Tell me where to eat! :)

[phoenixflight]

My family and I are leaving for WDW in a little over 3 weeks. We will arrive on property around lunch time. Have not decided which park to visit on this first partial day. We would like to eat lunch someplace counter or quick service so we can get right into the parks. Have DDP and park hopper passes, as well as a dinner ressie at Garden Grill in Epcot, FWIW. We have a five year old DS who is not a very picky eater.

So--I know that's not much to go on, but where do you think we should eat? I have some experience with the table service restaurants, but really none with counter service/quick service from which to base a decision.

 

[XGrumpy1]

Cosmic Ray's in the Magic Kingdom. I always like going to the Magic Kingdom first, seeing the Castle really puts me in the Disney mood. The food at Cosmic Ray's has always been quick and good.

 

[danielephant]

we really liked the cs at cosmic rays too...lots of choices

 

[Quin]

If you are staying on-site, I'd recommend lunch at the resort before you head to Epcot. If not, just go straight to Epcot. You are going to have dinner there; you might as well begin there and not lose so much transit time.

Lots of the WS CS locations have good food, but I'd suggest that you have lunch as soon as you enter the park. The easiest way to do that is in The Land, at Sunshine Seasons (yes, I know. You're going back to the same pavilion for dinner. Trust me; they are completely different dining experiences).

Then spend the afternoon touring FW in Epcot. The crowds peak there mid-morning, because the back half of the park (WS) does not open until 11. By around 1 pm, FW starts to open up. Soarin' is probably the busiest attraction so having lunch at Sunshine Seasons is a bonus because the Soarin' FP machines are right outside the dining area; before you have lunch, check and see if there are still FPs available and if so grab a set.

 

[phoenixflight]

Quin--actually we are staying on property, CSR. Have never stayed there. How is the food court there? Thanks for mentioning this, hadn't even occurred to me that it was an option.

 

[dvcHammer]

At CSR you have The Pepper Market for QS food. It is not a food court.

Some people love it but I am not one of them. Kinda an odd cross between counter service and sit down. I have yet to have good food there and it's the biggest reason that we do not often go back to CSR (let me add that I would go there over staying off-site or at the All Stars).

Head to the park of choice and go for the counter service there. My favs by park are: AK- Flame Tree BBQ, Epcot - Sunshine Seasons, MK - Pecos Bill's or Cosmic Ray's, HS - ABC Commissary

 

[EverestSherpa]

I, on the other hand, LOVE the Pepper Market. It is definitely a top-tier Quick Service. It's one point for what it's a table-service/quick-service hybrid. Not the greatest food on property, but some of the best quick service poitns. I also recommend eating here as it will be hard getting reservations during Thanksgiving Week (I assume that's when you're going). The reason I know this is because I am going then too and am eating at third and fourth choices as a result of late-booking. I'm not saying you can't get a reservation, I'm just saying they'll be obscure times at second tier restaurants.

 

[bangzoom6877]

If it were me, I would go right to Epcot, walk right to the World Showcase and eat a CS lunch in one of the countries. Then, you can enjoy some of the WS...shopping in each country is a lot of fun, the boat ride in Mexico is great, and some of the countries have movies you can view. There is also some live entertainment going on in the WS during the day...I remember some really cute little acts in Italy and France.

Or...you could just snack around the countries for lunch. Get something different in a few different countries and share it...pretzel in Germany, ham & cheese croissant in France, pastries in France and/or Norway, gelato in Italy, etc. You can find menus for the CS locations on the All Ears site.

 

[phoenixflight]

I, on the other hand, LOVE the Pepper Market. It is definitely a top-tier Quick Service. It's one point for what it's a table-service/quick-service hybrid. Not the greatest food on property, but some of the best quick service poitns. I also recommend eating here as it will be hard getting reservations during Thanksgiving Week (I assume that's when you're going). The reason I know this is because I am going then too and am eating at third and fourth choices as a result of late-booking. I'm not saying you can't get a reservation, I'm just saying they'll be obscure times at second tier restaurants.

Yep, Thanksgiving week it is. I have made several ressies, but I made those 3 months out and felt lucky to get those. We have one or two meals we have no ressies for. This is one of them, mostly because we couldn't know exactly when we would arrive.

 

[twokids0204]

Earl of Sandwich - DTD

 

[LovesTimone]

You might want to start in Epcot since that were dinner ressie are at. We enjoy the QS options in WS, something different from burger and fries. France for ham and cheese croissants, get a pastry yummo!!, England the Fish and Chips next to the Rose and Crown( sorry I can not think of the name of the QS) This is the same fish and chips that they serve inside the Rose and Crown. If facing the QS look to your right there is a path to out door tables, very relaxing. China is another stop we enjoy, we get ours to go and find a bench facing the lagoon to eat at.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a great vaca..

 

[Quin]

Quin--actually we are staying on property, CSR. Have never stayed there. How is the food court there? Thanks for mentioning this, hadn't even occurred to me that it was an option.

We tried Pepper Mkt (the CSR "food court") one day for lunch and did like it. Lots of choices; good use of a CS credit if you're on a Dining Plan. You have your KTTW card/Dining Plan availability as soon as you check in, even if your room is not ready yet, and Pepper Mkt is right next to the check-in area. Couldn't be easier!