TS or QS recommendations wanted.

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Our 60 day window is fast approaching.
We've been looking at menus and just aren't getting excited about TS locations in particular.
Usually we have the DDP so we don't really care about the cost of the restaurant.
Right now we just aren't finding much that seems worth the price.

We'll be snacking our way around the world any time we're in EPCOT so we aren't planning on a TS there which of course seems to have the most TS locations we're interested in lol.

We're also staying at Poly and considered Kona Cafe for a breakfast mostly because I want to try Tonga Toast (Worth it?)

I'm a sandwich, burger, or chicken dish type of person and my sister is a sandwich, steak, or seafood type of person.

Just looking for some suggestions of TS locations on the less expensive side at MK, HS, AK, or the resorts.
Also looking for suggestions of QS locations in HS, AK, or the resorts.

We have a couple go to like Sci-fi for TS and Cosmic Ray's for QS but looking to fill in some blanks.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

We're also staying at Poly and considered Kona Cafe for a breakfast mostly because I want to try Tonga Toast (Worth it?)

A lot of people love it but I find it sickeningly sweet and can't get through it.

I'm a sandwich, burger, or chicken dish type of person and my sister is a sandwich, steak, or seafood type of person.

A sweet spot for the both of you might be Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club. It was the surprise hit of our last trip. Fairly priced, with a great burger and fresh fish of the day. Pay extra to upgrade to the truffle fries.

Just looking for some suggestions of TS locations on the less expensive side at MK, HS, AK, or the resorts.

MK: Skipper Canteen if you want to stay in the park, Whispering Canyon or Grand Floridian Cafe if you don't mind leaving it. I love The Wave at the Contemporary but it's closing to be "reimagined."

HS: Brown Derby. It's expensive, but if you stick with the cobb salad or the burger you can keep the price reasonable.

AK: No reason to do TS if you're looking to save money.

Also looking for suggestions of QS locations in HS, AK, or the resorts.

HS: Docking Bay 7 or Ronto Roasters in Galaxy's Edge.

AK: Satuli Canteen, Flame Tree Barbecue, or Harambe Market

 

[Weather_Lady]

Captain Cook's (CS) at the Poly is terrific. I also recommend Yak & Yeti at AK, although you'll want to take a look at the menu and see if it appeals.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

A lot of people love it but I find it sickeningly sweet and can't get through it.


A sweet spot for the both of you might be Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club. It was the surprise hit of our last trip. Fairly priced, with a great burger and fresh fish of the day. Pay extra to upgrade to the truffle fries.


MK: Skipper Canteen if you want to stay in the park, Whispering Canyon or Grand Floridian Cafe if you don't mind leaving it. I love The Wave at the Contemporary but it's closing to be "reimagined."

HS: Brown Derby. It's expensive, but if you stick with the cobb salad or the burger you can keep the price reasonable.

AK: No reason to do TS if you're looking to save money.


HS: Docking Bay 7 or Ronto Roasters in Galaxy's Edge.

AK: Satuli Canteen, Flame Tree Barbecue, or Harambe Market

Thanks for the response.

I do love sweet things so Tonga Toast seems up my alley lol.

We've eaten at Skipper's Canteen and did enjoy it. Just not sure if we feel like doing it again.

SWGE wasn't open last time we went so I think we will try the food there!

Ooh I forgot about Flame Tree BBQ!

I was also just thinking... I've never eaten at The Plaza at MK. Wonder what people's opinions are on that?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Captain Cook's (CS) at the Poly is terrific. I also recommend Yak & Yeti at AK, although you'll want to take a look at the menu and see if it appeals.

I saw they have Tonga Toast at Captain Cook's but it doesn't seem to be quite the same as at Kona Cafe... Any experience with it?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I was also just thinking... I've never eaten at The Plaza at MK. Wonder what people's opinions are on that?

Fun experience, pretty good food but won't knock your socks off. If I recall, it's mostly sandwiches and salads so you won't break the bank.

I also recommend Yak & Yeti at AK, although you'll want to take a look at the menu and see if it appeals.

The egg rolls at the Yak & Yeti QS spot might be the single best value menu item in all of Walt Disney World.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I saw they have Tonga Toast at Captain Cook's but it doesn't seem to be quite the same as at Kona Cafe... Any experience with it?

Captain Cook's is the only Tonga Toast I've had - at the time we were told it was exactly the same recipe as at Kona Cafe - and it was really delicious (although very rich)! The four of us split 2 portions and were full.

The lunch and dinner options are great at Captain Cook's as well.

 

[belledream]

We're in the same boat... looking to QS it a lot on our upcoming trip.

TS at MK: The Plaza. Looks like their menu has been shortened a bit, but they usually have burgers/sandwiches under $20. Pretty small restaurant, but charming atmosphere. Or hop to Grand Floridian Cafe.
QS: our biggest struggle... Cosmic Ray's in on the list. Also found some interesting options at Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge if you want to make trek.

QS at HS: Backlot Express (burger/sandwich) or ABC Commissary (seafood dishes).

AK: Definitely Satu'li Canteen or Harambe Marketplace

 

[CynBeth]

I also am not a fan of the Tonga Toast.

For breakfast we love WCC at WL.

Not sure about prices but our park favorites are:

MK - Tony’s.
DHS - 50’s PrIme Time Cafe.
AK - Rainforest Cafe.

 

[correcaminos]

Thanks for the response.

I was also just thinking... I've never eaten at The Plaza at MK. Wonder what people's opinions are on that?

That's one of our 'try to get' places. The food is always at least consistently good. We just ate there the 5th of June. Our friend we brought with us had not eaten there before and loved how the food tasted good and wasn't too costly. I really enjoy our meals there and try to get it for MK when possible.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I saw they have Tonga Toast at Captain Cook's but it doesn't seem to be quite the same as at Kona Cafe... Any experience with it?

