My New Favorite Meal at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In the last few years, there’s one counter service restaurant where I’ve dined more than all of the other restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios combined: ABC Commissary. I’ve written many odes to its superlative Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Unfortunately, ABC Commissary was visited by three spirits this summer (the Ghosts of Chapek, McCarthy, and Pressler) and this sandwich was hit by the dreaded skimpflation. As covered in Reports of My Favorite Walt Disney World Meal’s Death Are Greatly Exaggerated, the changes are not as bad as some fans have made it out to be. The sky isn’t falling, and I’ll still order that sandwich.
At the same time, it’s no longer my #1 meal at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It used to be the case that I’d always head ABC Commissary right after wrapping up a rope drop run. That’s no longer my default. Honestly, that has just as much to do with the sandwich cutback as it does a new menu elsewhere in DHS…
I’m happy to report that what was once #1 on our list of the Top 20 Counter Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World has started returning to its former glory. We’re talking about Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo, which is the large-scale quick-service spot in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, located between Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Ronto Roasters.
When Docking Bay 7 first opened, it was something special. The menu was deep and varied, portions were sizable, prices were reasonable, and the whole experience felt upmarket. It wasn’t like an average counter service restaurant with paper plates and plastic utensils. Even though it was gritty, it was fun–like the Star Wars equivalent of Satu’li Canteen in Pandora.
Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo is getting back to that point. Two of the biggest complaints I’ve had with it previously still exist, but are trending in the right direction. The menu prices are higher and portion sizes smaller than they used to be.
At the same time, that’s true everywhere. If anything, Docking Bay 7 got hit earlier by inflation and skimpflation, and has been spared since. So even if it hadn’t gotten better (it has), it would get comparatively better as other restaurants worsened. That’s at least part of the story here. My favorite meal at ABC Commissary has become less appealing, but I still have to eat, and that tips the scales in favor of Docking Bay 7.
Fortunately, the menu has also improved with the debut of a bunch of new dishes this year. (Another was added for the launch of the Mandalorian and Grogu Mission of Smugglers Run. This was the Sweet-and-Spicy Puffer Pig Pasta: Flat noodles with pork belly, bok choy, sweet-and-spicy soy sauce, and hard boiled egg. I really liked this, but unfortunately, it’s already gone.)
Docking Bay 7 Design & Atmosphere
Thematically, Docking Bay 7 is housed in a working hangar bay, with the cargo crates and other industrial space decor to match.
Per the Imagineered backstory, Chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs has docked a food freighter loaded with fresh supplies and he’s ready to satisfy the appetites of visitors and locals alike with an array of exotic offerings. His planet-hopping travels allow him to prepare fare with unusual flavors that delight customers.
The indoor seating area is inside of a spacious hanger, with a variety of unique seating options. Larger parties (or multiple smaller groups) can sit inside cargo crates, there’s bar seating for single diners, and there are a variety of other tables scattered about. The space is broken up nicely, so it never ends up feeling too cavernous, like you might expect of a hangar for gigantic spaceships. It can, however, get quite loud.
Additionally, there’s a rustic outdoor seating area surrounded by the crumbling walls of Black Spire Outpost’s old marketplace. Although we like the shipping crates when dining with friends, we found nighttime in the outdoor area to be serene and blissful.
Of course, that experience might be ‘different’ in the summer Florida heat and humidity, but if you’re doing Docking Bay 7 at a time of year or day when the weather is pleasant, eating in the ‘back’ courtyard is the way to go.
Whereas much of Black Spire Outpost is essentially ‘Space Morocco,’ Imagineering’s primary inspiration for Docking Bay 7 was actually Japan. Specifically, the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, which was the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world (the outer market still exists, but the wholesale side has shifted to the larger, less-gritty Toyosu Market).
Like those markets, Docking Bay 7 is meant to have a spirit of ‘celebratory chaos’ and ‘aged rawness.’ While the design language is there, I’d stop short of saying it has those actual qualities. Tsukiji oozes kinetic energy and grit. Its personality comes from the eclectic cast of characters and critters, not the built environment.
This is where Docking Bay 7, and really Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as a whole, falls short atmospherically. Imagineering created cool environments that could serve as canvases for intergalactic action and adventures.
Then they completely forgot to populate them. The end result is that pretty much every space feels a bit empty, even when packed with people, and falls short of its full potential.
Anyway, let’s move on to the recently-added dishes at Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo…
Docking Bay 7 Food Reviews
Let’s start with the ‘new’ items that are really just twists on familiar favorites. First up, the Endorian Fried Chicken Tip Yip:
Crispy Chicken served with House-made Macaroni, Roasted Vegetables garnished with Cauliflower Leaf Kimchi.
