Sunshine Seasons in Epcot’s The Land continually tops reader favorites lists for best quick-service eatery. Everyone seems to love this place, and I’m not arguing with them. It offers a wide variety of high-quality dishes and includes some healthier items as well. It feels more like a resort food court than anything else, and those extra options make it desirable as a quick-service spot.
Atmosphere
Sunshine Seasons is housed on the ground floor of The Land pavilion, which is essentially a massive room with attractions shooting off in all directions, spoke-and-wheel style. The food-court style ordering area is situated in a free-form semi-circle across from the Soarin’ and Living With The Land attractions.
Guests ordering breakfast
In the middle of the huge room, topped by soaring ceilings decorated with balloons depicting the four seasons, are the various seating areas for the restaurant. This place can get loud, to be sure; don’t expect a quiet, relaxing meal unless you’re there early in the morning for breakfast (when it’s fun to watch the stream of Soarin’ hopefuls coming down the stairs).
Balloons Depicting the Four Seasons Decorate the Building
Sunshine Seasons Seating Areas
Ordering stations are set up around the perimeter of the area, offering a variety of items in the following categories: Bakery, Sandwiches, Asian Noodles, Soup and Salad, and Grill. There are also beverage centers and refrigerated grab-and-go sections.
Choosing Desserts Can Be Tough at Sunshine Seasons
Beverages
Another interesting part of the restaurant is the open kitchen, which includes a huge rotisserie chicken oven.
Open Kitchen
Rotisserie Chicken
Rounding out the restaurant is the check-out area; this is similar to other Disney World food courts. Once you’ve collected your dishes from the different food areas, head to the check-out to add it all up.
Sunshine Seasons Check Out Counter
Eats
Sunshine Seasons has some delicious food — variety and quality are two words you hear to describe this quick-service spot.
Menus Line the Entry Wall
Each area has their own menu with photos of the items so you’ll know what to expect:
Items from The Grill Menu
There are plenty of options for everyone, including lots of vegetarian items. It’s actually easy to make healthier choices here — even for the kids.
On our visit, we sampled the Ginger Mongolian Beef from the Asian Noodles station along with a delicious apple crumble bar:
Mongolian Beef with Noodles and Rice
Apple Crumble Bar
Sunshine Seasons is also one of the only places in Epcot where you can get a hot breakfast (of course, that’s not to say I haven’t been known to get a butterfinger brownie for breakfast here, but that’s beside the point).
Here are some of the (in my opinion) wonderful hot breakfast offerings:
Adult Breakfast Platter (sausage, eggs, potatoes, biscuit)
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Croissant
Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Raisins
Kids’ French Toast
Of course, you can also get cold offerings like cereal and baked goods.
Overall
This is a great pit stop for some fresh food on the go. While Disney’s quick-service locations keep getting better and better as they change the offerings to include more variety and fresh items, Sunshine Seasons is obviously setting the bar very high for the others.
The best part for me is probably the desserts (that strawberry shortcake looks divine), but it’s also pretty great that you can combine your Soarin’ fastpass harvesting with a hot breakfast to go 😉
Have you eaten here recently? What are the items you’d recommend? Let us know in the comments section below!
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I’m going to eat here tomorrow, and I am happy about this fact.
This is a great place to eat if you have a large group with varying tastes. I love beet salad. Yummmm….
Ive heard alot of good things about this place and it can get insanely packed during the lunch and dinner rush. Didnt eat there on the last trip but plan to on the next one.. Its great to see something other than burgers and chicken strips, and I hope they continue the trend of changing the quick service locations to items like this in all the parks.
I have walked through, but have never bought anything. The allure of dining in the World Showcase is too much for me. If I want quick service in Epcot, I make my way to Yakitori House for beef curry and Kirin Ichiban. However, the food looks interesting and decent. If it were in another park or a resort, I would definitely try it.
My two favorites there are the sweet and sour pork (or is it chicken?) from the Asian section or the seared tuna on the salad—-delicious!
Of course another big draw is the fact that you can get a bakery dessert here- not just some pre-packaged cheesecake like most counter service places.
This is a must-eat place for us on every trip – sometimes we eat here more than once!
There is a semi quiet area to eat at in the Land… Eat in the Winter section over by the Living with the Land queue area. It is located under the upstairs walkway, so the noise isn’t as bad as the open air areas.
Sunshine Seasons is my favorite Quick Service at WDW….
I really enjoy the options at Sunshine Seasons. The kids meals are quite decent portions (for an adult!) and the variety here is better for kids than at other QS places. Keep it in mind for a budget eatery! Plus, on a hot summer day, the whole pavilion is AIR CONDITIONED! Everyone is happy with their food and everyone is happy because they’re cooled!
There are a lot of good options here. The vegetable sandwich is very tasty and a nice change of pace. The spicy cashew chicken (a relatively newer dish), is one of the best I have had anywhere.
We ate here on our last trip. As you mentioned it’s basically a food court. The breakfast was pretty good. Though my teeth had a tug of war with the rubbery bacon…Hmmm. I would definitely eat there again though. It’s a good spot for bfast when in the park. Only downside was with the CMs, for some reason they were grouping us all into one area while alot of tables were being unused. I don’t generally like to sit in the middle of the action like that when there are seats avail a little further away…
The fruit tart is a must-have each time I head to the World, and the fresh salads are amazing as well. This is a great place to wait until your Soarin’ FastPass is available, too.
Sunshine Seasons is one of our faves and we eat here every trip. My husband and I are big fans of the turkey and cheddar sandwich with chipotle mayo…so tasty!
We were sadly disappointed that our favorite dessert, the chocolate peanut butter cake is no longer served here. I will try the butterfinger brownie next time though. We have many options to explore in future trips and I can’t wait!
