This post is part of a series that tours the Magic Kingdom from A to Z. For other posts in this series, click here.
Just like a few weeks ago, I haven’t been looking forward to this week’s entry because, as far as I know, Q (as well as the forthcoming stops for letters X and Z) isn’t the first letter of any attractions, shops or restaurants in the Magic Kingdom. After struggling for a bit, however, I realized that Q can actually be used for a number of restaurants. That’s right, this week we’ll stop at all of the Quick Service Restaurants around the Magic Kingdom.
Around Walt Disney World, the terms Quick Service and Counter Service are generally used to describe restaurants where food is ordered and served very quickly. The reason I say generally, though, is because some people include snack stands (such as The Lunching Pad) in the Quick Service genre, while others such as myself consider QSRs to be establishments with more comprehensive menus. For the purpose of this post, we’ll look at restaurants in the Magic Kingdom that serve full meals instead of just drinks and snacks.
Casey's Corner - Exterior
The first QSR guests pass is Casey’s Corner, a baseball-themed restaurant named after the fictitious Casey from Ernest Thayer’s famous poem “Casey at the Bat.” Casey’s story is also told in the “Casey at the Bat” segment of Make Mine Music, a package film made up of ten segments and released in 1946. Casey’s Corner has a very simple menu: hot dog meals, hot dogs, corn dog nuggets, chili, french fries, brownies, Cracker Jack and various drinks. Casey’s has both interior and exterior seating, but during peak seasons it is often difficult to find a spot outside or on the indoor “stadium” seating.
El Pirata y el Perico - Exterior
Adventureland is home to El Pirata y el Perico (Spanish for The Pirate and the Parrot), a seasonal QSR that only operates during the busiest times of year. Located directly across from Pirates of the Caribbean, El Pirata y el Perico serves beef and vegetarian tacos, taco salads, a quesadilla kids’ pack, triple chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and various drinks. I’ve never eaten here so I can’t comment on the food or seating; if you’ve eaten at El Pirata y el Perico before I’d love for you to share some comments below.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe - Signage
Around the corner in Frontierland is one of my favorite QSRs in the Magic Kingdom: Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. Similar o Casey’s Corner, this restaurant is named after famous folklore character Pecos Bill, whose story is told in the segment of the same name in Melody Time, a Disney package film released in 1948. The Tall Tale Inn and Cafe has plenty of outdoor and indoor seating, so there’s almost always an available table, but it is a bit dark inside.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe offers some great combo meals: BBQ pork sandwiches, bacon double cheeseburgers, 1/4-pound cheeseburgers, chicken wraps, chicken salads, taco salads and vegetarian burgers. Also available are two kids’ picks (hamburgers and mixed greens salads with chicken), chili, french fries, chili cheese fries, strawberry yogurt, carrot cake, chocolate pudding and various beverages. Additionally, when visiting the Magic Kingdom a few weeks ago, there was a sign outside indicating they now serve a fried chicken breast with gravy dinner, which includes mashed potatoes and corn on the cob.
Columbia Harbor House - Exterior
Literally steps away from Pecos Bill is Columbia Harbour House, a nautical-themed restaurant located in Liberty Square. Columbia Harbour House is my favorite QSR for a few reasons. First, there’s a large amount of indoor seating, with a number of tables located in the quieter upstairs. Even better than the seating, however, is the menu. Columbia Harbour House serves eight entree combos: Lighthouse Sandwiches (hummus with tomato and broccoli slaw), Anchors Aweigh Sandwiches (white tuna with lettuce and tomato on toasted multigrain), chicken breast nuggets and fish, fried fish baskets, fried shrimp, chicken breast nuggets, garden harvest salads and BLT salads.
There’s also a decent variety of kids’ picks: mixed greens with chicken, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese and peanut butter and jelly. Additionally, bowls of New England clam chowder and vegetarian chili are available, as well as french fries, cole slaw, apple crisp, chocolate cake and strawberry yogurt. My all-time favorite item, New England clam chowder in a bread bowl, hasn’t been available for quite some time, but its removal from the menu hasn’t kept me from coming back to Columbia Harbour House on almost every trip.
Pinocchio Village Haus - Signage
In Fantasyland, you can find another QSR themed in a house, but this time it is the German Pinocchio Village Haus. Compared with other QSRs in the Magic Kingdom, Pinocchio Village Haus has a very limited menu: three pizza combo meals (vegetarian, pepperoni and cheese), chicken breast nuggets, caesar salads with chicken and Mediterranean salads. For children, there are three kids’ picks available: macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly and cheese pizza. Other items on the menu include the popular Figaro fries (french fries with bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato), regular french fries, mixed greens salad, strawberry yogurt, chocolate cake, strawberry cheesecake, and assorted beverages. My favorite thing about Pinocchio Village Haus is the view from some of the restaurant’s tables of the It’s A Small World loading area.
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe - Exterior
Last, but certainly not least, is Tomorrowland’s Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. Cosmic Rays is a hugely popular QSR because of its vast number of food options. The menu includes: 1/2 chicken and BBQ rib combos, BBQ rib meals, 1/2 rotisserie chickens, grilled chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, BBQ pork sandwiches, turkey bacon wraps, vegetarian wraps, caesar salads with chicken, club salads, bacon double cheeseburgers, 1/4 pound cheeseburgers, beef hot dogs, chili cheese dogs and vegetarian burgers.
Similar to other locations, the kids’ picks available are mixed green salads with chicken, chicken nuggets and peanut butter and jelly. Other items available at Cosmic Ray’s are chili, chicken noodle soup, french fries, chili cheese fries, strawberry yogurt, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, carrot cake, triple chocolate cake and assorted beverages. Probably my favorite aspect of Cosmic Ray’s is Sonny Eclipse, an audio animatronic alien who sings and entertains guests while they dine (or seek shelter from the rain!).
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe - Sonny Eclipse
So there you have it, a somewhat lengthy run through of all of the Magic Kingdom’s Quick Service Restaurants. Which of these restaurants is your favorite and why? Please leave a comment to share your favorites with others.
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Following are my three favorites. I really enjoy each of them for many of the same reasons you describe. Casey's for its Americana theme, Pecos Bill for the roominess. Harbor House upstairs for its menu.
I have not eaten at El Pirata, but I think i have been there for both Not So Scary candy stop and the Very Merry Christmas parties. Thanks.
So sad the bread bowls are gone at Harbor House! Those were my favorite, too…obviously, I haven't eaten there in quite some time!
I just ate at El Pirata last weekend. I was not impressed. It was terribly crowded and I didn't find the food that great either. Oh well there are plenty of other choices out there!
Wow, El Pirata was open?! I've never been there before, but from the sounds of it I should stick with Columbia Harbour House.
The fried chicken dinner at Pecos Bill was quite a treat when I was at the MK last week. It's a nice alternative to burgers, etc. Then again, I think Pecos Bill has the best counter meals in MK to begin with.
Thanks for the comment, Joe! The next time I'm in MK, I'll have to give it a try if Pecos Bill is still serving the chicken dinner.