Dockside Diner (Disney’s Hollywood Studios): Loaded Chili-Cheese Nachos

Image: Disney

Honorable mention: Breakfast Bowl Potato Barrels (Woody’s Lunch Box)

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is still waiting on the kind of culinary revolution that has erupted in Disney’s other parks. You’ll find funnel cake at Oasis Canteen, Bavarian pretzels at BaseLine Tap House, churros at Anaheim Produce, and cannolis at PizzeRizzo, but don’t expect any truly unique dishes until Galaxy’s Edge opens later this fall.

In lieu of Disneyland’s bao, Disney California Adventure’s elote, and the Magic Kingdom’s mac and cheese tots, however, Hollywood Studios seems to have the market cornered on chili cheese nachos, which are served up at Dockside Diner at Echo Lake. While they’re definitely on the heavier side and may not be the most portable or summer-suitable snack, the salsa-topped nachos are great for splitting with friends while you take advantage of the few air-conditioned seating areas around the park.

Satu’li Canteen (Animal Kingdom): Cheeseburger Steamed Pods

Image: Martin Lewison, Flickr (license)

Honorable mention: Cinnamon-Glazed Almonds or Pecans (Mahindi)

Animal Kingdom may not be the most popular of Walt Disney World’s four parks, but there’s no denying it has the most creative and varied menus of any theme park within or without the Disney bubble. Where else can you find boozy Dole Whip floats, mini mango pies, purple pear boba slushies, and cones of spiced pecans?

There are plenty of tempting treats littered throughout the park’s seven distinct lands, but Pandora – The World of Avatar presents a clear frontrunner at Satu’li Canteen, famed for its protein bowls and dome-shaped blueberry mousse. Over on the kids’ menu is perhaps one of the best snacks in the entire resort: cheeseburger steamed “pods” stuffed with ground beef, cheddar, pickles, and traditional hamburger condiments. Are they super healthy? Nope. An affront to the entire concept of bao? Possibly. But, like Disneyland’s lime chicken bao, they also come in pleasingly large portions—in other words, an essential survival item for tackling the standby line for Flight of Passage or getting younger parkgoers to expand their palates.

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What are your favorite go-to snacks at the Disney Parks? Do you find yourself gravitating toward the classics—pretzels, Mickey bars, popcorn, and Dole Whips—or do you prefer to go off the beaten path?