My love towards the Polynesian Resort should not be a secret. Of all the resorts in the Walt Disney World, I strongly believe that with Poly, it is as good as it gets. The ambiance, the view of the castle, and especially (especially), the food. Ohanas to this day has the best food I’ve ever had in Walt Disney World. But, the menu extends farther than that in the tropical resort. There’s a luau, a sushi bar, a second neighboring sit-down restaurant, and the eatery I am about to discuss.
Now, the point of this blog is to not only visit the entire expansive state of Florida, but to also discover hidden treasures amongst the 65,755 square miles. Captain Cooks is the quick-service cornerstone of the Polynesian Resort, and the best quick-service location in all of Disney. After 7 years of work for the Mouse, I have yet to find a single quick-bite eatery that comes even close to the quality this place. Whomever came up with the menu is a genius, and whomever are the cooks maintaining the place are amazing at what they do.
There are four main reasons why this place is the pinnacle of good fast Disney food---these are not in any order. The first reason is their chicken salad. Saying this now, I am not a salad person in the least bit. However, my two favorite salads are from the Polynesian Resort. First place is the salad in Ohanas, and the chicken salad from Captain Cooks is a close second place. Despite the heftier price, this salad is heavy on the quantity, and the quality. You get a massive bowl full of fresh greens, chicken, and just the right amount of dressing and cheese. The chicken was heavy enough to turn this from a healthyish appetizer into a heck of a dinner. But if greens aren’t your cup of tea, then we have the spectacular turkey club.
While the cheeseburger and the aloha pork sandwich are also very good, the turkey club is a superb work of art. In between pieces of great multi-grain bread is fresh turkey, honey-dijon mayonnaise, bacon, and fresh lettuce. They come in multiple little sandwich pieces, and always leave you asking for more. Every time I order this, it always tastes fresh, always tastes top-notch, and never feels like they just threw the meal together. Joining the club is whether a small salad, cole slaw, or the third reason why Captain Cooks is the best of the best in quick service-----the Polynesian chips.
My first time in Ohanas, their starter wasn’t the sweet bread, it used to be the chips. These spectacular chips introduced me to the world of Polynesian cuisine. While the chips (and potatoes and chimichurri sauce, but that’s another story) no longer exist in Ohanas, they still have life in the food place downstairs. These chips come in many different types, styles, and sizes, and they are all tasty to the absolute core. They are some of the only chips that work well by themselves, and taste good with nearly any type of dip you have for them. These chips have just the right amount of salt and oil to maximize the flavor, without making you think of the calories. To make an extremely long story short, these chips rock your socks off.
Then there is the dessert. While Captain Cooks does offer some of your usual ice cream that you can find in the parks, they do have the spiritual nirvana known as the pineapple dole whip. While this masterpiece of a dessert is available in the Magic Kingdom, the fact that this ice cream can be found outside the hustle and bustle of the Kingdom is something worth cheering about. The pineapple ice cream is among the best desserts you’ll ever have in your life. The ice cream is very creamy, very rich in flavor, and just a pure delight from start to finish. Existence of a higher being makes sense, because there’s no way us simple humans created such a delight. I can’t describe it better. You just have to come down to taste it. There should be poetry made about this ice cream.
Bottom Line: If you are vacationing in Disney (or living closeby), you must give this place at least one visit. It is not just a great assortment of Disney food, it has become the best of the quick-service locations in all of Walt Disney World---and I am indeed including the quick service spots in the theme parks themselves. While the Sunshine Seasons and Casey's Corner are classics and cornerstones of Disney, Captain Cooks is a hidden gem of pure quality that is supported by a beautiful atmosphere and close distance to the beach. Not only can you enjoy a great dinner, but you can take some delicious ice cream with you a mere few feet to the shorelines of the resort, where you can get a great view of the fireworks in Magic Kingdom. Captain Cooks is as good as it gets for fast Disney food.
Looks delicious :)
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