Casey’s Corner Review
Casey’s Corner is a counter service restaurant in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom specializing in hot dogs, frankfurters, and perro calientes. This review features food photos and my thoughts on the menu, among other things. (Updated July 13, 2022.)
Casey’s Corner is a very basic restaurant that’s really ideal for grab and go eating, with its hot dog-centric menu reflecting that. If a Walt Disney World vacation is an American rite of passage, dining at Casey’s Corner is probably as close as you can get to a Walt Disney World culinary rite of passage.
More than anything else, the popularity of Casey’s Corner is probably predicated upon its location. At the end of Main Street, it lures guests inside, where they see long lines. The natural assumption at Walt Disney World is that anything with long lines must be good…and then guests look at the menu.
“Well, already inside and in line, might as well get a hot dog. They must be good if the restaurant is this popular.” More guests stumble inside, seeing the long lines, making the same assumption, and Casey’s Corner’s popularity becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Statisticians estimate that this is how Casey’s Corner does 83% of its business.
With that said, does Casey’s Corner live up to the “hype” of these lines? Let’s take a look…
This is the statue of the baseball player outside Casey’s Corner. This sort of perplexes me. The name of the restaurant is “Casey’s Corner,” which references Casey at the Bat, but this statue is most definitely of a pitcher.
Casey is the batter in the story, not the pitcher. Is this statue supposed to be Casey, or the pitcher? IS IT REALLY UNNAMED PITCHER’S CORNER?!
The inside has various nods to the history of baseball and Coca-Cola.
It’s a cute little restaurant and one of the best examples of corporate sponsorship actually enhancing a Walt Disney World experience.
Part of the appeal of Casey’s Corner is that, like Disneyland and Walt Disney World, they encapsulate definitive elements of the American experience: Coca-Cola, baseball, and hot dogs.
Then there’s the live entertainment. Eating a hot dog at Casey’s Corner while watching the pianist perform outside, seeing the parade pass, or watching the Cinderella Castle off in the distance is such an enjoyable and memorable experience. The setting and atmosphere are such a big part of the appeal of Casey’s Corner.
Casey’s Corner has a few different dressed-up variations of the hot dog on the menu, above is the ‘default’ All-Beef Hot Dog.
I love hot dogs. (You can pretty much assume that any food that is awful for your health is a food I love.)
However, there was a time when I did not love Casey’s Corner hot dogs.
At some point several years ago, they switched to a chicken and beef blend of meat that was frankly subpar and lacking in a distinct flavor. Thankfully, Casey’s Corner has gone back to all-beef hots, and improved in a number of different ways.
This change alone has made us much bigger fans of Casey’s Corner, and it’s now the restaurant at which we dine more than any other in Magic Kingdom.
In fairness, that’s partly due to Casey’s Corner being open later than anywhere else. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve grabbed a hot dog here is after a long night of photography (read: I got caught up doing other things and forgot to eat dinner).
On nights like that when I’m hungrier, I opt for the specialty foot-long hot dog. This changes often, and is Walt’s Chili-Cheese All-Beef Foot-long Hot Dog in honor of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary right now.
With all due respect to Walt Disney, I prefer the Bacon Mac & Cheese All-Beef Foot-long Hot Dog. Had this little gem been invented while Walt Disney was alive, I have complete confidence that he would’ve loved it. If only culinary scientists back then knew how delightful combining mac & cheese, bacon, and hot dog would be!
Speaking of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary specialties, another of those is the 50th Celebration Hot Dog: All-Beef Hot Dog topped with Strawberry-Bacon Jam, Crisp Funnel Cake Pieces, and Powdered Sugar.
This is a fun idea, but it does not taste good. It’s a novelty for novelty’s sake, with none of the ingredients melding in any way. Neat concept for the celebration, but definitely not recommended!
Now let’s turn our attention to the menu highlights at Casey’s Corner.
At least half of you won’t believe me and will close out the browser tab in disgust upon reading this heresy (I can’t fault you for that), but the best dog on the menu at Casey’s Corner is the Plant-based Loaded Slaw Dog (above left).
I know, I know! I didn’t believe it at first either when Sarah started singing the praises of this vegetarian hot dog.
This is a Plant-based “Sausage” topped with Pickled Slaw, Barbecue Vegan Aïoli, and Roasted Corn Relish. While it doesn’t taste as good as an all-beef hot dog, the toppings here elevate it to the next level, and come together shockingly well–enough to mask the artificial meat flavor of the “sausage.” I really wish Casey’s Corner served an All-Beef Slaw Dog, as that would be perfection!
