All-Star McDonald’s at Disney World: Info & Photos
Walt Disney World has long had a partnership with McDonald’s, although in recent years that’s evident only through a gigantic restaurant within walking distance of the All-Star Resorts. In this WDW dining review, we’ll share a photo tour from inside this de facto Disney “food court” and offer some deep thoughts on Big Macs, modern design, and burger wars.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll start by admitting that this is a “contractual obligation” post. (Same idea as when actors from a blockbuster Disney movie appear in the Christmas day parade, or Bill Paxton’s enthusiastic turn in the Twister…Ride It Out pre-show.) I’ve been anxiously awaiting the completion of the All-Star McDonald’s for months, half-joking to Sarah that we were going to rope drop it on opening day to order and eat the entire menu for the sake of research.
Not sharing my McDonald’s mania, her response was that we could do that if it was important for me to write a post about it. I said that it was a moral imperative–my solemn duty as a Disney blogger. Since this is a McDonald’s and you all already know what the fast food behemoth serves, that was an obvious lie. I knew that, she knew that, and now you know that.
Anyway, that’s how we ended up with this post: my voracious appetite for Big Macs. (If you were to see the healthy foods we’ve been eating while stuck at home, I think you’d understand.)
The good news is that, unlike Bill Paxton, I’m very happy to be here. The new-look All-Star McDonald’s is actually a fascinating restaurant, so that helps. Moreover, I have a lot of random thoughts about the fast food industry, and I’ve been looking for the appropriate opportunity to unleash those upon the world.
The bad news is that this is not an “everything on the menu” review of the All-Star McDonald’s.
While mentally and physically preparing my body for this endeavor, I checked out the menu on the McDonald’s app to see what I’d be up against. As it turned out, I totally forgot this location charges the Walt Disney World ‘on-site overtax.’ I love you all and I love eating burgers even more, but I very much do not love overpaying for fast food. Sorry.
Trying to find the silver lining in everything these days, my disappointment turned to joy with the belief that the high prices couple with the All Star Resorts being closed would mean the McDonald’s would be devoid of guests, allowing us to hang around outside for hours and truly soak up the ambiance.
Sadly, this was mistaken. We went in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday several days after it opened (missing whatever mad rush of bloggers and vloggers descended upon the location) and it was still busy. Thankfully, the ‘crowd’ subsided towards the end of our meal.
The most helpful tip that this review can offer is to download the McDonald’s app before visiting.
There are some great daily deals in the app, and these can potentially result in paying half price for whatever you order thanks to ‘buy one, get one free’ and other deals. Additionally, you can order in-app and have the food delivered to your table in the lovely outdoor seating area. (We dined outside and even with the temperature above 90 degrees, it was quite comfortable.)
This McDonald’s has featured varying styles over the years. Old school Walt Disney World fans will undoubtedly remember the oversized characters popping out the top. Then came its generic phase.
Now comes the All-Star McDonald’s eco-friendly phase. Seriously, it’s like a Pinterest board of sustainable design images from Dwell come to life. Not that there’s anything wrong with that–this incarnation of the McDonald’s is more “livable” and offers better ambiance than its immediate predecessor.
From the angular design to the lightly-charred wood screen to the solar panels and sleek seating, the All-Star McDonald’s has gone all out with the eco-friendly aesthetic.
Fortunately, it’s not all just superficial–this McDonald’s is entirely solar powered. Not only are there solar panels lining the restaurant rooftop (nearly 6,000 total!), but there are also innovative features like the windows.
The most eye-catching among these is the living wall adjacent to the patio seating, which provides a cooling effect for the building while absorbing carbon dioxide. The plants around the restaurant are local species that collect rainwater and prevent erosion.
Those exercise bikes also help power the restaurant, and while you may think it’s absurd or poor planning to put bikes in the direct sunlight (and maybe it is!) they were almost always in use during our visit on a hot and sunny afternoon.
The interior has also been redesigned (this McDonald’s was basically rebuilt from the ground up, so calling this a “redesign” is an understatement) with a lot of high-tech features.
Guests are now encouraged to order via the touchscreen kiosks or mobile app and have the food delivered to their tables. Regular registers are also available, but are far outnumbered by the self-service options.
