Counter Service Restaurants at Monorail Resorts

[Schmoodle]

I will be doing the QSDP with my kids in January. One thing I did on a recent trip with a friend was to check out all the monorail resorts and have a cup of coffee at the Polynesian. Sometimes it's nice to just get out of the park for a while. I think my kids would enjoy this too. I see lots of reviews of the TS restaurants at these resorts, but not much about CS. Are there any Counter Service Restaurants in these resorts that are recommended/favorites? What are your favorite things to order there?

 

[MJMcBride]

well, at Captain Cooks at the Poly ypu can get Dole Whips and Tonga Toast

 

[jenjersnap]

Captain Cook's at the Poly is my favorite CS at Disney! I love the mixed chips - sweet potatoes and taro, etc. they serve with the sandwiches. The noodle bowls and flatbreads are good too. Another fantastic thing is that you can dole whips as your dessert on the dining plans.

I look forward to trying the Contempo Cafe at the Contemporary next trip. Their menu really appeals to me.

We don't like Gasparilla's at the GF much. It could and should be so much better than it is!

 

[BridetobeDisney]

The CS at Contemporary was very very good especially the yummy cupcakes piled high with frosting.

I had the Mahi Mahi sandwich and it had this amazing slaw on it with mandarin oranges. My DS had chicken nuggets and fries and my DH had a cheese burger. DH and I both had the black forest cupcake with cherry filling and white icing. Yum Yum

 

[lemondog]

I also have to vote for Capt. Cooks at the Poly. Their Aloha Pork Sandwich is my favorite CS meal, and I also love the chips! And you can't beat a Dole Whip!

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

I vote for Captain Cooks (Poly) for breakfast. The tonga toast is YUMMY. It is banana stuffed french toast that is coated in cinnamon/sugar. I didn't even use syrup with it because it is pretty sweet. It is a must do on my next trip again.

 

[summerlady]

Another vote for Captain Cooks at the Poly! The aloha pork sandwich and polynesian chips are fabulous...plus, for dessert you can fill your own dish with Dole Whip. Yumyumyum. The sandwich is really huge, I had to bring half of it back to POFQ and finish it that night, it's served in a nice portable box.

 

[Schmoodle]

Thanks very much for the suggestions! Captain Cooks it is. I passed through there last month, and I noticed the Dole Whips, but I didn't look at the menu very much. We will be there for 9 days next trip, so I'm sure we'll have time to check out both CC and the Contemporary. That fish sandwich sure looks good to me! Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures.

What about the Wilderness Lodge? Anything CS worth the boat ride? I think this is probably where my kids would really want to stay someday, so I think we'll try to see it.

 

[djp0630]

We really enjoyed the Contempo Cafe. I had the turkey sandwich and it was so yummy. I also had the burger and Chicken Alfredo for dinners and it was great! DH had the Steakhouse salad and he really liked it!

The desserts were good. The cupcakes looked yummy, although I didn't have them. Both the brownie and cookie were good!

 

[MickeyNicki]

Capt Cooks has incredible chicken or veggie lo mein, a fantastic Hawaiian BBQ pork sandwich with housemade chips and at the CR my nieces loved the pasta with marinara sauce!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Hre's my take:

Captain Cook's menu is a bit limited, but teh food is good. Certainly a fun place to get Dole whips, as it's self serve.

I love the view at teh GF. You can teo see the castle, and mot of thetime it's fairly quiet. During the fireworks show people show up from the nearby cafe.

The new Qs at CR also serves fairly good food. The tomato on the salads looked nice and ripe last March. They detail alsways impresses me, esp in winter. We didn't eat a ton of lunches there, more snacks. I think we had a flatbread pizza that was quite good. Theone thing though is their QS set up is very confusing. Just like at CC's you order from a kiosk - then bring your slip toteh cashier to pay.the cashier gives you a beeper,and they don't start making your food until you pay. Youcan sit until your food is ready. at CC's thought the set up area is smaller, so it makes more sense. at CR the cashiers are behind a partition, so the procedure isn't as clear. Once you understand though it's not too bad.

At GF, you order, then maybe pick up or maybe get a beeper, then pay depending on what you get and how long it takes to prep.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would highly recommend the Contempo Cafe at the Contemporary. My favorite item on their menu is the Chicken Ceasar Sald, with the dressing already on it and it tastes amazing. Plus unlike other counter service locations all their salads are made fresh each time you order them, so they are not pre-packaged and kept in a fridge. My other favorite item on their menu happens to be the Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza.

BridetobeDisney,
I just want to say that Mahi Mahi sandwich looks good and when I am back there this December I will plan on trying it, so thanks for posting that picture of it.

 

[tinkgurl]

We love Capt.Cook's at the Poly.

 

[2littlez'sandme]

Definitely looking into the CS restaurants @ the resorts. The boys don't care for TS much and sometimes it's nice to take a break from the parks for lunch. TFS 'bout Captain Cook's and CC @ CR.

 

[Schmoodle]

CR, Chicken Ceasar is my favorite lunch salad. It's awesome that they are made fresh to order.
DS is a huge fan of Alfredo, so CC is definitely also a frontrunner. I figure 2 days at MK, so we are looking at at least 4 CS meals. I would love to try them all!

 

[Pixiedust34]

We loved the Contempo Cafe and ate there twice. I have photos of one of our meals, but not the other. The steak salad (not in this photo) was excellent!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I tried the Contempo Cafe for the first time last week and loved the beef flatbread I had there.