Boom! Corn dog nuggets. These are my Casey’s Corner jam. I find these to be more filling than a regular hot dog, and they don’t come with a side, so they’re even cheaper.
To paraphrase one of the greatest movies all time, “leave the hot dogs, take the nuggets.”
My highly scientific research has concluded that these corn dog nuggets are best enjoyed dipped into hot cheese (with onions in it), while sitting outside after the Magic Kingdom closes, with a view of Cinderella Castle. Not only are these the dinner of champions for tourists after a long day in the park, but I think it’s safe to say that these are the standard diet of most MLB players.
This alone isn’t enough to make Casey’s Corner a restaurant I’d recommend, but what I just described above is certainly one of my favorite (and frequently recurring) “moments” in Walt Disney World dining.
Since there’s not a lot of substance to this review, and since I’m not particularly inclined to do separate reviews for hot dog joints around the world (spoiler alert: every park’s version of Casey’s serves similar hot dogs), I figured I’d share some fun facts about the other Casey’s Corners around the world. Woo hoo!!!
Up first is the Casey’s Corner at Disneyland Paris, pictured above. Those of you who view Parisians as snobby foodies might feel a sense of superiority upon learning that this is probably the most popular restaurant in the park. Doesn’t hurt that so many of the others are closed.
The ‘original flavor’ hot dog joint at Disneyland is known as Refreshment Corner a/k/a Corner Cafe a/k/a Coke Corner. It’s sorta like Puff Daddy in terms of names. While you can get the original flavor of Coca-Cola here, you can also get a delicious flavor shot in your Coke. Think of this as the pre-cursor to Coke Freestyle.
Refreshment Corner also serves up delicious and inventive seasonal hot dogs. I’m a huge fan.
Tokyo Disneyland takes a page out of the Disneyland playbook and has a hot dog joint named Refreshment Corner in the same location at the end of World Bazaar.
The dog above may look like its higher quality, but I can assure you, it is not. I only purchased it because it was a special item for Natsu Matsuri, and came in a pretty cool box (as you can see in my Natsu Matsuri at Tokyo Disneyland post).
Hong Kong Disneyland does not have its own version of Casey’s Corner.
It does have a Corner Cafe, but that’s on the other side of the street and isn’t the same. No wonder so many critics complained that it was an “incomplete” park when it opened. For shame, Hong Kong, for shame.
Overall, Casey’s Corner is a special place. It’s almost as much of a staple in the Disneyland-style parks as the castles themselves…but instead of being a stunning, grandiose castle, it’s a restaurant that sells hot dogs. While some of these frankfurters are tasty and memorable (especially among Magic Kingdom’s weak counter service lineup), that’s not why Casey’s Corner is so iconic.
Rather, it’s the setting and atmosphere. There is truly something to be said for the sublime experience about grabbing a late lunch, watching the pianist play, parade pass, or Cinderella Castle stage show off in the distance. Seeing the ducks quack loudly, demanding hot dogs (don’t feed them).
Or, closing out the park, grabbing a thing of corn dog nuggets from Casey’s and collapsing at a table outside, gazing at Cinderella Castle as guests leave Magic Kingdom at the end of the long day.
All of those experiences are like another layer of toppings on the hot dogs at Casey’s Corner that make the dogs taste even more satisfying. Then when you reminisce on the meal, it’s even tastier than you remember because of the overarching atmosphere. That’s the true “secret sauce” of Casey’s Corner, and it’s something few other restaurants can replicate. The secret sauce that Casey’s Corner serves up is far better than that of the Big Mac or any other fast food restaurant–it’s nostalgia and sentimentality.
Want more dining tips? Check out our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. Planning a Walt Disney World trip? If you’re interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, 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 unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides” are great for determining what to do and when to do it.
Your Thoughts…
If you have dined at any ‘version’ of Casey’s Corner, what was your experience? Is there a comparable Walt Disney World restaurant that you prefer? Any other menu recommendations? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment? Any other tips? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Do they serve fries at Casey’s in WDW or is it just corn nuggets? (Dipped in cheese – never thought of that, sounds yum!)
They do have fries; that is the only thing I’ve actually eaten there. I needed a snack one afternoon and the fries and melted cheese hit the spot. Unfortunately, no more hot cheese so probably won’t go to Casey’s for a quick snack again.
