Quick Service Picks at Epcot

There's an abundance of quick service restaurants (Disney's version of "fast food") in Epcot, and many of the options are very appealing, with the World Showcase being flooded with eateries of all types.  During lunch especially, these restaurants can get really busy, and it can be hard to choose exactly where you want to eat.  Having some knowledge about these quick service restaurants before going to the park can help you pick the best quick service place for you to eat!

However, even if you don't pre-plan where to go, you can't go wrong with Disney food!




Planner vs. Impulsive
Though the planner and the impulsive individual might be happy with any choice, it's nice to have a clue what might be best suited for you before going to the parks!

Planner

• Location: World Showcase, Germany Pavilion
• Menu: Lunch/Dinner
• Why: This is a great place for some really interesting cuisine, that goes great with a German beer.  This is a really good place for the planner for 2 reasons.
• 1. It is good to have an idea of what type of food is served there and that all people in the party will like it before going there.
• 2. It's close to the middle of World Showcase (there is a ferry boat that lands right in front of it while running), so it's good to plan to be there around lunch if that's what you want.

Planner Alternative: The fish and chips at the Yorkshire County Fish Shop is delicious!
Location: World Showcase, United Kingdom Pavilion
Menu: Fish and Chips...and the other things
Why: The fish and chips is great for a quick stop, just be sure that everyone in the group is happy with fish, because that is basically all that is served there.

Impulsive

• Location: Future World West (in the Land pavilion)
• Menu: Breakfast, Lunch/Dinner
• Why: Sunshine Seasons serves multiple different types of food, which will suit any palate.  Everything there is very fresh and delicious, with variety ranging from sandwiches, asian, and even more homestyle food items.  This dining area also has plenty of room for many people, making it a great stop, even if it's busy and last minute.

Saver vs. Spender
Whether you have a seemingly endless budget, or are pinching the pennies as much as possible, there is a quick service stop in Epcot that's just right for you!

Saver

• Location: World Showcase, French Pavilion
• Menu: All Day Menu
• Why: This restaurant has some delicious sandwiches, soups, and other dishes that, even when purchased alone, can be big enough for an entrée!
• Note: Though most of World Showcase is closed before 11 AM, Les Halles is serving pastries and some sandwiches that are great for breakfast!
• This is also a great place just for dessert!  You can find many delicious pastries here, none of which you can go wrong with!

Spender

• Location: World Showcase, Mexico Pavilion
• Menu: Lunch/Dinner
• Why: This place makes delicious Mexican food, that any standard Mexican food lover would enjoy!  It also offers a great view of the World Showcase Lagoon.  This location tends to be for the "spender" because of the inevitable add ons...guacamole, churros, and margaritas!  But they are worth it, trust me!

Romantic vs. Fun

Even quick service stops can embody the feel of the Walt Disney World visit you want to have! 

Romantic

• Location: World Showcase, Norway Pavilion
• Menu: Lunch/Dinner
• Why: This little bakery is a crowd favorite because of the school bread.  However, the rustic and intricately detailed interior and exterior make for a perfect place for a couple to relax and have some tasty sandwiches!  Just be sure to grab dessert afterward...maybe split a piece of school bread and try some rice cream!

Fun

• Location: World Showcase, Morocco Pavilion
• Menu: Lunch/Dinner
• Why: This quick-service stop is great for those who want to have a little bit more adventurous cuisine without having to stop their entire day to get it.  The options here are all delicious, and the seating area is gorgeously detailed and fun to be in.  Be sure to check out the gift shop next door as well as grab a piece of baklava!

There were some other quick service option left out...what do you YOU think of the places that weren't included?  Would you pick a different option for any category (snack only stops not included)?  Let me know in the comments!

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Trip Report: Tips Summary

For those of you that don't really want to read through the longest posts basically ever for information about your Disney trip, here are the tips I compiled during my vacation.


Tips!

• Make sure to go to Terminal B, level 1 if you are taking the Magical Express. It's easy to find yourself wandering around Terminal A, with no Magical Express to be found.  When you get to the main area (with the gift shop pictured below) be sure to go to the B side!  If you aren't sure, ask for directions.

This is the outside of said gift shop.

• If you're staying in value/moderate, opt for a preferred room.  The preferred rooms are closer to the main building, and mean less hassle to talk to the front desk and for value resorts mean less walking at the beginning of the day and end of the night.  Your feet will thank you.

• Download the My Disney Experience app to your phone, and bring a charger with you to the parks. We used the times guide a lot, and switched the Fastpass+ more than I expected over the trip.  My phone only died once, but it came close a few times.  Disney is installing charging areas around the parks, and cast members are really good about helping you find somewhere to charge it in a restaurant, for example.

• Remember, anything outside of a standard drink, meal, and dessert costs extra if you are using the dining plan.  This includes alcohol and appetizers.

