August 14, 2018

Walt Disney World Quick Service Dining Do’s and Don’ts

We’ve been to Walt Disney many times with the kids and each time we find ourselves looking for a quick bite to each on the way to another ride. Walt Disney World quick service dining is a fast, relatively inexpensive and casual way to dine while on vacation at Walt Disney World.

Quick service dining can be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of what you get and crowds are a much bigger issue than they are at table service locations. With that in mind here are some quick do’s and don’t guidelines to follow when dining at quick service locations.

Walt Disney World Quick Service Dining Do’s

DO- Plan where you will want to eat for meals. You don’t need a reservation for quick service food, but there are a lot of options and it’s good to look forward to a specific place, even if you change your mind later.
DO- Read menus before you go. All of Disney World’s dining locations are posted online with access to up-to-date menus. This easy step in preparedness can save you a lot of time and help you find just the right place.
DO- Take advantage of shareable meals to save money.
DO- Have someone get a table while you order. Sometimes it’s hard to find a place to sit and eat, so cut your time by having somebody secure a table while you wait in line.
DO- Look for Upstairs Dining. Even in busy quick service restaurants there is sometimes a whole upstairs, or in some cases additional rooms, that are largely ignored.
DO- Mobile Order. Waiting in line and sending someone to get a table are totally moot if you use mobile order. You can order from your table and go pick your food up without waiting in line just by using this feature of the MyDisneyExperience app on your phone.
DO- If you are on a Disney Dining Plan, tell the Cast Member before you order.

Walt Disney World Quick Service Dining Don’ts

DON’T- Go to order without a plan for finding a table. Quick Service Locations can be very crowded and finding a table is not always easy.
DON’T- Get in line before you know what to order. Menus are available online and posted outside. It’s really easy to walk in prepared. It’s no crime to make decisions while you wait in line, but to be sure you have the best meal experience, you should consider your options before going in.
DON’T- Eat wherever is closest to you. There are just too many choices and in some cases to much variance between locations. You may wind up in a seafood heavy restaurant and not like seafood. Or you could wind up with a basic hotdog, when you could have had a huge (and tasty) burrito with free add on toppings, just around the corner.
DON’T- Line up behind other guests if another line is open. Sometimes it’s not obvious that there are two lines for a register kiosk. You might be waiting for a while only to whitens another guest walk right up and order.
DON’T- Have your whole family get in line with you. This creates chaos and contributes to overcrowding. Plus, you will be wandering around with trays of food and nowhere to sit down and eat. Keep a helper if there is a lot of food, send the others to find a table.
DON’T- Leave everything on the table when you are done. It’s true someone will bus the table eventually, but just don’t do it.