We went to Casey’s on Friday 10/2. It was amazing as always. The only thing that drives me nuts is the size of the “toppings”. You have to eat it with a knife and fork but the little hot dog liner is too small and you end up making a complete mess. I also do miss the liquid cheese, that stuff was so good on this calorie free lunch!
On a side note – I saw you and the Mrs walking very fast thru Hollywood Studios (near Mama Melrose) on Friday afternoon – I figured you were late for a fast pass! Was gonna say hi but you were bookin it!
For nostalgia reasons, I love Casey’s! As a kid, we went to Disney on a tight, tight budget – lunch every day was peanut butter on Saltine crackers and a thermos full of Tang while sitting on a park bench. Our one “splurge” was Casey’s hot dogs and french fries before the evening parade. My family and I love, love, love all the dining options at WDW, but we always make ONE stop at Casey’s a priority! It’s isn’t a fantastic deal on the Dining Plan, but my boys sure love that giant bag of cotton candy that’s a dessert option 🙂
We tried Casey’s last trip and it didn’t live up to the hype. Maybe I’m a hot dog snob (I grew up in Chicago) but we were not impressed.
We ate at the Tokyo version this summer as we were in the area around dinner time and the kids were tired and cranky. We were super hungry (and our popcorn buckets were empty, ha!) so everyone ate it up, but it was fairly awful. I got a chuckle reading your review, thanks!
I’ve only ever gotten the Polish Sausage there, and it’s delicious. But normally if I see that any sausage (except for blood sausage) is on the menu, I always get the sausage. Casey’s is one of the better sausages at Disney, but still behind Germany at Epcot.
Unnamed pitchers corner nuggets saved my Disney marriage.
I HATE hot dogs so this place was never an option for m until crisis struck after one (more than usual) terrible quick dinner at Cosmic Rays (where we threw our entire dinner in the trash and cried for a hot minute) we sprinted to Caseys before the park closed for some grub. I fell in love with the nuggets, and they cured what had suddenly turned into the worst Disney day. (It also included my first experience with walking through billows of cigarette smoke by the castle, and dropping half my Sleepy Hollow waffle on the ground).
Caseys, my hero.
Given the lack of food options we ended up at Casey’s Corner in Disneyland Paris and it was tres terrible. Two Hotdogs, Kids Chicken Nuggets, a salad and 1 drink= 40 Euros. That is at least $60 Canadian Dollars and the WORST meal that we have had at a Disney park. It’s our fault though… should have followed your advice and gone to Earl of Sandwich.
I liked the hot dogs when they were served in foil-like wrappers. When they stopped that, the hot dog flavor took a hit. Seems management could not leave well enough alone.
I stopped going to caseys corner once they took out the stadium seating and the movie screen showing the old goofy sport cartoons. It was always a fun time eating a hotdog and watching those cartoons as a kid.
once they ripped out the seating they made it part of the Main Street mall… shocking.
I’m surprised to hear this is such a popular restaurant – it probably took us 5 trips to WDW before we ventured inside. I’m not particularly a hotdog fan, but I enjoyed the chili cheese dog. (If melted plastic cheese makes food better , combining said cheese with chili has an even better effect.) A nice feature if your on the dining plan is that you can get cotton candy as your dessert – different than the standard CS desserts and a hit with kids.
I’d still rather have a cheaper, better waffle sandwich from Sleepy Hollow.
You are leaving out one very important detail about Casey’s Corner and Refreshment Corner… Live Period Specific Entertainment in the form of the rag time piano players. Jim has been playing at Casey’s in Florida for over 20 years and started in California at Refreshment Corner.
As to the food… I’m fairly certain I’ve never had anything from Casey’s, but because of the entertainment, Casey’s and Refreshment Corner are one of my top things to hit while visiting Disney.
Hi Tom. I’ve eaten at Casey’s under similar circumstances, mostly when it’s late and dinnertime has come and gone. Don’t like it. Not at all. Overpriced and a lousy menu.
I think the reason I don’t like Casey’s dogs is that I’m from the Texas Weiner state (New Jersey) and have been spoiled by my fabulous Hot Grille’s delicious hot dogs that don’t cost $10 each. I’d rather spend that $10 at the Columbia Harbour House. Better menu, better food.
Hi Tom,
As part of the new “hot cheese is dangerous” laws, hot cheese is no longer offered at the toppings bar. Guests will need to obtain their cheese fix from behind the counter.
Just an FYI since I noticed you put it at the toppings bar.