The simple and safe choice, this is essentially elevated chicken tenders. It’s higher quality than the standard issue chicken tenders elsewhere at Walt Disney World, arguably more akin to boneless fried chicken in terms of flavor, seasoning, and juiciness. The chicken here is delicious, but the portion is a tad too small and there are better meats on the menu; this is for the least adventurous eaters in your party.
One plus is that the house made mac & cheese is unique and delicious, and the roasted vegetables give the dish a healthy twist. Not something we’d highly recommend at Docking Bay 7, but if it’s this or chicken tenders elsewhere, get this.
The spicier twist on this dish is the Pirjanad Hot Chicken Tip Yip: Crispy Chicken glazed in a Spicy Chipotle Sauce and served with White Rice and a Relish of Sweet Corn, Shishito Peppers, Jicama, Plantains, and Cilantro.
This is basically the same entree, but for those who like hot chicken. The Pirjanad Hot Chicken Tip Yip actually brings more heat than most “spicy” (air quotes) dishes at Walt Disney World, adding another dimension to this dish.
With both of the Tip Yip entrees, one thing I like is that the presentation is no longer ‘chicken cubes,’ for lack of a better term. While I’m aware that these are highly processed meats, I don’t need to be reminded of that while eating them. The newer, more natural appearance is a win from that perspective alone (the texture is also better as a result).
As for the default sides, the corn relish medley will help cool down your mouth (and also is delicious on its own), whereas the rice is ordinary. This dish is lower down my personal list, but I appreciate the ambition.
Continuing with our third and final chicken entree, we have the Endorian Chicken Tip-Yip Salad: Guava BBQ Chicken with Avocado-Jalapeño Dressing, Arugula, Radish, Romaine, Cucumber, Red Onion, Haricot Vert, Pineapple, and Rice Noodles.
There’s a lot going on here, and we appreciate the ambition. A nice mix of textures and a medley of vegetables make this far more formidable than the garden variety Walt Disney World salad. We do think that the guava flavor isn’t particularly prominent, and the dressing falls a bit flat (Sarah always gets hers on the side, so no big loss to her).
With all of that said, Sarah also notes that this doesn’t even come close to measuring up to the “gold standard” of Disney’s Hollywood Studios counter service salads, which is over at ABC Commissary. Here’s a look at that, from one day later:
That’s the Mediterranean Salad with Chicken (Marinated Chicken served over Mixed Greens with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Pepperoncini, Kalamata Olives, and Feta tossed in a Mediterranean Vinaigrette served with Hummus and Grilled Flatbread).
The case could be made that Mediterranean Salad is the best not just at DHS, but in all of Walt Disney World. Although I don’t make a point of ordering or comparing salads, I agree with her that ABC Commissary’s wins hands-down. That’s actually something I’d order for a lighter meal. This is not. Not only is it better, but it’s also $2 cheaper.
Sticking with the healthier and lighter options, we have the Felucian Falafel and Hummus Garden Spread: Chickpea Falafel, Roasted Beet Hummus, and Beet-Tomato-Cucumber Relish topped with Garlic Toum Sauce and served with Grilled Pita.
This plant-based dish has been on the menu since Docking Bay 7 opened, but has changed more recently to a beet-based hummus, which I assume was done to make it more attractive to people who like colorful foods (me). However, I know my people, and we dislike beets more than we like cool colors.
Over the last 6+ years, this has been one of Sarah’s go-to dishes in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s light but filling, inexpensive, and featuring a range of refreshing flavors. Aside from the different hummus (which is not a substantial deviation from what was served before, minus the color), the falafel has also changed, and is a little drier than the old version. She now gives the edge to the Mediterranean Salad, which is more refreshing, larger, and more natural. This is still a great option, though, especially if you want something unique.
Then there’s the Shaak Pot Roast with Kublag Mash: Birria Pot Roast with Turmeric-Garlic Mash and Roasted Carrots.
Technically, even this is not a completely new menu item. When Docking Bay 7 first opened, it served the Braised Shaak Roast as a dinner-only entree; more recently, there was the Batuuan Beef. This one is the second-best iteration on those pot roasts, falling short of the original (which also had fantastic pasta and mushrooms).
This entree offers up a reasonable portion of moist and tender meat, which is flavorful, hearty, and properly prepared. The last time I ordered the Batuuan Beef, it was incredibly underwhelming; the meat was all over the place, with some bites being dry and tough and others being fatty and gross. No such issues here, and the Shaak Pot Roast is a return to form for the marquee menu item at Docking Bay 7.