There’s a ton of standing room space, and there are some neat features in some of the booths–including EPCOT-esque lighting, and touch-screen panels.
Indoor seating is surprisingly limited, but I’m going to give McDonald’s the benefit of the doubt here and assume it’s sufficient. (I’m guessing a lot of guests walk over from the All-Stars and walk back to the hotels with their meals–that’s what we used to do.)
As with the rest of the restaurant, the interior is an unequivocal upgrade over the previous generic McDonald’s style here.
However, it still strikes me as overly cold and contrived. My feelings about restaurant interiors more or less mirror my thoughts on hotel rooms (and a number of other things).
These spaces have largely been stripped of their personality and charm over the last decade-plus.
It’s hard to say why this is happening. To me, it all feels very calculated and over-engineered, full of ideas that are good on paper or in the abstract, but don’t translate as well to real world settings inhabited by living humans.
It wouldn’t surprise me if studies were done showing that people preferred brighter, airier, and open layouts with crisp and clean designs. Perhaps said styles have been found to hit key metrics, like increasing per-guest spending (in the case of something like the new-look World of Disney stores) or encouraging repeat business.
There’s definitely something to be said for minimalism, but in many cases it feels that designs swing too far in that direction. Elements that would be good in moderation, but don’t properly coalesce.
Look at this McDonald’s, and then Google “retro McDonald’s.” Compare this to the vibrant murals, fun character seating, play areas, and just general zaniness featuring Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, Officer Big Mac, and the full all-star cast of characters. I’ll take the 1980s and 1990s look over this any day.
Maybe this is just my nostalgia talking (I love watching old school McDonald’s commercials on YouTube), but I don’t think so. There’s a reason people love things like Stranger Things 3, and its Starcourt Mall setting. That existed at a time when these spaces had a sense of place, water fountains, lush planters, and other features with personality. Now, it seems like so many establishments are all variations of the same homogenous look. (To the extent that there is personality in newer designs, it’s mostly barn interiors that have been repurposed by rustic hipsters. No thanks.)
Enough “get off my lawn” ranting, for the moment at least. Now let’s turn to the food portion of the review and take a look at the legendary Big Mac. Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame-seed bun. One of the most iconic American foods of all time, and it still holds up.
The Big Mac is certainly not the best burger of all-time; it probably wouldn’t crack my personal top 50. However, it has enduring appeal, memorable and consistent flavor, and is a cultural institution for good reason.
Which brings us to the next rant: burger wars. These online battles have pitted friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor. I, for one, am tired of these debates.
I’m the expert on a lot of things. You know that. I know that. But uh, not a lot of things. A few things. But burgers are most definitely one of those things.
And in my expert opinion, they’re all good burgers.
Five Guys serves a good burger.
It’s the quality kind you’d grill for yourself at home, loaded with toppings and its own signature flavor. (Plus way more fries than you can possibly imagine.)
Shake Shack serves a good burger.
Now we’re veering more into fast food territory, but still with an emphasis on quality. From the preparation of the perfectly-seared burger to the buttery potato bun to the vegetables, Shake Shack also has its own clear flavor.
In-N-Out serves a good burger.
This is quintessential fast food, better viewed as an upmarket McDonald’s (both in terms of quality and pricing–it’s half the cost of the above two options!). This is another addictively good burger, especially a Double Double served Animal Style. From the patties to the spread to vegetables, everything at In-N-Out is also unique.
I could go on and on about the excellence of In-N-Out (in fact, I did exactly that in The Consummate Carnivore’s Guide to In-N-Out Burger) and if forced to choose among the options, I’d pick In-N-Out in an instant.
There’s some great news, though: I don’t have to choose! I can enjoy McDonald’s, Five Guys, Shake Shack, In-N-Out, the Habit, Steak ‘n Shake, Culver’s, Sonic, Carl’s Jr, Wendy’s, Burger King, Whataburger, Smashburger, and so on without taking a sacred oath of burger monogamy!
This may come as a surprise, but burger chains are not politics, religion, sports franchises, and so on. We needn’t make everything tribal and polarized. Besides, we burger aficionados need to unite against our common enemy: turkey burgers. (In the immortal words of Ron Swanson: turkey can never beat cow.)