Be sure to budget for that trip "drinking around the world" in Epcot.

• If you are having dinner at Rose and Crown, opt for a time past 7:30 for a chance to view the fireworks front the restaurant.  And ask for a patio seat.  It was so nice to be able to sit at our table, not stand around for a good spot 45 minutes before the fireworks started.

• If at all possible, sit toward the back of the train on Big Thunder Mountain. The hills of the ride are too small, and the train too long, so when you go over the lift chains still hold on to the back while the front is already half way down the hill.  Because of this, you feel like you're going slower and you don't get the thrill of the drops nearly as much.

• Don't forget to bring sunblock.

• If your wrist is small, remove the outer grey layer of the magic band.  Alex didn't, but I did, and it made wearing my magic band so much more comfortable.  I can't even tell you the number of parents who hadn't done this for their kids, or women who had theirs wrapped around almost an extra time.  It peels off really easily.  Just take it off.

• If you buy Memory Maker, be sure to get the ride photos.  They come with the Memory Maker package, and since it's $150-$200 (depending on if you buy it before you get to Disney or at Disney), you want to be sure to get your money's worth.

• When planning Fastpass+ for Hollywoods Studios, concentrate your ride times for the evening if at all possible. This will make it easier to go see shows like Lights, Motor, Action, Indiana Jones, and Beauty and the Beast, which concentrate show times before 4:00.  Because of this, stand-by lines also seem to be longer in the evenings, and planning Fastpass+ reservations then will help you avoid that.

• Buy a poncho at a local chain store before coming to Disney.  Or, if you did buy one at Disney, save it and bring it for your next trip.  They are needlessly expensive.

• If you are not staying on property and can't make Fastpass+ reservations in advance, come early.  By 3:00, everything was booked up.  I also noticed that the lines were pretty long at the Fastpass+ Kiosks that one-day visitors and those staying outside of Disney have to use at this time.  To have the best chance at getting your picks, be at the park when it opens and head right toward the kiosks.  They are staffed by cast members in blue polos.

•  Disney does not do bussing from resort to resort.  If you have a dining reservation and then want to go back to your room, you'll have to connect at one of the parks.  Unless you are going from one resort on the monorail line to another.

One view from the Epcot Monorail

• Always chose the route with the least amount of transfers when moving between parks and resorts.  If you don't, you'll end up wasting more time than you realize. 

• Realize that Disney transportation takes a little bit of time.  We find it the most convenient, because you don't have to bring or rent a car, then pay for parking and walk to find your car after visit the park.  However, know that you will spend a chunk of time waiting for the bus/monorail/boat you need to arrive.  Usually allow 30-50 minutes to get from one place to another during peak seasons, and 40-60 during less busy times.

• If you're a big Star Wars fan, go listen to the Ewoks at night in the Star Tour queue area.  They laugh and "talk" to each other, and they have little fires burning in their tree tops.  It's something you might not even notice if you aren't looking for it.

• Sit in the "Pocahontas" section for Fantasmic!  It's the section directly in the middle of the theater.

• If at all possible, go to the 10:00 show for Fantasmic!  We had friends that tried to go at 8:30, and the theater was standing room only.  However, for us, the theater was only half full, if that.  We were comfortably seated with plenty of room, even in the middle section and during the peak time that is Spring Break.

• If you can manage to stay up that late, you can ride a huge majority of the Magic Kingdom rides after 11 PM.  A large majority of the parents and kids have left, leaving the lines basically nonexistent everywhere.  I wouldn't suggest rides like Jungle Cruise or Splash Mountain, but anything inside will give you the exact same experience.  It was so fun to go from ride to ride and get right on.

• If you plan on really exploring the countries in World Showcase (or "drinking around the world") give yourself a few hours to do so.  Epcot is huge, and World Showcase takes a while to get around.  To try a drink or some food from each of the countries, go into the gift shops, ride any rides, and just generally explore, you can factor in a few hours, if not most of the time.

• Security at Orlando International always seems to take longer than most. The time of day doesn't really seem to matter.  Just make sure you allow extra time to account for that once you arrive at the airport.

Interested in reading about the entire trip? Here are the links!

Trip Report: Part 1

Trip Report: Part 2

My Fairytale Engagement

Next post: Just Can't Wait to be Lion King Cocktail

Until then <3




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Disney Dining Plan

A lot of sources around the internet question if the Disney Dining Plan is worth it.  My personal opinion is that it depends on what you want to get out of your trip.  It might be a great option for some, but for others, it could be a total waste.  Here's the breakdown:

Spender vs. Saver

Pictured here: the fine dining option, Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort.

 Spender

Obviously, if your Disney vacation is all about living the life of luxury, you should choose the Deluxe Dining Plan!