Also – I live on Casey’s Corn Dog Nuggets. And pretzels. It’s a scientific fact that these are actually the main components of a Disney cast member diet. We aren’t allowed fruit – it makes us less cheery. 😉
Hi Amanda, last weekend I asked for the melted cheese and they told me it was no longer available, even behind the counter 🙁
I’ve never really researched it, but I always thought it was named after Casey Stengel, the former MLB hall of fame player and coach. He played during that era and was also from K.C.
Never eaten at Casey’s Corner and probably never will because I don’t like hotdogs. I have abandoned friends & family who were getting lunch there and darted across the street to pre-Starbucks Main Street Bakery and found the queues there were even longer, prompting the predictable question of whether or not I got lost!
(I’m afraid I also can’t follow the corn dog nuggets recommendation as one prevailing memory of our first trip to the States was one bite of a corn dog and the disgust and horror from the whole family!)
Soooo… would you say there was some joy in Mudville?
😀 😀 😀
… I’ll see myself out.
Hahahaha! Jenn, that cracked me up! I guess that even if mighty Casey has struck out, there can at least be some comfort in a hot dog and a Coke.
Hi, love the blog! But, have you ever considered offering a paid, ad-free option? I ask because, today, while reading a number of articles on the site, there is an ad near the bottom of every article (the ad today is usually for a new movie) that keeps taking focus from the article; i.e. no matter where I am in the article (this is in Internet Explorer), it is repositioning to that ad about every 30 seconds or, requiring me to then scroll back to wherever I was in the article; then repeat. I have not had this problem before for the most part, but a paid ad-free option is something I would definitely be interested in, and is sort of a win-win for the reader and for your site. Either way, thanks again!
Hi Ryan! I’m in Google Chrome and I only see one ad at the very bottom of the post (before the comments)? But I did check IE and I’m not having the same issue that you are… If you want a quick solution you could try upgrading to a newer IE version, or switch browsers?
Thanks Kristi! I’m on the latest version of IE, and for various reasons need to use it. Anyway, the ad right now has changed, and the problem is not really an issue currently. Earlier though, an ad for ‘The Martian’ was there on each page on this site, and each time the preview video clip restarted is when the page would automatically jump down to that ad. Generally the ads displayed are different for everyone though, depending on your internet history, so others may not have this problem. And certainly users on other browsers or versions may not experience the issue either, but just a heads up to them that this may be occurring. (as I write this the ad reverted back to the ‘The Martian’ ad and the page has started jumping around again while I try to type this)
Either way, thank you again, but my inquiry still remains, whether they might consider a paid, ad-free version of the site. I am almost always willing to pay a reasonable annual fee or whatever for a number of other of my favorite sites, and I would absolutely do so here as well.
I use Edge, and the exact same thing happens to me, it’s like it’s honing in on the ad. Really frustrating.
Ryan, I have the site programmed so it only does this for you, because I REALLY want you to go see ‘The Martian.’
Actually…I have no clue why that’s happening, but I hope it isn’t happening for others. As for an ad-free option, I don’t have the coding expertise to do something like that. I would be slightly hesitant to do it, regardless, as it seems the default expectation on the internet is for everything to be free (an unreasonable expectation, IMO) and some people have animosity towards paid options…even if there is a free alternative. Something to consider if I ever can figure out the logistics, though. Thanks!
I got The Martian ads too (mostly when reading these articles on my phone, but I believe once on my desktop), and like Ryan, would consider a reasonable annual fee for what has become one of my favorite websites. My two cents 🙂
The Martian: The Official Film of DisneyTouristBlog.com
I wonder if we can get an endorsement deal with the film studio? Then we wouldn’t need the ads at all! 😉
My family and I have never eaten at Casey’s Corner at WDW (yet?) but I swear, every time we walk by it just smells so good. It instantly makes me hungry and I ask my husband if we can eat there… even though I know better… I know that I want something better than a hotdog. But the location, that beautiful smell wafting out of the doors packed with people – it really does sell you.
At least thanks to this review I know I’m not missing too much, ha!
We ended up at Casey’s on our last trip kind of by default, like you described. We had park-hopped to MK on a Saturday evening (along with about 10,000 other people), we were hungry, and we wanted to grab something before the fireworks. Casey’s Corner was right there, and despite the line seemed the best option at the time without getting too far out of fireworks-viewing range.
That said, it was fine. I got the barbecue slaw dog and found it surprisingly good. The kids got the corn dog nuggets and nachos and liked them just fine. We got a table outside, and while it wasn’t the greatest view, we could see the fireworks and were relatively comfortable, considering the crowd. So, definitely not my first choice, but one could do worse.