Hey! Long time, no talk! I feel like I owe you something, so here are FIVE underrated dining locations you should try the next time you visit Walt Disney World.
1. Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago
I think this lounge at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort serves some of the best food on Disney property. Because of the limited capacity of this lounge, wait times can be quite high, but don’t let that deter you away from eating here because the wait is worth it.
It opens later than most restaurants at 4:30 p.m., so it would be a perfect after-the-park dining option. And the best part is (at the time of this article being released) that Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a Phase 1 parking location, which means guests are able to park at the resort even though they aren’t staying there or have a reservation. Just let them know you’re coming to eat and they’ll let you park with a valid I.D.
Let’s start with the “Spreadable, Dippable, Shareable” section, also known as the appetizers. Out of these, my favorites are the guacamole and the roasted corn dip. The flavors of these are so good and there is just the right amount of acidity that makes it pop.
Moving onto the entrées, the signature burger is my absolute favorite. It was cooked perfectly to my liking and was even topped with onion rings! The smoked paprika fries that come with it are delicious and the pineapple salsa on the burger is a perfect sweet to savory ratio. Other great options are the pork carnitas tacos and the steak frites.
I’ve only tried the churros for dessert, but they were delicious. It’s served with three different dipping sauces, the chocolate is my favorite, and they are coated with a large amount of cinnamon sugar.
2. Columbia Harbour House
Located at the Magic Kingdom Park, this quick-service dining location offers New England-inspired dishes including seafood and more. This location in Liberty Square is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. most nights.
Some entrées include lobster rolls, glazed salmon, fried fish and shrimp and your basic chicken tenders. You can also get a combination platter of fried fish, shrimp and chicken.
PRO TIP: Get a kid’s meal! It’s cheaper and filling, and if you’re still hungry, you get to try more things around the park!
I tend to order the kid’s grilled salmon, which includes half a piece of salmon, two sides and a drink. I usually choose white rice and green beans as my sides because I think it pairs well with the salmon, but you also have a choice of french fries.
The hush puppies and the combination platter are also good choices to have.
3. The Mara
This quick service location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge serves African-inspired food as well as your typical American foods including chicken fingers, burgers and flatbreads. They’re open at all times of the day from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night snacking. Like Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is also in Phase 1 of parking at the time of this article’s release.
My favorite dish from here is the harissa-spiced beef bowl made with braised beef stew, pilau rice, kale slaw, cucumber-tomato salad and avocado tahini sauce. It has just enough spice for me and the flavors go so well together.
You can also find the famous zebra domes at this location. If you don’t know what zebra domes are, they’re small bites of chocolate mousse baked with amarula cream liquor-coated white chocolate drizzled with chocolate stripes and chocolate shavings. This location offers reasonable prices for the portion sizes you receive.
4. Backlot Express
Another quick service location on the list is located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and serves your basic American cuisine, but this place is top-notch when it comes to food. The burgers aren’t your typical quick service burger, it just tastes better (I don’t know why, but it just does).
I recently had the southwest salad with chicken (as a kid’s meal of course) and the portion size amazed me. It came with two sides, which I chose carrots and french fries, and a drink for just $7.79 plus tax. It was so filling, almost to the point where I couldn’t finish it. I didn’t even touch my fries because of how much they gave me (my boyfriend ate them, don’t worry, they didn’t go to waste).
It is also very easy to find seating whether that be inside or outside. They also make it very easy to order through mobile ordering and are very accommodating to allergies. Backlot Express is also home to the famous Wookie Cookie. I’ve never had it because I don’t like oatmeal cookies and frosting, which is basically what it is, but I’ve heard from a plethora of people that it is delicious!
5. Garden Grill Restaurant
Although I’ve only ever eaten dinner here, this character dining location in EPCOT is so good and I have had some of the best character interactions at this restaurant. The characters at this location are Chip, Dale, Pluto and Mickey Mouse. This restaurant requires reservations and is an all-you-care-to-enjoy style meal.
The price for breakfast is $49 per person plus tax for adults and $33 per person plus tax for children ages three to nine. The breakfast includes items such as the famous Mickey waffles, seasonal fruit, bacon, sausage, pastries, eggs, potatoes and, my favorite, grilled steak.
The price for lunch and dinner is $62 per person plus tax for adults and $42 per person plus tax for children ages three to nine. The lunch and dinner options include cornbread, salad made fresh from The Land, grilled steak, roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, seasonal vegetables, macaroni and cheese and a seasonal dessert.
Because it is all-you-care-to-enjoy, you can order more of anything you want if you run out! I always end up ordering more grilled steak, cornbread and mashed potatoes. The price of the meal also includes non-alcoholic beverages.
Do you think I missed any underrated dining locations? Message me on @HappilyyEverAshley on Instagram and let me know what I should try next!
