food courts/quick service options

[mickeyman42]

ok, so this may sound weird given that most people do not like food courts, however, my kids love them. they love the choices, getting their own drinks and the fact that we don't need to plan an adr around eating when we go there.
when looking on the website however, it looks like some resorts, mostly DVC places, dont have food courts? is that true? and if so, do they have any real options for quick service food and how do you use your refillable mug at these resorts? I know that the beach club has beaches and cream, but other places seem to not have much quick service options, and the actual WDW website isn't really much help.

[VWL Mom]

You are correct, none of the DVC have food courts. BLT has QS at Contempo Cafe in the CR and also has a refillable mug station at the pool. VWL shares Roaring Forks at WL. Both are quick walks. AKL-Kidani has refill stations in the Marketplace and at the pool but you'd need to go over to Jambo for QS. To me one of the shortcomings of BWV is the lack of QS, there are some options at the carts along the boardwalk for lunch and the bakery for breakfast but nowhere to get true QS. As an adult, walking to the bakery for coffee in the morning was not a big deal but I wouldn't want to do it if I had little ones in tow.

I'm sure others will be along to add to the list.

[AgentC]

Most resorts have some sort of quick serve option though in the case of close by resorts like Yacht & Beach Club it may only be in one building. This also affects some of the DVC units that are next to another resort. For example Bay Lake Tower does not have any food options in the building. They are all next door at the Contemporary.

Food courts (if you define it as a big open area with multiple food stations) really only exist at the values and moderate, but all the deluxe and DVC units do have some type of quick serve but it varies greatly. Are you looking into a specific resort?

Here are a couple of examples

Polynesian - has Captain Cook's as a quick serve and a place to fill mugs

Boardwalk Inn & Villas does not have one specific quick serve. They have stands on the Boardwalk which include a a pizza window, the Boardwalk Bakery (currently being renovated) and a bar within the resort that serves breakfast. Mugs are refilled at the bar or the bakery and I think the pool bare but I'm not sure.

Yacht/Beach Club and Beach Club Villa's share the Beach Club Marketplace which is a small quick serve inside the resort store. Mug are refilled there or at Hurricane Hannah's at the pool.

I have never had a problem finding something quick to eat at any of the DVC or deluxe resorts but it is definitely not that same as hitting the food court at a POR or Pop.

[Pirate Granny]

Beaches and Cream is a table service, and not a QS...

[BrerGnat]

Every resort has at least one quick service option, as well as a gift shop stocked with multiple food choices. The gift shops at the DVC resorts actually have sort of a mini mart in them, where you can get "groceries".

As far as Food Courts, though, you will really only find those at the Value and Moderate resorts. Coronado Springs (a moderate) is an exception in the way their food court is set up, though.

If you let us know which specific resorts you are considering, we can tell you what the quick service location is like there.

[BigRedDad]

We love quick service as well. We will not even schedule an ADR unless we want a character breakfast somewhere. If we cannot get into a restaurant where we are at that time, we can find alternative places to eat. There are so many QS places to eat with options other than a cheeseburger and chicken tenders. You just need to do some homework before going to know where they are.

[Janmac]

We loved the 2 bedroom villa we had at Old Key West - very roomy, the sleeper couch was comfy, washer and dryer!, lots of room.

The major downside was the QS. Limited menu choices at a window. Outdoor seating. We must have hit the table service restaurant on an off night because service was slow to non-existent and the food was nothing any of us remembered. Not sure about the refillable mugs. I think members of our group refilled at the QS place.

Villas at Wilderness Lodge are nice - tho not as roomy as OKW. But, there is Wilderness Lodge right there, with 3 food options - 2 table service and Roaring Forks, the QS. Roaring Fork is not a food court tho it does have two areas to order food from: one is a bistro sandwich kind of place with some salads while the other is burgers and pizzas. The indoor seating area is limited and there is an outdoor seating area. Members of our group used Roaring Forks for refilling mugs.

After staying at OKW and then VWL, we would like to stay at Villas attached to resorts for the added food options. On our last trip we tried the new QS place at the Contemporary and liked it but it has one area to order from, rather than a food court.

Can mugs be refilled at the resort pool bars?

Jan

[ThanxForNoticin]

As mentioned above, the moderates and values have the more traditional food courts. But all the DVC locations will have decent counter or quick service options.

I agree that the options at OKW can be somewhat limited. But The Marketplace at BC is good, Mara at Jambo House at AKL is our favorite CS (very good food and options), and Artist's Point at SS is very good.

There are usually multiple places you can refill mugs at the DVC locations.