From what I recall, if you get it at Captain Cook's you save some $, but you miss out on the strawberry compote it comes with when you have it at Kona. I personally love the strawberry compote and think it's better with that strawberry/banana flavor combo, so we usually opt for Kona.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Fun experience, pretty good food but won't knock your socks off. If I recall, it's mostly sandwiches and salads so you won't break the bank.


The egg rolls at the Yak & Yeti QS spot might be the single best value menu item in all of Walt Disney World.

I should have clarified -- I meant the TS Yak & Yeti, although the CS/QS is good, too, and I do enjoy the egg rolls of which you speak.

At the TS, I'm a fan of the Ahi Tuna Nacho appetizer: they're so good I'm tempted to ask to be buried with some when I die, Egyptian-style.

 

[ArmoredRodent]

Just working up my own dining/snack list for an upcoming visit, and having the same lackluster reaction to the current TS offerings. For an upcoming two-week trip, our preliminary draft has three pages (single-spaced), but only two TS listed in MK and one each in AK and HS (you said you didn't want any in EPCOT, though we have listed several, including Space 2020 on pure hope). Why? We noticed on our last trip (2018) that the TS locations were dull and, frankly, relatively flavorless, while the QS outlets were getting much better in quality and variety (probably driven by the various kiosks at EPCOT food events being imaginative, tasty and popular). Reviews indicate this QS trend is continuing.

There's a role for decor and entertainment, but our decision point is principally unusual dishes which recently have been highly rated in reliable blogs and boards; we've been around enough that we would prefer something really good, even at a higher price, than just decor or atmosphere with mere fuel. We tend to eat at higher-priced places outside the parks, though we have tried all the higher-priced places in the parks; we have found many high-quality places generally in neighborhoods like Dr. Phillips, Winter Park (which is usually over-rated) or Celebration (a little family-owned Greek place had one of the best lemon sauces for dolmas I've ever had, light, tangy and just plain fun).

Also, we haven't been there in a while, so these are based on other peoples' recent experiences, and might change as we move closer to full re-opening (and hopefully fully-restored menus). Thus, in the parks, we are considering:

• Crystal Palace, MK, for the prime rib, pork chop, cornbread muffins and peach cobbler
• Plaza Restaurant, MK, for the crab cakes, meat loaf, roast beef, and signature chocolate cake.
• Yak & Yeti Restaurant, AK, for the fixed-price meal with wide and weird international selections
• Brown Derby, HS, for the Cobb (of course, though it can be disappointing), Steak Diane, and the mushroom risotto (which is hit-or-miss, but when good, is great).

YMMV

 

[Cowboy Steve]

Well... hate to sound like a broken record... but have to agree with most:

MK: Be Our Guest, Cosmic Ray's (QS - good luck with BOG though). Jungle Nav Skipper Canteen (TS)

AK: Satu'li Canteen, Flame Tree BBQ, or Harambe Marketplace (QS). Yak & Yeti, Tusker House (TS)

HS: Ronto Roasters and Docking Bay 7 (love both their theming), and Backlot Express for QS, 50's Prime Time (wife's favorite) or Sci-Fi for TS.

AKL - Kidani Village: Sanaa (probably my favorite resort TS).

 

[Bullseye1967]

No love for Liberty Tree Tavern? It is always one of our favorite, though last time we were seated a Diamond Horseshoe.

 

[Ricky Spanish]

So we just got back from a 2 week stay at WDW.
We are not TS people.
I‘m normally not too excited about Disney’s food but….
Love the spicy chicken sandwich with pickle slaw at Cosmic Rays.
Had carnitas nachos at Pecos Bills……meh.
Also the cuban sandwich at Backlot Express was pretty good.
Basically grazed at the booths at the Flower and Garden festival.
Biggest surprise was the crawfish etouffee at the magnolia terrace
Didn’t eat at AK.
Ate at the Polite Pig at Disney Springs. Pretty good.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

MK - Columbia Harbour House (CS Menu is currently offered at Tomorrowland Terrace), Plaza Restaurant (TS),

DHS - Backlot Express (CS), Docking Bay & (CS), Sci Fi Dine-In Theater (TS), Woody's Lunch Box (CS)

DAK - Harambe Market (CS), RestaurantoSaurus (CS), Satu'li Canteen (CS)

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

OP here.

I had forgotten that we wanted to eat at Trails End which is still not open
Also of course we wanted to eat at Space 220.
I don't see either of those happening during our August trip but I have heard that Space 220 is now "fall" so perhaps we will eat there in November?

Anyways... After looking at some more menus The Plaza is out, If LTT weren't a fixed menu we may have eaten there, and I think we will do Kona however I think I'll just get the Tonga Toast minus the strawberry compote at Captain Cook's and try the pancakes at Kona. I would have been happy ordering both from Kona and splitting it with my sister but she hates banana although she did say she'd suck it up for me but meh why make her.
And as much as I hate to eat at a TS at EPCOT when we could just graze we did see they put the sliced beef back on the menu at Garden Grill which is one of our favorites so we're gonna eat there.

The rest will be QS. I think Disney has stepped it up with their QS menus lately so we should be able to find plenty of options.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Just an FYI for any favorite TS to which you plan to return: be sure to check out the menus before deciding. Some places have made such drastic cuts over the last year that although we enjoyed eating there in the past, we're avoiding them and wouldn't recommend them to anyone unless or until the menu gets rounded out again (e.g., Skipper Canteen, which I used to recommend, has gone from 10 entrees to 6, cutting all of my family's favorite dishes in the process).