Would you like to have a traditional Thanksgiving turkey (or ham) dinner at Walt Disney World without needing a reservation? Or dealing with the holiday crowded parks? Or even needing a park ticket?
Most people are aware that many full-service restaurants throughout the Walt Disney World property provide a special Thanksgiving dinner option (here is a list of places for 2011), BUT did you realize that some Disney resort hotels with quick counter service dining also provide an affordable special Thanksgiving meal? You never see this advertised or talked about. Almost everyone I tell this to, Cast Member and knowledgable Disney fan alike, has no idea this happens, but it’s been available for years.
To dine in these places you do not need a reservation or a park ticket. I believe it’s is one of the hidden treasures of Disney World; enjoying a quiet and affordable traditional Thanksgiving dinner in a Disney themed setting without going into the parks. During Thanksgiving Day these locations are a ghost town because people are either with their families, shopping, or enjoying the parks. It’s a perfect example of benefitting from doing something different than the masses.
My wife and I have made this an annual tradition. Our favorite place to go is the Sassagoula Floatworks Factory at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. It’s quiet and you can purchase Biegnets as an added treat! This meal is only available on Thanksgiving:
2011 Sasagoula Floatworks Thanksgiving Menu
For under $15 you get a complete traditional turkey (or ham) dinner that includes everything except your beverage. It even has dessert, and you get your food immediately.
According to the staff at Sassagoula, all the Disney resort hotels with quick service dining, including the food courts at the Disney All Stars and Pop Century, offer a similar meal. The side dishes and pricing may vary. Not bad for no crowds, waiting, or park tickets. On our visit today the entire place was empty except for 2 other families. There are only a few things you need to remember:
- Accommodating allergies - while you can exclude any side dish that may not be to your liking, it’s much less likely that you can get anything specially prepared. The chef should be able to tell you what is incompatible with your specific allergies, but unlike the formal dining restaurants you may not have any options for substitutions. On this occasion the chef did allow my wife to substitute one of the packaged gluten-free brownies in place of the pie.
- Cafeteria setting - You’ll be dining on paper plates, cups, napkins, and with plastic utensils. You’ll also have to get your own food; there are no waiters.
- It’s not “all-you-care-to-eat” – Some of the formal restaurants are buffets. Here you only get one serving for your price. Only the soft drinks have possible free refills.
If you want to take advantage of this, just explain to the security guard at the hotel entrance that you are there to have lunch or dinner. They will check your driver’s license, then either wave you through or provide you with a limited time parking pass. You do not need to be a guest in the hotel to take advantage of this.
[Originally published 11/25/2010. Updated 11/23/2011]
A WDW Thanksgiving Dinner Made Easy originally appeared on Keith Barrett Online on November 23, 2011.