• Including 3 meals a day (either table-service or quick-service) and 2 snacks, you will never be hungry on this plan.
• Each meal includes a drink and dessert, and the desserts at Disney are wonderful, even at most quick-service locations (read: Cappuccino cupcake at Pizza Planet in Hollywood Studios)
• Fine-dining (signature) options, such as the Yachtsman Steakhouse shown above and Le Cellier in Epcot, use 2 meal credits, but with 3 allotted per day, it is a much more accessible option.
• As with fine dining, certain dinner shows (ex: Spirit of Aloha at the Polynesian) and character meals (Cinderella's Royal Table) cost 2 meal credits.

With so many meal credits to combine in so many different ways, the Deluxe Dining Plan gives you 

endless dining possibilities!

Saver

If your goal is strictly to go to Disney for as little money as possible, then it is unlikely that you will want to purchase any variation of the Disney Dining Plan.  Why?

• Unless you consistently buy the most expensive options, you are unlikely to save money. (In fact, you might not end up breaking even).
• Most meals include a drink and dessert, which are added in to the average meal cost on the plan, but would not be a cost for you if you typically get water or no dessert with your meal.
• The dining plan does not include places outside of Disney, which if you have a car and access to those places, will likely be cheaper if you want a sit-down meal.

Penny for penny, you are more likely to save money by buying out of pocket meals during your Disney vacation.

Planner vs. Impulsive

Pictured here: Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, a quick-service option in Magic Kingdom.

Planner

For the planner, I recommend the standard Disney Dining Plan.  Here's why:

• The standard plan includes one table-service and one quick-service meal per person per day, as well as a snack.  In my experience, this is more than enough food for the day (especially as both meals include dessert).
• One table-service meal allows you to plan your reservations for each day.  This is a great way to develop a plan of what park you will go to each day of the vacation.
• Having the quick-service option allows you to plan other activities/events for the day, and not have your vacation revolve around your meals.  There are quick-service options everywhere, so the meal can be fit in between your ride on Space Mountain and grabbing your spot for the afternoon parade.

To me, the standard Dining Plan gives a great balance of table-service and quick-service, and just enough food for everyone to be satisfied, making it perfect for the planner.

Impulsive

Those who are impulsive may not want to have the commitment of choosing a table-service restaurant, especially since it can be hard to get into most without a reservation.  I believe that the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan works especially well for you.

• Quick-Service Dining provides each guest with 2 quick-service meals (entree, drink, dessert) and 1 snack per day.
• The large availability of quick-service options in each park and resort means that it will be easy to find a place to eat.
• Not having to have a reservation for quick-service dining allows you to eat when you're hungry, and not have any set schedule to adhere to based on a table-service reservation.
• The dining option keeps you from having to worry about having cash for food, as it is accessed through the Key to the World card or Magic Band.

For the most worry-free option, choose Quick-Service Dining!

Romantic vs. Fun

Pictured here: Tutto Italia Ristorante, a table-service option in Italy, Epcot's World Showcase

Romantic

For those couples going to Disney, I recommend first thinking about how much time you want to spending eating with visiting!

• If eating really delicious meals is something you really want to do, go with the Deluxe Dining Plan.  Like I said above, it makes it much easier to use 2 credits for the Signature Dining restaurants.  And with places like California Grill on the list, with it's beautiful Magic Kingdom fireworks view at night, it's something to consider!
• If you don't want to revolve your vacation around food, then the standard Dining Plan is liking more than enough.  Though it is harder to allott 2 credits to Signature Dining, there are plenty of other beautiful restaurant with delicious food (and great cocktails!) that are available for just 1 table-service credit. (Note: No meal on any dining plan includes alcoholic beverages.)

Either option is great for couples, it just depends on exactly what you're looking for!

Fun

Determining the right Disney Dining Plan for those who want to have fun just depends on what you think is fun!

• If one of your favorite things to do is go out and get a good meal, then the Deluxe Dining Plan is likely your best option.  This plan gives 3 meal credits a day, so using 2 to dine at the fine-dining options is much more accessible.
• If you want to have table-service meals, but don't want to revolve your vacation around them, then the standard Dining Plan is likely the right option.
• The standard Dining Plan is also good for those who want to meet characters.  Most character dining locations only require 1 table-service credit (exception: Cinderella's Royal Table), and are often a good way for 20-something to interact with characters without wasting time standing in long line.
• For those who don't want to be tied down by food, stick to the Quick-Service Dining Plan

Since there are so many dining options on property, figuring out your ideal dining plan should be done by first determining what your main goal for the time spent eating is!

Quick tip:

Something I learned during the first trip I planned was that the Dining Plan is factored for each night staying. So if you are going for 5 days/4 nights, on the standard plan you will get 4 table-service, 4 quick-service, and 4 snacks, not 5 of each.


Questions?  Feel free to comment, I'd be happy to answer!
Ideas for future posts?  Let me know!



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