At the Disney Parks, we often discuss the best food and culinary experiences each destination of dreams has to offer.The parks have special dining options that allow us to partake in our sweet tooth in a magical way, or dine on delicacies that we constantly dream of in between our vacations.
But most fans of Walt Disney World know that while they are graced with some delicious food, one of their parks is home to the weakest dining selections in the theme park industry. That park is, of course, the Magic Kingdom.
The Magic Kingdom may be home to plenty of iconic attractions and experiences, but the dining options are pretty dismal in comparison to the other Disney Parks. Often represented by the childish chicken nuggets and fries, the Magic Kingdom suffers in the food department to the point where many guests choose find dinner elsewhere.
But fear not! Here you can find 5 cheap, delicious, and magical food options for your next trip to Disney’s Magic Kingdom!
Let’s get started!
5.) ½ Rotisserie Chicken — Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
Come one, come all, to Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, for the greatest eats in the galaxy!
Between the live music by the one and only Sonny Eclipse (hailing from Yew Nork) and excessive crowds during times of high traffic, the Starlight Cafe can be quite hectic, almost impossible to traverse.
Often, when we as fans see a bustling space without any reprieve, we stop, reverse, and find a smaller, quieter location to enjoy dining at the parks. It’s the reason why I eat at Future World in EPCOT, dine at the Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom, especially during the summer months.
But most fans of the Magic Kingdom will admit that they have a soft spot for this quick service location. No where else can you get a simple selection of food (perfect for children) with “live” entertainment at decent prices. Picky eaters find a safe haven at the cafe, dining on subpar Hamburgers and (actually somewhat good) chicken nuggets.
However, Disney foodies need not be reminded of the steal that is the ½ Rotisserie Chicken, served with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans. What is the closest thing to the Plaza Inn’s Chicken Dinner at Disneyland is a simple (and cheap) masterpiece in Walt Disney World. For only $14.49 (trust me that’s cheap in Disney Money), you can experience one of the most delicious meals the park has to offer.
Guests are served a full meal, one you would expect at an expensive dining option, guests can take in the surroundings of a futuristic jazz club that provides as a thesis statement for the theories behind Tomorrowland itself. Bustling energy, fantastic theming, toe-tapping music, and unique dining.
Finding food for a picky eater at the Magic Kingdom is quite simple, but finding an appealing option for the entire family is a blessing in disguise.
4.) Cheshire Cat Tail — Cheshire Cafe
Snacks are fantastic. That’s a motto we can all agree with. As Disney fans, quick snacks are on the top of our dream list, possibly even the list itself. Every visit we find new reasons to increase our carbohydrate intake, drown ourselves in sugary (or savory) treats, and expand our taste horizons.
Given this, you can understand where most of the money I spend on a trip goes. In fact, my frivolousness on my last vacation led to a fantastic discovery, changing the way I see sweets at the Magic Kingdom.
Right next to the Starlight Cafe is a tiny shack called the Cheshire Cafe, specializing in cold brew coffee and a newly introduced sweet snack, the Cheshire Cat Tail.
For $5, guests can purchase a croissant twist, filled with chocolate, and drizzled with a purple icing all in a paper bowl. For the price, we couldn’t ask for anything better.
The Cat Tail is extremely mobile and easy to eat, matching the cluster of traffic that is Fantasyland.
Simple choices are often those that impact us the most. I challenge you to experience this pastry without a smile on your face, and your wallet.
3.) Lobster Roll — Columbia Harbour House
Let’s get this out of the way first. Is this the best Lobster Roll to ever exist in Walt Disney World? No. That honor went to the Boardwalk Bakery in the EPCOT resort area. Is this the best thing we have? Yeah probably. Is it delicious nonetheless?
Absolutely.
As a fan of the Colonial America motif, Liberty Square has always held somewhat of a soft spot in my mind, yet it really has nothing of value in it. Haunted Mansion has always seemed completely separate, and I love the Liberty Tree Tavern, but the square really lacks depth.
Entering the Columbia Harbour House however is a breath of fresh air. Gone are the cliche motifs of the American Revolution (Jamestown, Williamsburg, Paul Revere, etc), replacing such tired themes with the shipping trade of colonial America.