What does this all have to do with Walt Disney World? I have no idea. I’m just a dude who is passionate about burgers and got a bit carried away with it.
Either I’m trying to bring peace and unity to the burger disciple community, or I’m foolishly courting more controversy. I truly don’t think this needs to be controversial, though. And if it is, at least a debate among burger fiends should be friendlier than what has flowed from other recent topics.
Anyway…back to the All-Star McDonald’s. It’s a good modern McDonald’s. Still not as good as the old school style, but no amount of complaining is going to change that. Outdoor seating is cool and inviting; there’s so much room for activities. Inside is a bit sterile, but nice enough and with some EPCOT-esque touches. Pricing leaves something to be desired, but it’s still cheaper than eating at one of the All-Star Resorts food courts. If you do opt to dine here, be sure to download the McDonald’s app for the best deals.
Location is 1596 W. Buena Vista Drive, literally right outside the gates of Disney’s All-Star Resorts. Walking distance from All Star Sports is about 10-15 minutes, with All Star Music about 5-10 minutes farther, and All Star Movies 5-10 minutes on top of that. (Give or take depending upon your building.) The All-Star McDonald’s is also fairly convenient to both Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so if you’re leaving those parks (by car) at the end of a long day, it’s an easy and cost-effective stop.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of the new-look All-Star McDonald’s? Have any deep thoughts of your own on the burger wars, modern design of restaurants, or anything else? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments or reviews here? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I am in total agreement over the inside remodeled McDonald’s. My town has had 2 remodels these last years. You would think a remodel would mean better. We were excited to see them until we saw them. They had less seating every new remodel and less personality too. Cold feeling. Maybe they don’t want people to come inside. I was thinking that may be the feelings. We used to have what I called coffee klatch. Old retired men and women would go there drink the seniors coffee and shoot the breeze. Crazy, maybe it is just me but I like to be friendly maybe tease the young workers at the fast food places. Many are not friendly, don’t smile or try for any friendly. They seem like they do not have any personality either. Is there a connection? Is it a generation thing? Maybe it is all the texting?
I have to agree, The old format McDonald’s or places where entire families could sit down for a treat and friends could chat over a cup of coffee.
But of course McDonald’s has had other priorities then pleasing their customers for sometime now. The customers wishes are frequently an afterthought, as if they can’t be trusted to make the “right” nutritional decisions ( ie replacing the fried apple pies with baked ones.)
I agree, Vickie! I think there’s a connection: warm & cheery environment encourages warm & cheery dispositions, cold & sterile environment encourages cold & sterile dispositions. It’s a shame.
I can tell you why places like McDonald’s are starting to have less seating as I worked in fastfood for years. It is not the senior citizens who come in buy something and sit and talk among themselves it is the large groups of teenagers who come in take 3 or 4 of the bigger tables when like 1 person buys something In the whole group and talk so loud because they think the whole restaurant needs to hear them. Not only that but they throw things across the dining room and we can’t vary well say teenagers need to leave and let the seniors stay as they could claim age discrimination.
I actually like the current version of their pies much better. For whatever reason, the old ones just didn’t do it for me.
Finally construction is finished. Seems like it took forever. Hodad’s in San Diego makes a great burger and the atmosphere is wonderful. Neighborhood, not so great. Like most people, we are ready to come back to Disney, but will wait until 2021. Enjoy and keep writing to keep us updated. My wife wants more pictures of Sarah.
What are your thoughts on the whopper?
It should come with cheese by default, but is otherwise a good burger. (Between the two, I prefer the Big Mac, but that’s just me.)
Whopper is better. It’s always been better. And ALL burgers should come with cheese by default. And chicken sammiches too. Pretty much all sammiches, actually.
For me it’s the big mac but I don’t like mayonnaise or tomato so that is just my opinion on big mac vs whopper.
Tom, if you’re ever in Jersey, White Castle will open your eyes, especially double cheeseburgers; and, their milk shakes are first class!!
It’s been a while since I’ve had it (not since we were still living in Indy), but I recall liking White Castle. Not sure I’ve ever had their shakes, though.
(Also, isn’t White Castle a nationwide chain? I’m hope I’m not just dense and am missing something–or there’s something unique about it in NJ.)
Ooh, yeah Whitecastle in midwest and north, Krystal in the south.
