Disney World Dining: Captain Cook's at Disney's Polynesian Resort

Captain Cooks at Disney's Polynesian Resort is one of Disney's better kept secrets. Captian Cooks offers a variety of traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner options, as well as some unique dining choices. Guests visiting Disney World who are looking for something different, yet affordable, may want to check out Captain Cooks at Disney's Polynesian Resort for a meal.

The Menu

The menu at Disney's Captain Cook's offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Breakfast is served daily from 6:30 am until 10:30 am and includes the famous Tonga Toast for $5.09. Tonga Toast is a one of the Polynesian Resort's specialties, also served at the Kona Cafe. Tonga Toast is a deep fried, battered, and banana stuffed treat, made with sourdough bread and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Other breakfast entrees include a traditional breakfast platter ($6.79), Mickey Waffles ($5.69), and a children's plate ($4.49).

Lunch and dinner options on the menu combine traditional burgers and sandwiches with a few Polynesian-inspired specialties. The Aloha Pork Sandwich ($7.59), Polynesian Tossed Salad with chicken ($8.09), and the Chicken Stir Fry ($7.99) are all good choices. A variety of flatbreads are freshly made also, starting at $6.99. The sandwiches and burgers come with a choice of veggie slaw or Polynesian chips.

The Dining Atmosphere

Captain Cook's is located on the first floor of Disney's Polynesian Resort, towards the back. The restaurant has a full beverage center and a counter service ordering system. The new computerized ordering system allows you to order on a screen and pick up a buzzer while you wait for your food to cook.

Captain Cook's is not a large restaurant, but for an informal, tropically themed counter service restaurant at Disney World, Captain Cook's is appealing. In addition to the indoor seating at tables, there are several patio tables outside that offer a view of the palm trees and tropical foliage.

This is a good choice for a quick service meal at Disney World if you happen to be visiting the Polynesian Resort or at a nearby monorail location in the Magic Kingdom area.

A Dining Review

On my last visit to Disney World, I made not one, but two trips over to Disney's Polynesian Resort to eat at Captain Cook's. Normally, I visit the Polynesian to dine at one of the other Disney restaurants at the Polynesian, Kona Cafe or O'Hanas. Captain Cooks turned out to be a less expensive find. As a counter service restaurant, the food quality was excellent and the Polynesian Tossed Salad was nearly identical to one I had tried at the Kona Cafe. The portions were generous and the food was different than some of the typical burgers and fries meals usually found at many Disney counter service restaurants.

The Polynesian chips were a big hit. The chips come in a mix of three types of chips, sweet potato, wonton, and a plain tortilla type. A side order of the Polynesian chips was under $2. The Chicken Stir Fry was tasty, and had an Asian-inspired tang and plenty of noodles.

The new electronic ordering system had a menu with both written and pictoral descriptions of the dining options, and it was very easy to navigate. The food was made to order and the wait was only about five minutes before our beeper went off. Captain Cook's may be off the beaten path, but it was certainly a welcome surprise. I will be returning to Captain Cook's for more counter service lunches or dinners in the future.

How to Get to Captain Cooks at Disney World

Captain Cook's at Disney's Polynesian Resort can be reached by car or monorail. The monorail transportation to the Polynesian is available at Disney's Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary Resort, the Grand Floridian, and the Transportation and Ticket Center. Guests traveling by car can get a guest pass to park at Disney's Polynesian, located in the Magic Kingdom area of Walt Disney World.

Reservations are not required at Captain Cook's. The restaurant is a quick service restaurant, ideal for those who want a decent counter service meal without paying the larger prices for sit-down meals at Disney's Polynesian Resort.