just dig right in as is – either way, it’s a delicious choice
2. The Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf at Wolfgang Puck Express – If you’ve spent the day shopping your heart out at Downtown Disney and are desperate for a break and a meal, then I highly suggest you head over to Wolfgang Puck Express for a more “upscale” counter service dining experience! With items like Rotisserie chicken, spaghetti Bolognese, assorted pizzas and a large selection of salads and sandwiches – you’re sure to find something everyone will enjoy here! The Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is served on a bed of mashed potatoes and it’s drizzled with a port wine sauce and topped with crispy onion straws. The combination of flavors from the different elements – the moist meat with the salty bacon crust, the creamy potatoes with a sweet sauce and the onions – it all makes for one amazing meal
3. Oak Grilled Rotisserie Chicken at Sunshine Seasons – You can smell (and see!) the chickens roasting as soon as you walk into the food court style restaurant in Epcot – they are roasted throughout the day and the meal is served with black beans and yellow rice. The chicken itself is moist and full of flavor, and the mild spice of the rice is the perfect accompaniment. The chicken is great here – but I recommend saving room for dessert too – strawberry shortcake is the winner here, layers of moist shortcake and fresh whipped cream and berries – yum! Other options here are plentiful – Asian dishes, sandwiches/salad/soup, cheesecake, cookies and key lime pie for dessert – and they serve a hot breakfast too!
4. Tacos from La Cantina De San Angel – Choose from “Carne or Pollo” (beef or chicken) filled tacos served on freshly made corn tortillas with fresh chips on the side (my mouth is literally watering just thinking about it now). You must pair the tacos with a delicious margarita (it’s the law) – available in frozen or on the rocks varieties. Not in the mood for tacos? How about nachos, or cheese empanadas, or guacamole and chips – it’s all available here in Epcot’s Mexico – and it’s all worth trying
5. Hot dog and French Fries from Casey’s Corner – This meal won’t win any awards for being fancy, but its classic and delicious, and really hits the spot after a long day of fun in the Park. A plump hot dog and fresh hot fries will satisfy almost any picky kid (or adult!) and you can spice it up with their chili cheese dog or BBQ slaw dog options too. Or maybe some corn dog nuggets? And they can all be dipped in the available “plastic cheese” (aka nacho/liquid cheese) – which is a huge plus. If you’re lucky enough to be able to grab a table outside the restaurant you’ll enjoy people watching and maybe even get to see the parade go by on Main Street!
I have to make sure that the runner-up is mentioned to – pretty much anything from the Earl Of Sandwich in Downtown Disney will make for a delicious meal – I am partial to the holiday sandwich (stuffed with turkey and stuffing!), but there are tons of options available – roast beef, ham, buffalo chicken – and they are all made on rolls baked fresh daily
I would love to know your thoughts – as clearly these are only my opinions (and clearly I also have a strong preference for Disney Meat?) – so what are YOUR top Counter Service Meal Choices at WDW?