By Pixie Hollow Diva
We all enjoy great food while we are on vacation. Different dining experiences are what help make a vacation more fun and exciting. You can enjoy a nice restaurant atmosphere, or a “simpler grab and go” eatery while in Disney World. Because of my love for Disney, I feel like there is no better quick service hot dog out there than Casey’s Corner. Now I’m sure there may be, but I feel like a hot dog just tastes better when being enjoyed on Main Street in Magic Kingdom. However, there are so many different places to eat at when it comes to your meals throughout your day. You have your options of quick service dining and your table service dining. I feel each one has to do with personal preference and affordability.
Quick service meals are great in their own way. They are simple, they are “quick” and you have many different options. The cost per meal ranges from about $9.00-$15.00 depending on your choice. I have two young daughters and they would eat chicken nuggets, french fries and pizza all day long if they could. When it comes to eating at Disney, we find ourselves doing quick service meals usually at lunchtime due to us exploring the parks during the day. It’s also quick and easy especially if you are in a park or hanging by the pool. You can go up to the counter and order what you want, sit down, eat and be on your way. The meals in most of the resorts basically consist of the same thing. You are usually looking at chicken fingers and french fries for kids. You can find burgers, delicious salads and specialty sandwiches depending on where you are. . Throughout all four parks you have many options. For example you have Pecos Bill Café if you are looking for Mexican food. That restaurant is located in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. All of your parks will consist of different places with a great variety. Quick service works for a lot of people, especially if they do not want to waste time sitting down at a somewhat formal meal. Many people like quick service because you are in and out and it costs less. One place that you can experience a quick service meal at a nice restaurant is Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom. They do a table service for dinner but offer a quick service option for breakfast and lunch. If you were looking to save a little bit of money and wanted more of a restaurant feel, it is definitely one to check out!
Your table service options are the places that are considered to be more of a restaurant. For those meals you are looking at appetizers, dinner, dessert and drinks. You are looking to spend around $15.00-$30.00 for a la carte meals. A buffet which can also be a breakfast or lunch at specific places range from $34.00-$50 depending on the place and meal choice. While on vacation I feel like people may not want to be bothered sitting down and spending a lot of time at dinner especially with children. Children can get excited and overwhelmed. Last fall, my daughter was 4 1/2 at the time and we had a reservation at 50’s Prime Time Cafe for dinner in Hollywood Studios. It was scorching hot and miserable, and she just was having no part of staying there. So we went back to our hotel and did a quick service meal and went back to our room so the kids could relax. Disney Diva Tip: If you’re looking to have dinner at a table service location, remember that some children may be prone to having a complete meltdown because it has been such a long day for them. Personally, at times I cannot blame them. On the other hand if you have older children a table service is nice. You can sit down and relax and beat the heat at times for a while. Table service restaurants make for the perfect place to enjoy a nice dinner or breakfast.
When my family and I go, we enjoy doing at least one table service each day. I prefer to do a nice breakfast. My family enjoys breakfast food, so for my kids to eat decently it’s worth spending the money at the restaurant. We enjoy the Best Friends breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch at ‘Ohana in the Polynesian Resort. It is family style which is great! It includes Mickey waffles, eggs, sausage and potatoes. They bring you an amazing fresh juice along with warm glazed rolls to get started. The characters come around to the table for pictures and then all the kids do a fun parade with them throughout the restaurant! The kids are usually very intrigued by seeing the characters walking around and coming over to see them and sign autographs. I always feel character meals are a must do and are worth spending the money. We do not do one every single day, and we might change it up and do a character lunch or dinner depending where we plan on going that day.
I feel when deciding on dining options it depends on your own tastes and likes. If you feel you want to get the most out of the parks and your vacation and do not mind doing quick service meals, then that would be the option for you. If you prefer to take your time and your kids are willing to cooperate then it is really nice to do a table service. The character meals are cute and the kids always enjoy them. The choice is yours- you will not be disappointed no matter what you choose!
If you need to book your first Disney World trip or another future one reach out to Patricia Payne at All For Dreams Travel. She can give you a free quote along with all informative information! Happy planning!
Thanks for the great tips. I am planning a trip soon and will surely take your advice on the dining options!
I am glad the tip are helpful to you! Stay posted for many more great tips on our page!