I always make sure we eat lunch here at least once a trip. My favorite is the turkey sandwich on focaccia and the cheese and fruit plate!
I’ve been here plenty of times and hardly ever even get the hot food. Grab and go sushi, tomato/mozzarella salad, and beer? That’s lunch in literally 5 minutes right there.
I LOVE this place! In fact, it was where in insisted on going after completing the half marathon last year–salami/ham sandwich, chocolate milk, and strawberry shortcake. It was heaven. I believe that their strawberry shortcake is the best I’ve ever had anywhere. As far as being busy–it can be super crowded during peak lunch and dinner times–we’ve always gone during off times, so it’s never been too bad. And afterwards, a nice ride on Living with the Land. I even liked this place before it became Sunshine Seasons–they used to have super great spaghetti with meat sauce!
The pork chop meal is wonderful. Ask for the end cut and you get a bit more meat with a lot of caramelization, add the au jus, lovely. Had it 3 times on my last trip. Also there frozen coffee drinks are good as well.
This is one of two places we usually eat when we are ready for a meal in Epcot (the other being Tangierine Cafe, although we like Yakatori House too). I am also a fan of the beet and goat cheese salad, flavorful without making you stuffed. We did lunch one day from items I got out of the grab and go case: couscous salad, strawberries and cream, tomatoes and mozzarella, chocolate cake. Hard to beat and with drinks, around $20 for two of us (our son is eats mac and cheese here–and they were happy to give us a serving for a grownup). I like having so many vegetarian options, as well as heartier meals for those who want their meat and potatoes. Excellent variety, with the Asian meals a favorite.
The noise is pretty bad at peak times, but even my son with autism likes to eat here. I second the suggestion to go off to the side if possible under an overhang. It really helps with the noise level.
Dessert anyone?? Sunshine Seasons has the GREATEST selection of desserts… Yum!!!
This is one of my FAVORITE places to eat in all the World….and I had the mongolian beef the last time I was there and it was great.
And how many places do you get to make good use of chopsticks in Disney?
Best counter service in WDW, and I’d even so as far as to say in all of Florida.
I have sampled almost everything but am in love with the Seared Tuna on Mixed Greens. The Tuna is nicely done, chilled and refreshing. The flavor is just right and they don’t load it up with dressing. At $10 it’s a bargain of a fish dish. As a bonus I have rarely had a long line as the Salad station.
This is my family’s favorite QS because the food is so much fresher and there is something for everyone. I love the beet and goat cheese salad but all the sandwiches and salads are wonderful. This is a good place to use QS credits on the dining plan because some of the entrees can be pricey and the desserts selection is so amazing. I hate being forced to get bland, packaged dessert at some of the other QS restaurants.
AJ- Did you notice the Hidden Mickey on the Earth balloon? We found it on our last trip.
Thumbs up for breakfast from my wife and I.
Thumbs up for the pork chop dinner and strawberry shortcake from me.
Thumbs up for the roast half chicken and some sort of peanut butter cheesecake from my wife.
LOVE Sunshine Seasons. Fantastic desserts. Love the salads that come, at least partially, from the gardens in the same building that you tour through on Living With The Land.
Henry — I hope it was fantastic!
Lillian — Great point. This is perfect for big groups. Ample seating, too.
Mark — While I like a good burger and fries, I do like the variety they offer here. Especially for kids.
Rich — Spoken like a true foodie 😉 Good point that having the WS right across the Lake makes it tough to spend a meal anywhere else.
Dana — Thanks for the suggestions! And YES — those desserts are to die for.
James — Thank you for finding the quiet section to eat! I never realized that was there.
Kelly — So true! I should do a post on which counter service spots are wholly air conditioned!
Evan — Thank you for the menu tips. I never would have considered the cashew chicken, but now I will.
Griffin — I wonder if the “forced grouping” was a regular occurrence… weird. I wouldn’t like it much either. We’re “keep to ourselves” kind of folk.
Allison — Exactly! I almost mentioned in the blog that this is a good place to pass the time while you’re waiting for the soarin’ fast pass to open up 😉 GMTA!
Steph — RIP chocolate peanut butter cake. So sad when they take one of your favorites away… 🙁
Jo — That turkey sandwich looked divine. Great suggestion!
NT3 — Fast Food — and HEALTHY! (Well, except for the beer, maybe… ;-D )
Lynne — That sounds like perfect post-half-marathon food!!! (Well, I’d like ham, salami, chocolate milk, and strawberry shortcake pretty much anytime, so I’m not a really good judge, but…)
Gaylin — That sounds amazing! My mouth is watering at the description!!!
Sandra — Great point that the grab and go has some great selections here, and I like the suggestion of mac and cheese big enough for a grown up. Sometimes that’s the perfect treat.
rhyeck — No kidding!
Adam — SO true! I love perfecting my chopsticks skills! That’s a good blog post suggestion, too — chopsticks practice at Disney.
GG — Thanks for the Tuna suggestion — good point that it’s a bargain dish. Also, the short line at the salad section might almost make me get a salad next time…or not… 😉
Joy — NO! I did NOT notice the hidden Mickey!! Will go look ASAP 🙂
Eric — Awesome
Awesome
Awesome 😉
We just ate here for the first time yesterday. I think it may be my favorite quick service in all of Disney. I loved the beet salad and the black bean soup was incredible!
The salmon is to DIE for, nom, nom
The Strawberry Shortcake is a must too of course 😉
Seriously, I have dreams about the strawberry shortcake sold here. The caesar salad is very good, as well.
My son and I love to grab a quick breakfast here. We usually share the hard boiled eggs, some fruit and a couple croissants.