Diversifying the theme of the area isn’t the only thing the Harbour House has to offer. I’d love to say that I’ve tried all of the seafood offered there but I cannot, for every time I return I have little to no choice but to pick the Lobster Roll, just out of purity and deliciousness.
At $15, the Lobster Roll probably isn’t worth the price. If we’re being completely honest, a roll partially filled with Lobster Meat and overfilled with Mayonnaise isn’t really the definition of a fantastic Lobster Roll.
Yet, I can’t help but recommend this sandwich. Sitting in a shipping building, eating a delicious lobster roll, and taking in the scenery is an unbeatable experience.
Take this as a direct recommendation. Take a chance on this sandwich, you won’t regret it.
2.) Turkey Leg — Tortuga Tavern
I’ve been going to the parks for my entire life. Every year, sometimes twice a year, I’d go to Walt Disney World. It’s a mainstay in my family, with every park map burned into my memory like the back of my hand.
Which makes it even more difficult to understand that I can’t even remember the last time I had a turkey leg, at least before my last trip to the Magic Kingdom.
I had to fix this, I had to re-experience the Turkey Leg that everyone constantly talks about. The snack that everyone who has ever been to a Disney Park knows, the Turkey Leg has become somewhat of a cornerstone of the “average” Disney Trip.
I stopped at Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland this August as I was leaving the park, ready to return home, and purchased a buttery, salty, greasy, leg of Turkey Meat.
Oh, what a great choice.
At $11, the Turkey Leg is a cheap meal that has more than enough for one person. A fork and knife are almost required (if you want to stay clean) as this abnormally sized leg must’ve belonged to Godzilla.
Every bite of this dark meat delicacy is a warm, juicy, savory, delicious treat that genuinely deserves the praise it gets. It’s an experience of its own given the way it must be eaten, with pride and respect. The respect it deserves.
To someone who hasn’t had one, or hasn’t had one in a while, the $11 dollar price tag can be offputting at first.
But trust us, trust me, it’s worth it.
1) Citrus Swirl — Sunshine Tree Terrace
Here it is, the big one.
The love might be a bit personal, but definitely not unpopular among fans.
Right near the entrance of Adventureland is a small counter, nothing special. Nothing extravagant. Just a French-esque building with a sign identifying it as the “Sunshine Tree Terrace.” A little bird, in the shade of orange, greets you from the sign, signaling you to visit him for a treat. Disney fans know him as the Orange Bird, a character created by the Florida Citrus Commission in partnership with Disney to promote the Florida Orange in return for their sponsorship of the Enchanted Tiki Room.
The menu is pretty sparse, Vanilla Soft-Serve or a Root Beer Float, nothing too different, that is, until you find the delicacy exclusive to the Terrace.
The Citrus Swirl is a simple idea. Take Vanilla soft serve, and use a machine to mix it with Orange Slush in the same way that they mix Vanilla and Chocolate. Simple enough, easy to make, good enough, right?
Ah, but that is where you’re wrong.
The citrus swirl is the perfection of soft-serve. The peak of ice cream. The best dessert you could ask for. Creamy ice cream and citrus-y orange slush, paired in one cup for your enjoyment. $4.29 for this is a bargain, especially given how much they’ll send your way.
Sidenote: I have yet to try the Citrus Swirl Orange Float, which is the basically same as the Citrus Swirl, using the same soft-serve/slush blend while adding it to a cup of Orange Soda in the same vain as a Root Beer Float. I hear it is delicious as well, but I cannot comment.
It took years for the Orange Bird to make his return to Walt Disney World, and the wait was well worth it. A delicious treat, the Citrus Swirl is something no Disney fan should miss on a trip to the Magic Kingdom.
So what did you think? Do you have any other Magic Kingdom snacks that you love but weren’t mentioned?
Be sure to tell us on Twitter at @BoardwalkTimes, and follow us for more Boardwalk Times updates as well as tips for dining at Disney Parks.
Thanks for reading!
Ryan Dorman is a Columnist and Content Director for the Boardwalk Times. He can be found on Twitter at @OpentheDorman, and on the Boardwalk Talk podcast on iTunes or YouTube.