My biggest complaint is that the Shaak Pot Roast plays it too safe. I would’ve loved to see Disney go all-in on the birria quality, making this spicy, rich, juicy, and smoky. Instead, the meat is fairly mild, which is fine, but not exactly what I would’ve expected out of a dish advertising that it’s birria pot roast.
It’s a similar story with the turmeric-garlic mashed potatoes. These are better than and different from normal Walt Disney World mashed potatoes, but not substantially so. What you’re getting here is a slightly elevated and marginally more exotic twist on a familiar favorite, which makes sense and is probably what the target audience wants. It’s still very much crowd-pleasing comfort food, though, and suitable for all guests.
Accordingly, we recommend the Shaak Pot Roast, just not enthusiastically so. This has the potential to be one of the very best counter service entrees in all of Walt Disney World; the quality and concept are both there. It’s just unfortunate that it plays things a tad too safe and is less memorable as a result.
Saving the best for last, we have the Sweet Puffer Pig Ribs with Portion Bread: Pork Ribs brushed with Tangy BBQ Sauce and served with Macaroni & Cheese and Sponge Cake. This is also a reinvention of an entree that was previously on the menu, the Smoked Kaadu Pork Ribs.
I won’t bury the lede (any further). These are the best counter service ribs at Walt Disney World right now. Granted, it’s been a while since I’ve had the version at Polite Pig, but these are better than I remember those being.
More to the point, I had Docking Bay 7 and Flame Tree BBQ on back to back days, and the Sweet Puffer Pig Ribs are easily better than the St. Louis Ribs there (which you can’t even order on their own anymore–just a sampler).
These ribs have personality thanks to the BBQ sauce, which is at once tangy and semi-sweet. It works well with the fall-off-the-bone delicious meat, which is perfectly prepared.
There’s an exterior char that gives the ribs a great texture, and that’s further enhanced by a sprinkling of herb crumbs. This meat has that unique, crave-worthy quality that the pot roast could have with just a bit more birria.
This meat is delicious and there’s a healthy portion of ribs, especially at this price point. And you might notice that, for the sake of research, I’ve ordered these a few different times; while the portion has varied, it has always been at least “reasonably large” for the cost. Sometimes, it’s been downright generous!
The mac & cheese is less memorable aside from the uniquely shaped pasta, but it’s good as far as a filler side goes. The sponge cake is also a nice (and somewhat silly) touch, and although it has a sweetness that can stand on its own, I found the sponge cake to be perfect for “cleaning” the ribs and leftover cheese at the bottom of the dish. (I still prefer the blueberry corn muffin from back in the day, but the sponge cake is also a winner!)
The Sweet Puffer Pig Ribs entree almost feels too good to be true at a Walt Disney World counter service restaurant in 2026. These ribs also surpass anything at Regal Eagle, and even nearby Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land (a family-style table service restaurant where I ate earlier this summer with a group; everyone else seemed to love it).
The Sweet Puffer Pig Ribs with Portion Bread are easily the highlight of the menu at Docking Bay 7, and among all counter service restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’m inclined to take that a step further, and name these the #1 fast food entree in all of Walt Disney World right now.
Nothing immediately comes to mind as being better; at least not in one of the parks. Even though they’re a few dollars more expensive than the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich, they’re also obviously a higher-caliber dish.
Ultimately, it feels like a partial return to form for Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo. It’s not back to the opening day peak from 2019, but we even noted at the time that it was unlikely to remain at that high level in the years to come, as there’s almost always a drop-off once operational realities and the thirst for cost-cutting come into play.
About the only relatively-recent counter service restaurant that’s as good as it was when it debuted is Satu’li Canteen, which I’d actually argue is better today than it was on opening day. (Thanks to the reintroduction of breakfast and the larger lunch and dinner menu.)
Docking Bay 7 is still behind Satu’li Canteen when it comes to counter service restaurant rankings in all of Walt Disney World. But it has narrowed the gap just a bit, and once again reclaimed our top spot for Disney’s Hollywood Studios from ABC Commissary.
I’d love to see the menu further expanded and Disney get a bit more adventurous with some of the dishes, or maybe replace one of the three chicken options with something different, but what’s there is largely fantastic. The portions are mostly good, prices are reasonable in light of the quality, and there’s something for everyone, from consummate carnivores like me to healthy eaters like Sarah.
Docking Bay 7 may not feel like an intergalactic space fish market, but it’s a fun restaurant offering an elevated experience and cuisine over the counter service norm. We once again highly recommend a meal here during your day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you dined at Docking Bay 7 in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World since the latest menu change? What did you think of the new dishes? How does this rank for you in terms of counter service restaurants at DHS or WDW? Think it’s once again a top-tier option? Agree or disagree with our assessment of the cuisine at Docking Bay 7? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
