The skinny on getting food delivered to Disney World resorts
As we checked in at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge on a recent visit to Disney World, I asked about dining options, which seemed pretty slim.
Before the pandemic, Animal Kingdom Lodge was home to an embarrassment of dining riches — Jiko, Boma and Sanaa were all excellent choices. On this trip, though, it came down to Sanaa or the pool bar. We love Sanaa, but those are some slim pickins if you’re staying more than a couple of nights.
The cast member at the front desk offered one more option: Get dinner delivered. This wasn’t something we ever had to consider on past visits, but it is a lifeline now for those who can’t find a reservation or don’t want to eat indoors.
DoorDash and UberEats both deliver to Disney resort hotels, as does A La Carte Services, a Celebration-based app that is well worth the download. You just need to meet the driver at the portico. (Some motel-style resorts, with rooms that open to the outside, may allow delivery direct to your room, but be sure to ask when you check in. This may have been curtailed since resorts re-opened.)
You can get delivery from any of the big fast-food franchises, including McDonald’s, Wendys, Chipotle, Popeyes, and more. But we have a few local favorites we want to recommend.
Pizza: We love Celebration’s own Upper Crust (DoorDash), which makes what could be the closest thing to New York style pizza in Florida, plus amazing calzones, salads and subs. Another pizza place with a large local following is Flippers (Uber Eats, DoorDash), which also has pasta on the menu.
Mexican: Avocado Mexican Grill (A La Carte Services, GrubHub) has all the basics of a good Mexican restaurant, plus a nice selection of creative house specialties. (Avocado doesn’t have much of a website. Its full menu is found on the delivery sites.) If it’s Taco Tuesday, check out El Patron Restaurante Mexicano (DoorDash, Uber Eats), which has family-style taco meals and artisan tacos (think pork belly or soft shell blue crab), and much more.
Columbia Restaurant (A La Carte Services): This Celebration staple serves an extensive menu of Cuban-inspired tapas and entrees. Don’t miss the 1905 salad, which is so good, Art Smith’s Homecomin’ made a knock-off version.
Kobe Steakhouse (UberEats): Couldn’t get a reservation at Teppan Edo for hibachi? You can get a respectable version delivered from Kobe Steakhouse. Order complete individual meals or a mix of family-size meats and sides. If hibachi isn’t your game, Kobe has a nice selection of sushi too. Weird Florida sushi fact: A lot of rolls here contain cream cheese. Yeah, we don’t understand either. Thankfully, Kobe has a respectable menu of “normal” rolls.
Bonefish Grill (UberEats): Another restaurant that offers “family bundles,” Bonefish Grill serves what I think of as “clean” food — simply prepared, quality fish, veggies and sides, in reasonable serving sizes. You can get a family bundle with shrimp or fish tacos or grilled salmon or mahi-mahi, or order off their regular menu.
Celebration Town Tavern (A La Carte Services): A great choice if your family can’t agree on what you want. The Town Tavern has a strong Boston accent — their spelling of “startahs” gives it away — so you’ll find lobster rolls and North End meatballs on the menu. But you also can find salads, seafood, burgers — and anything else a great tavern should serve.
Huey Magoo’s Chicken Tenders (DoorDash, Uber Eats): Because sometimes, only chicken tenders will do.
A few words of caution: We found a pizza flyer slipped under our door at Animal Kingdom Lodge on this trip, as we have many times before at other resorts. Exercise extreme caution with these flyers. In the past, some have been scams to get your credit card number. A quick Google search will tell you if the place is legit — not to mention whether it makes passable pizza.
