5 Best Quick Service Restaurants at the Monorail Resorts

Whether you want to leave Magic Kingdom for a nice lunch or if you are staying at one of Disney’s Monorail Resorts, such as the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, or the Polynesian Village Resort, chances are you’ll have to work extra hard at getting those extra vacation pounds off when you get back home! These monorail resorts offer many dining options open to everyone and anyone – not just the monorail resort guests. So, let’s ride along on the monorail and pick our top five best quick-service restaurants located within the monorail resorts.

1 – Capt. Cook’s @ Polynesian Resort

Named after an 18^th-century British explorer, Capt. Cook’s is a quick-service spot located at the Polynesian Resort near the Nanea Volcano Pool. Grab a meal whenever you’d like at this 24-hour dining option. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dining, there is no shortage of tasty selections. Lunch and dinner have great menus with American cuisine items inspired by Hawaiian flavors, such as the Aloha Pork Sandwich, Thai Coconut Meatballs, and Pan Asian Noodles and Vegetables, to name a few. But, we must insist that you check out their breakfast simply because of two words – Tonga Toast! This heavenly banana-stuffed sourdough bread, battered and deep-fried and dusted with cinnamon sugar, is more like a dessert than breakfast – but hey, you’re on vacation!

2 – Contempo Café @ Contemporary Resort

This quick service experience at the Contemporary is all about the atmosphere! Sit and enjoy a meal or take a bite with you, but be sure to look up at the grand interior the Contemporary offers, including the 90-foot mural inspired by ‘it’s a small world’. Watch the monorail breeze through the resort and delight in the bright and airy space. Plus, the excellent food matches the excellent atmosphere! Whether you want a light grab-and-go snack or sit down for a full-on meal, you’ll find what you are looking for at the Contempo Café. Lunch and dinner have the usual American-style cuisine options like flatbread, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and more. Go simple or big – either way, you’ll be pleased.

3 – Oasis Bar & Grill @ Polynesian Resort

Typically, we’ve found that the poolside quick service locations have simple menus. The Oasis Bar and Grill at the Polynesian is poolside food at its’ finest! The menu boasts unique items such as Oasis Salad, Black Pepper-Parmesan Chicken Wings, and Fried Wonton Chips. The beverages served at the Oasis Bar and Grill are also perfect on a hot day by the pool! We especially recommend the Lava Smoothie (non-alcoholic), The Voyager, or Frosty Pineapple (both alcoholic). This is a great spot to eat light and sip back something refreshing.

4 – The Sand Bar @ Contemporary Resort

Despite The Sand Bar’s very simple appearance near the Feature Pool and Water Play Area at the Contemporary Resort, we must say the short menu of entrees is a great one, with excellent variety! The menu includes items such as the Bacon Cheeseburger and a Foot-long hot dog. Plus, you’ll enjoy their great snack selections from healthy to heavenly and everything in between! Don’t forget to indulge in one of their specialty cocktails like Blueberry Lemonade or Magical Beacon Cocktail. This is one great quick service spot that has something for all preferences in the family.

5 – Pineapple Lanai @ Polynesian Resort

Last on our list, but definitely not least, would have to be Pineapple Lanai at the Polynesian Resort. Pineapple Lanai brings that Dole Whip taste of Magic Kingdom to a resort! This legendary frozen treat comes in different forms at Pineapple Lanai for guests to enjoy, such as the Dole Whip Soft-Serve, Dole Whip with Rum Floater, or the Pineapple Float.  You might just want to purchase a Dole Whip in one of the Tiki Sippers or Bowls souvenirs. Yes, this is by far the simplest quick service location on our list, but it makes it into our top five because, in our opinion, it falls into must-do snacking!

We know that our list of favorites didn’t include any of the quick service locations at the Grand Floridian Resorts and Spa, but we were going for unique and great taste with the best variety. We do, however, want to give an honorable mention to the Gasparilla Island Grill at Grand Floridian Resort. Do you have a favorite quick-service spot along the Monorail Resort loop? We’d love for you to share!