Quick Service Restaurants to Avoid at Disney World

Here it is folks! You’ve asked for it and we’ve spent some time compiling the Restaurants to Avoid at Walt Disney World – Quick Service Edition!

Few notes before we get to the list:

  • This list is 100% our opinion
  • The list focuses on avoidance…not “BAD”
  • We will give you a couple reasons why, but at the end of the day we all have reasons why we ‘Love’ or ‘Hate’ restaurants.

Take this list as a grain of salt, as we want you to have the best experience possible during your trip to Walt Disney World!

Related Article – List of Restaurants to Avoid – Table Service


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MAGIC KINGDOM

The Magic Kingdom is probably the first place that you’re going to visit while on vacation at Walt Disney World, so why not look at the options. I’ve put together a full “ranking” of the dining at the Magic Kingdom here, but even the restaurants to avoid are still Disney-quality and will 100% be a memorable experience! 🙂

COSMIC RAY’S STARLIGHT CAFE

We start with arguably the worst dining experience on property. Cosmic Ray’s Cafe is probably one of the hardest restaurants to stomach when we can’t find anywhere else to eat.

On paper, the menu is actually fairly reasonable. But in reality, the confusion of the “Bays” and overall bland food really hurts the repeatability of this Tomorrowland staple.

Is there a pro to Cosmic Rays? Absolutely! They change up their menu constantly, so there’s a chance that you’ll be able to find something edible AND there’s a toppings bar! It also has a few outdoor seats, which allows you to dine with Cinderella’s Castle in the background!

Go to Pecos Bill’s instead

THE LUNCHING PAD

The Lunching Pad at the Magic Kingdom (Image: Dustin Fuhs/ StepstoMagic)

Don’t do it. Just don’t.

What the official “Disney” images don’t show is how many seagulls are hanging around this food location. In addition, most of the seats are used by guests waiting for family who are riding Space Mountain.

PINOCCHIO VILLAGE HAUS

Ok, so the Village Haus isn’t actually a bad location. The issue falls into the menu…and lack of variety. Chicken Parmesan and Flatbreads…oh, and no more Figaro Fries (poutine-style cheese sauce loaded goodness). It’s also a little too close to it’s a Small World for such a small pane of glass to protect us from that song for an ENTIRE meal;)

*Fun Fact – Figaro Fries were re-named ‘Loaded Plaza Fries’ at The Plaza!

Go to Columbia Harbour House instead


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DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

RESTAURANTOSAURUS

Restaurantosaurus is completely out of place when you look at the theming of Dinoland USA. On one side of the “highway” is Dinosaur, with the mentality of education and discovery where Chester and Hester’s area is the i-Drive tourist trap. Well, this restaurant has a mix of the “student humor”, which doesn’t quite fit.

Burgers, sandwiches, and chili cheese dogs…this is typical theme park food that we’ve come to expect from competitors outside of the Disney parks…not inside!

What’s good about it? Well…you can use Mobile Ordering! This allows you to skip the line (which does get incredibly long at lunch) and gets you to the toppings bar quicker;)

PIZZAFARI

Pizzafari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Image: Dustin Fuhs / StepstoMagic)

I used to absolutely love this Quick Service restaurant, as they gave AP/Cast Discounts…and the food was always tolerable and efficient. However – There’s a better QSR just up the path, with Satu’li Canteen @ Pandora – The World of Avatar.

You’ll be happy that you took a chance, as Satu’li has a few things going for it. To start with, the location is bigger, better themed and the food is so good that you may actually have thought that you’re at a Table Service! Let’s put it into perspective…I actually went to the Animal Kingdom during a rain storm JUST to eat there during a trip!


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EPCOT

REFRESHMENT PORT

Refreshment Port at EPCOT (Image: Dustin Fuhs / StepstoMagic)

Remember when McDonald’s had a presence in all the parks? Well, the Refreshment Port was the location for those mouth-watering McD fries in EPCOT!

What happened when the 10-year “strategic agreement” between Ronald and Mickey ended? The Refreshment Port’s been lingering in the atmosphere for a while, and until they find a true identity, it’s one location that you should definitely skip.

They’ve recently added a Poutine dish, which incorporates the Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Ceillier, but keep in mind that menu items are always subject to change.


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DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

BACKLOT EXPRESS

Burgers, Sandwiches, chicken, and salads…nothing exciting! If you wanted to, check out the interior of the restaurant to see all the awesome Movie Props…and then head over to Rosie’s for lunch;)

Fun Tip – They do have a self-serve beverage station, which allows you to fill up your water bottle with nice FREE ICE COLD H2O!

ABC COMMISSARY

ABC Commissary at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Image: Dustin Fuhs / StepstoMagic)

The ABC Commissary is on our list of quick service locations that continues to evolve…and so we give it a try every so often just in hopes that it’ll find it’s groove. Unfortunately the love/hate relationship continues. We love the Air Conditioning and the food changes constantly!

Even as Hollywood Studios transforms into Star Wars central, we’re seeing an influx of dining experiences that may be better tomorrow than they were yesterday.

Want a piece of advice? Walk through the dining room and actually look at the food that the other guests are eating. This restaurant is guilty of using photoshop to enhance their entrees to a level that we can’t even believe what we’re eating. It’s your typical theme park fare, which doesn’t really help their case.


If you need any more tips be sure to check out the other brand new content on the site! Did we miss any restaurants that you always avoid? Let us know on Facebook!

Quick Service Restaurants to Avoid at Disney World - StepstoMagic.com
Quick Service Restaurants to Avoid at Disney World – StepstoMagic.com
Dustin Fuhshttp://www.stepstomagic.com
I’m Dustin Fuhs, a theme park fanatic that has created this platform to showcase my passion, tools and opinions to create a fun and interactive experience for everyone who visits. My goal is to help you and your family have the most magical experience at Walt Disney World. In reading my articles and ideas, I hope that you can find some fantastic ways to bring your dreams into reality!

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