BTW, you can buy twin packs od frozen Whitecastle burgers at Sam’s and Costco. I add ketchup of course and sometimes pickles. Not nearly as good as fresh, but 2 packs makes a nice quick lunch or snack.
No tom white castle is not national it is only In New York Vegas and Scottsdale AZ outside of the midwest. I used to work for them years ago nice family owned company and a member of the family used to visit each store at least once a year and say hello and thank you to all employees on duty while in the store. I am not sure if the store visits are still happening now as I stopped working for them in the early 2000’s.
I am in favor of over the top and on the nose themes in fun places. My favorite hotels at Disney world are ones with obvious themes, Polynesian, New Orleans, African etc. In Las Vegas I liked when all the resorts were getting obvious themes as well, such as Roman, Egyptian, Parisian etc. Some people think that’s tacky, but I think it’s fun, and if it’s done right I think it holds up well against shifting fads.
Hmm, Vegas was ruined when they tried to copy the Disney model and attract families. It should’ve been kept as it was, for alkies and degenerate gamblers. Man, we had some fun there and in Laughlin in the early 90s.
Now, table limits are so absurd normal people can’t afford to play, rooms are at Disney prices, drinks are sparse unless you’re playing high roller pits, and the cigar girls are mostly non-existent.
I also prefer themes to a generic look. I love the All-Star and Pop Century’s giant pop culture statues. Vegas was fun back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, when we went 5 times in a few years. We stayed at the Luxor once, and got to have our room in the pyramid section and ride the “inclinator” instead of a regular elevator up to it.
The fresh patty quarter pounder with cheese is my go to. Very good burger. The new fresh vs frozen made all the difference. Wish I had in and out burger where I live.
I work in interior architecture and am of a certain age and my view is that most of the design trends today are a result of computer aided design and general human laziness. In the old days everything was drawn by hand and a human’s natural tendency is to create more organic shapes. Today everything is designed on a computer where it is just easier to design in standard geometric shapes. Of course it’s possible to create any shape but that’s where the laziness comes in – copy paste copy paste…..
That would make sense, too.
I feel the same way about modern logos and typography. You look at stuff from the 1960s and 1970s, and it still holds up. Creative, original, and timeless. By contrast, stuff from the early aughts already looks woefully dated, and I can’t see a lot of the hipster/minimalist stuff from today faring much better.
Damn kids and their computers! 😉
The indoor photo shot looks like brass knuckles
@gary allen,
I thought the same thing. I couldn’t remember what they are called, but I saw them in old movies and TV shows.
Meat is murder, AirSpace design is soul murder, and no number of stationary bikes can hide the fact that fast food continues to destroy innumerable bodies worldwide.
Way to bring down the room, Bruce.
Haha, nice try, Karen. I think I’ll go get a nice cheeseburger for lunch. Or make some hot dogs with sharp cheddar…
Well of course you have to “murder” the meat. I am not going to eat a live cow, that would be dangerous and barbaric. Are you suggesting everyone eat living animals? I feel like that is what you are suggesting, and I for one am not going to do it!
I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years but I think Comfort’s response is one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever read!
Comfort, that was great!!!
Got reminded that my ex didn’t like rare meat, and when I’d order a steak that way, would say, “Why don’t you just stick a fork in a passing cow?”
Tom you make me laugh! Thanks!! I enjoy all of your posts, and so I guess that’s why I read this one on McDonald’s although I haven’t eaten there in years, and don’t plan to-not just the WDW McDonald’s in years, no McD’s in years. Any way, I too loved the giant characters peering out of the top of the McDonald’s decades ago when I took my now adult daughters there while we vacationed at All Star Resorts. Thanks for bringing that memory back, and also for reminding me that you can enjoy LOTS of different burgers (I just can’t bring myself to enjoy McD’s any more) But I am recently transplanted to CA so In and Out may get some of my business soon! Thanks again for being such a terrific blogger and so fun to read! Love reading about the adventures of you and Sarah and living vicariously as you venture back to the House of Mouse.
i will give them that the eco features on the exterior are cool, and even useful! but i will take the look of the exploding happy meal box of the original mcdonalds in this location any day of the week.
