Walt Disney World Mobile Order Review
Mobile Order is one of the newest features available to guests of Walt Disney World Resort. Via the Disney World app for iPhone and Android, guests can browse menus, customize orders, pay for their meal, and pick it up all without ever having to wait in line. Park time is precious, and Disney made the leap to online ordering in the wake of the popularity of food delivery apps like Seamless and Uber East. While mobile order isn’t a delivery service, it does give you the option to skip the line and have your meal prepared fresh for your arrival sans the crazy lunchtime crowds.
Mobile Order Put to Test
The mobile order feature was initially launched in 2017 by the Disney Company as a trial, featuring only one restaurant in each theme park and one in Disney Springs. Clearly the service caught fire quickly, as there are now 23 restaurants accepting mobile order around the Resort. On my most recent visit to Walt Disney World, I decided to put mobile order to the test at two restaurants to see for myself if the advertised ease was worth all the hype.
Before I get to the review there are a few things you should know:
- You’ll need Disney World app on your smartphone
- A credit card (linked to your myDisney experience account) is required
- All ordering, payment, and pick up are human interaction-free
Got that? Perfect! Let’s move on.
A D-Luxe Systems Test
I put mobile order to the test at two quick serve restaurants last week. I found myself in Disney Springs around dinnertime after a long day spent among the big holiday crowds in the parks. Hungry and tired of waiting in lines, I pulled up the Disney World app and decided to place an order at the one mobile order spot at Disney Springs: D-Luxe Burger.
I’ve eaten at D-Luxe in the past, so I know the quality of burger/fry combo this restaurant is capable of putting out. First, I clicked on ‘order food’ on the app and chose D-Luxe Burger from the list of restaurants. An interactive menu popped up on the next screen, and away I flew!
I opted for the classic cheeseburger, but there are a whole slew of specialty burgers to choose from for those hungry for something different. I clicked the ‘add to order’ button and the cheeseburger was added to my virtual shopping cart. So far, super easy. Now everyone knows a cheeseburger usually features onions of some kind, and everyone also knows I despise onions. I clicked the ‘view my order’ button and was given the option to customize my selection. Here I could subtract any ingriedient I didn’t want (bye bye onions) and order any of the other toppings of my choice on the side. I really liked the option to customize here, as I usually like to modify something in each dish I order. I added an order of fries to my order and called it a day.
I was ready to eat, so I submitted my order and went into the restaurant where I was given a beeper. It wasn’t until I submitted my order and clicked the ‘I’m here’ button that my credit card was charged. D-Luxe Burger offers discounts to Annual Passholders and DVC members, but if you use mobile order, there isn’t anywhere to let the app know your Passholder or Vacation Club status. Since my Annual Pass is linked to my account I would have thought the discount would have been taken automatically. I was wrongWhen my order was ready, an employee brought my food right to my table! The burger was served piping hot and with all of the proper customizations! The fries were right there next to it, as were all the sauces I requested. From ordering straight through to first bite, my experience with mobile order at D-Luxe Burger was absolutely seamless.
The Tale of the Missing Beverages
My mobile order at Satu’li Canteen was a different story. Located in the new Pandora section of Animal Kingdom park is where you’ll find Satu’li and its many options of protein bowls. Since Pandora has had its share of crowds since opening (think 200+ wait times for the Flight of Passage attraction) I thought mobile order might be a good call if I wanted to dine at the new restaurant.
I went about the order process the same way- through the app- and again was again delighted to find the options for customization. Satu’li’s main shtick are the protein bowls. You can mix and match bases, proteins, sauces, and slaw through the mobile order app. I placed an order for three bowls and three of the specialty beverages only offered on the planet of Pandora; to earthlings 21 years of age and older.
I clicked the ‘I’m here’ button when I arrived and waited to pick up my food. The food was ready pretty soon after I checked in, but my drinks weren’t on the tray with the rest of my food. It took a long while for me to get the attention of a cast member; especially considering the restaurant wasn’t very busy. Finally someone came over and I informed him of my missing drinks situation. Again I must stress that the restaurant was not busy, giving no reason for my drinks to have taken almost 5 minutes to be brought to me. At this point, my food had been sitting out for almost 10 minutes and was quickly getting cold.
Although my drinks weren’t with my order, the food sat out for longer than I would have liked, and this article is not a restaurant review, I have to highlight that the food was very tasty and fresh. I would absolutely recommend the restaurant, but not necessarily using mobile order as the staff still seemed baffled by the notion of a mobile order.
The Verdict?
Overall mobile order is a time saving option that allows you and your party to max out your park time without having to wait in line for food. My mobile order from D-Luxe Burger was placed at peak dinner time and avoiding the long queue made my decision a no brainer. Being able to place an order early in the day and check in when I arrived at Satu’li Canteen was a great feature, but I ate at an off time when the restaurant was not busy and probably would have been better off ordering the old fashioned way….and I would have been able to get my Passholder discount too (grrrr)! The mobile order system is great, and while there are glitches to be worked out and more restaurants begging to be added to the list of offerings, I think the service is worth a look if you are visiting during a busy time at WDW.
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer/musician thrilled to be bringing you all things Disney! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!