What's the best CS food at the theme parks?

bangzoom6877

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
5,458
Okay, going to all four parks in July with DH and 2 kids (2 sons, ages 3 and a half and 14 months when we go). What's the best CS restaurants at each park? I don't even care as much about indoor seating anymore! Just looking to see if there is some decent CS food out there for lunch. We were planning to try and sample some different foods at the WS in Epcot, but Tangierine looks great, as does the CS place in Norway. I am worried about the Studios...have already heard all the horrible things about the Commissary, but any other CS locations good at the Studios?

We were planning to take our afternoon break after lunch and go right back to the room, at Pop Century. I was thinking maybe we should pick something up at one of the resorts counter service, or the Pop Food Court instead? Trouble is that I know my sons (especially DS3) will most certainly fall asleep in the car on the way to the room, which is why we had planned to just lunch at whatever park we are visiting at the time. Then if/when they fall asleep in the car we could just put them right into the room to continue their nap.

So...what's the verdict? Best CS in WDW...where is it and which items? Are the salads any good at these places?

Thanks,
Bonnie
 
Here's my choices...:)
MK - Columbia Harbour House (2 salads here are both good!!!
Epcot - Tangierine Cafe
AK - Flametree BBQ (love the beef or pork sandwiches and ribs, but a good salad here, too)
DHS - Backlot Express - I know many dislike CS here, but the burgers and grilled turkey and cheese sandwich are pretty good here...
Our very favorite CS is in DTD - Wolfgang Puck Express!!! Delicious, hot, fresh and not your ordinary CS fare...:goodvibes
 
Magic Kingdom -- Columbia Harbour House (good salad, sandwiches and soup) or Pinocchio Village Hause (good turkey panini)

Epcot -- Sunshine Seasons (many different stations to choose from)

Animal Kingdom -- Flame Tree Barbecue (love the pork sandwiches)

Hollywood Studios -- unfortunately, we don't like any of the CS's here. But if we had to choose, Backlot Express is the one we would eat at
 

MK - Pecos Bills! No question about it. Their chicken wraps are fantastic. Plus I love their peanut butter mousse.

Epcot - Can't say, but Sunshine Seasons looked yummy.

DHS - ABC Commissionary (sp?)

AK - Flame Tree BBQ. Onion rings and sandwiches are great.
 
MK - We love hotdogs... so Casey's Corner

Epcot - Sommerfest...yes the brats and kraut

AK - used to be Tusker House, now it is a TS

DHS - can't think of anywhere I'd recommended.
 
My 2 cents:
MK- Columbia Harbor House
Epcot- We usually snack our way around World Showcase but if in Future World then Sunshine Seasons
AK-Pizzafari
Studios-We always stick with Pizza Planet. Simple but safe.

FWIW- You may care about that indoor seating more than you realize! We've been a few times in August and it can make a huge difference.
 
MK- I like Pecos Bills for all the fixings or Cosmic Rays (when it is not crowded as I hate the separate line things)
EPCOT- I like Japan and Sunshine Seasons
AK- only have eaten at Tusker House which is now TS (and the best meal we had)
MGM- If i had to- Backlot Express was pretty decent.
 
MK- Pecos Bill's has a kickin' taco salad that I had 3 times during our last trip:rotfl: You also have the topping bar to add fixin's as needed: fried mushrooms, onions, pickles, etc.

Epcot- Love Sunshine Season's- the turkey sandwich with muenster cheese on foccacia is also fantastic. Also love Cantina de San Angel in Mexico- the plato combinacion is great while you're waiting for Illuminations!

Hollywood Studios- I would have to go with Backlot here. They do have good cheeseburgers and fries.

AK - Flame Tree- I'm partial to the pulled pork sandwich- slathered with the really good bbq sauce.

But overall, I have to agree with an above poster... Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD is wonderful. DH and I have yet to get a bad meal here. The linguine with chicken bolognese and creme brulee for desert are wonderful!
 
Magic Kingdom --There really isn't a great choice here. We really dislike Columbia Harbour House, and Pecos Bill's also has poor ventilation. At least Starlight Ray's has entertainment. If you want a better CS, head out to GF or maybe the new one at the Poly.

Epcot -- Sunshine Seasons is very good for QS. We also enjoy sampling from around the WS. Get one or two things at each country and sample as a group.

Animal Kingdom -- We're going to have to find a new one. They took away my two favorites: the chicken shop stand and Tusker House. We hated Flame Tree Barbecue. I think I'd like to try the new Yak and Yeti. The pizza is just so-so.

Hollywood Studios -- "unfortunately, we don't like any of the CS's here." I have to agree with Katmark there. The backlot Express had a good menu in the past, but I guess Middle Eastern food wasn't very popular with other WDW guests in the wake of 9/11, so they changed the menu. (At Christmas time though I got some EXCELLENT roasted chestnuts there though! YUM!) I'd say heading to one of the QS at the resorts between MGM and Epcot is the best option, but otherwise I'd get the Pamesean crusted chicken at Pop myself. They served it two ways - with salad or with pasta. If you get it with pasta they call it something different, but it's the same chicken strips. Skip the chili at Pop. I should have known when the CM said, "Are you sure you want THAT?" to skip it. The chili at GF's QS was good though!
 
Wow, DHS seems not to have such good CS options. I have an idea...maybe there is a resort we could walk to or boat to from DHS for lunch? Any within walking distance that have good CS options for lunch?

How about AK? Any resorts within walking distance? I would think not though, since they have a lot of land for all the animals to roam around. So I would think this park would be the one that is too far to walk anywhere else on property.

Which resorts again can you walk to from MK? That is, just in case. Another idea is, if we get to MK early enough on our first day (coming from visiting relatives in Boca so would probably arrive around lunchtime), maybe we could park at MK, walk or monorail to a monorail line resort, have lunch there and then enjoy the park. Or would this take too long and should I just find something in each park to have for lunch and not waste our time?

The worry about leaving a park and driving to another resort, or even to the Pop where we are staying, and expecting to eat lunch, is that the kids will most certainly fall asleep in the car due to the amount of things we will be doing each morning at the parks coupled with the summer heat and humidity. They will be exhausted by early afternoon which is why we know we will need the break. So maybe just find something and it would be okay.

The one thing I really do not want to try is the pizza. I am so spoiled by NY pizza, that I usually hate any pizza in a theme park. Last summer at Dutch Wonderland in PA, I had a bite of my son's pizza since it was huge, and was so glad that I had gotten myself a grilled chicken salad instead. DS loved his pizza though! DH thought it was not too bad. I thought it tasted like paper with jarred sauce and fake cheese thrown on top, then baked. Not for me!

I guess I am pretty safe with a salad with grilled chicken in it, or a simple sandwich. Those are healthier and lighter options anyway which is better in that heat. I usually don't like anything heavy in the heat, so even though that BBQ place at AK sounds wonderful, we will probably pass on it. And you see, this brings me back to what I said above about being spoiled by good pizza in NYC...southerners probably think the Flametree BBQ is terrible because they know what truly good and REAL BBQ is supposed to taste like! Me, I don't know what the real thing really tastes like, so most of it tastes good to me, much like most pizza is edible to a lot of people. Same with Mexican food. The folks from California and Texas probably would hate any Mexican up here in NY, but I love it! LOL...the region of the country you live in makes such a HUGE difference in your taste of food! And don't even get me started on Chinese food...won't touch the stuff on vacation but love it here in NY!!! ;)

Okay, now that I made this post WAY too long and probably ticked some people off (maybe) by what I said above, I'm gonna go now! :wave2:

-Bonnie
 












Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE







New Posts





DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top Bottom