I agree completely on the burger wars. I love a Big Mac. McDonald’s has an undeserved bad rep. They never claimed to be gourmet or particularly healthy (at least not the burgers).
I’m surprised that you saw people actually on the bikes; I laughed when I saw that picture. I will defend McDonald’s to my dying day, but I have never equated it with exercise of any kind – quite the opposite.
It looks very mid-century modern meets 70s sci-fi. I suppose the amount of wood and the color palette is really what is making it look trendy, but I like the lines and the symmetry. That said, I also like the notion of brand identity, and this does not look like a McDonalds at all. Certainly there has to be something inbetween this and the old primary-color fiberglass booths with the McDonaldland gang leering at me from giant murals, right?
Three random thoughts: 1) The In-N-Out pictures + quarantine have me missing days back in SoCal quite badly 2) Guilty pleasure at McDonald’s = two double cheeseburgers (remember when they were on the dollar menu?!?) and a medium fry 3) That interior makes me think of “Operation Latte Thunder” from Fight Club (aka destroy a piece of corporate art)…seems pretty lame.
I’m so old that I remember when MCD’s hamburgers were 15 cents, or 18 cents with cheese. No seating, just a window where you got served, and then take it to your car to eat. (And yes, the burgers were smaller back then, but still a lot bigger than WC’s sliders.)
My parents thought MCD was great as they could feed teenage me 3 or 4 plus a shake for around a dollar.
I haven’t had McDonalds in 555 days. Yes I still count the days and yes I still think about eating there at least once a week. I had to cut myself out because I enjoy it TOO much. I would 100% read a blog post reviewing the entire menu. haha
I had my first Five Guys burger a few weeks ago (maybe a month), and it was HEAVEN. I like McDonald’s, but just for breakfast really. They over-salt their fries, I’ve found. I much rather have Wendy’s fries or Burger King’s onion rings.
That being said, you can’t go wrong with All-Star Sport’s steak or turkey dinners. So tender and juicy and melts in your mouth. And much cheaper than a signature place, too. Having Tables in Wonderland doesn’t hurt, either.
The issue I have is five minutes from that location is a regular priced McDonalds with the same food and better mobile deals
I don’t disagree, but if I had dragged my whining kid 30 min from our hotel to the nearest McDonalds, on foot, in 90 degrees, I would pay a hundred dollars to not have to walk for five more minutes. And I bet they know it.
Seeing the construction progression through your posts, its design took on a whole new meaning and usefulness over the last few months. The spacious indoor area is conducive to safe social distancing. The high ceilings promote better air flow. The minimal decor looks easy to keep clean. And, the outdoor seating, as we now know, is the safer option and provides the best ventilation. This looks to be an ideal situation for any food establishment right now. Sigh. Anyway, the decor of the early 80’s Wendy’s was my favorite, with the old newspaper print on table tops and wood paneling. But, back to burgers and McDonald’s: the McDLT…they should bring it back!
Never been a huge Yuckdonld’s fan, but they have greatly improved their selections. Big Macs are okay and I get them sometimes. The King improved on it with the Big King… I Love In-N-Out burger, and Five Guys are decent. If you ever get over to New Mexico, go to Blake’s Lotaburger. Great food and the best fast food fries available. McD and BK fries are garbage since they’re cooked in hipped dreams or whatever they use these days instead good old oil as the Lord intended.
To be contrarian, I actually like the modern/sleek look. True, if you told me the interior picture was a new Panera rather than a McDonalds I’d believe you, but I still like it.
Good point about “burger polygamy”; we can enjoy them all! I actually had my first Culver’s burger this past weekend (we went to Indiana over the weekend and nothing was open on the 4th). As you say, it was a pretty good fast food burger. Just like all the rest on the list.
I’m guessing your perspective isn’t really contrarian–a lot of people must like this style if it’s constantly being replicated everywhere.
I call this look the Ikea McDonald’s.
Culver’s is awesome, ate at the single San Antonio location yesterday! First found them in of all places, Orlando, on a WDW trip.
To me, the style looks so much better in a much smaller McDonalds than it does …. super sized into a McMansion.
Is the walk from the All-Stars better or worse than the walk to the Speedway across from Disney Springs? (Cheap Food v. Cheap Beer, I suppose.)