There are two new menu items at Magic Kingdom’s Columbia Harbour House that I knew I had to check out the minute I heard about them.
Available for dinner only, Seafood Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken Pot Pie are currently available for guests starting at 4:00 p.m. (We know this because we went at 11 to get them, and, alas.)
While Resort Counter Service and Table Service Restaurants often have varying menus for lunch and dinner, it’s pretty rare for Counter Service locations in the parks; so it’s always interesting to see the menu options expand later in the day.
While Columbia Harbour House remains home to many favorites, including the Anchors Aweigh and Lighthouse sandwiches, Vegetarian Chili, and good ol’ Chicken and Fish Platters, it’s great to see these menu additions.
Columbia Harbour House dinner menu
Fans of the Lobster Roll should know that it remains on the Lunch Menu.
Atmosphere
My favorite thing to do after receiving my order at Columbia Harbour House is to check out the upstairs seating situation, because it’s usually pretty awesome. While most guests grab a spot downstairs, the upstairs seating is often a haven of sorts. This day was no exception. Check it out…
Columbia Harbour House upstairs
I love everything from the cozy wood to the soft lighting, to the windows all around the outer edges looking out over the people below.
Columbia Harbour House upstairs
Columbia Harbour House upstairs
You can see lots of photos of the Columbia Harbour House atmosphere, ordering areas, and more in this post!
Eats
But there was new food in front of me, and you know the drill… so here we go!
The Seafood Macaroni and Cheese, is a generous portion topped with shrimp and lobster, and sprinkled with panko crumbs.
Seafood Macaroni and Cheese
First off, the portion is GIGANTIC. You can tell this is a hefty dish the minute you pick up your weighty tray – two people could easily make a shared meal out of this.
Though the shrimp appeared a little pallid and underdone, the lobster made up for that for me (I should note, though, that I’m not into shrimp, so the lobster was my main draw).
Closeup of lobster and shrimp
The macaroni and cheese reminded me of the way it’s currently served at Friar’s Nook – it’s as though they’ve taken the standard Disney mac & cheese and added more shredded cheese to make it extra gooey. It’s so rich that I found the panko crumbs very helpful in breaking up the texture, offering a small bit of crunch.
I think this entree is well done, overall. There is enough seafood to have it with just about every bite if you want!
Bite of lobster and mac & cheese
The next new entrée is the Chicken Pot Pie. At first glance, the most interesting thing is that it comes without a top pastry crust.
Chicken Pot Pie
I looooove a good, flaky top crust, so I was a little bummed. However, it’s cool that you can see almost all of the ingredients right away: the chunks of chicken and rich gravy, sprinkled – like the Seafood Mac & Cheese – with panko crumbs. It’s served with a big side of steamed broccoli.
Full entree
There are a few bits of veggies tucked in the pot pie, too – I spotted a bit of corn and peas. But they were few and far between, which is fine by me! Who eats a pot pie for the veggies, anyway 😉 ? The focus here is almost entirely on the large amount of chicken and gravy. The chicken tasted fresh and the gravy (the whole reason to eat a pot pie to begin with, in my opinion) was creamy, savory, and delicious.
Closeup of chicken and gravy
After the gravy, my second favorite thing about a pot pie is the crust. Though the buttery flavor was great, I found the crust overall to be dry and crumbly, as opposed to soft and flaky. But the quality of the filling still earns this dish an above-average score.
Overall
I think these two comfort foods find a natural home in this cozy setting.
And dinner-only items are something we’re seeing more and more of at the in-park counter service restaurants, so it will be interesting to see how that develops!
Would you like to try the Seafood Mac & Cheese or the Chicken Pot Pie? Please let us know with a comment!
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I’m in!
The seafood mac and cheese looks so good! I can’t wait to try it on my September trip!
Thank you Wendy!
This restaurant is on my my “must do” list for our next trip. But on a side note I have a quick question. Does anyone know if there is an elevator to the second floor seating? Will will be with a guest in a wheelchair and I was wondering if we could take advantage of the quiet upstairs.
We LURVE Columbia Harbor House! One of our best WDW memories is sitting at an outside table (or maybe a wall?), munching on Fish n’ Fries and watching Wishes! These two menu additions sound wonderful. Mac N’ Cheese is surprisingly easy to screw up, but this version looks perfect!
The mac and cheese might be worth a try, although I don’t know if I could ever pass up my beloved Lighthouse Sandwich. But who cares what you’re eating as long as you’re doing it in that awesome upstairs area? 😀
I wonder if you could get double lobster instead of shrimp with the seafood mac and cheese. I, like you, am not one for shrimp! Looks delish!
I just about had a full blown heart attack when I saw that the Lobster Roll wasn’t on the menu. Thanks for mentioning it’s still on the lunch menu, you just saved a life. 😉
The seafood mac and cheese looks really good too, the fiance will be happy with that!
I’m new to this site over the last 2 weeks. But can I say I will be moving my next trip from March up to tomorrow to get the seafood mac and cheese!! We always love CHH and did a family reunion dinner there this past January.
What happened to the bread bowl hallowed out with clam chowder…Always looked forward to this dish but have not seen it in a few years. Very tasty and easily digested! Will it be making a come back..Really think it shoud
Were there mushrooms in the chicken pot pie? I’m allergic and it’s hard to find a pot pie without them at Disney (yeah, I know you can call ahead, but I don’t always know where I’m going to eat until I get there).
Looks fantastic. I’m going to try the mac and cheese the next time I’m at MK, maybe next week!
There is definitely an elevator ‘behind the scenes’, as when I took a tour, the tour guide was in a wheelchair, he disappeared through a door and reappeared upstairs.
I am not sure if the elevator is available to the public, but it’s certainly worth asking, it is seems unlikely that they would have an elevator and not allow it to be used.
Looks so yummy! More food to add to my must-try list for our September 2-week trip! I am beginning to think I’m going to need to pack a larger size of clothes for week 2…
yesssssss want to try both!!!!!
I almost went for the seafood mac last trip in early June, but it was so hot out that I couldn’t imagine eating hot, gooey mac n cheese. I had been looking forward to cooling off with the lobster roll but it must have been past 4pm cause I didn’t see it on the menu. I will definitely try the seafood mac next time we go when it’s cooler out! It looks SO good!
We have never seen an elevator. I got stuck with my bad knees halfway up the stairs one night when the place was crowded. Another guest and a CM rescued me, thank goodness. Downstairs, I have seen them rope off an area with the disabled sign on it, so I expect unless you are hale and hearty, you will be eating downstairs.
The mac with lobster might almost be enough to get our son off his usual chicken nuggets–unless he decides it’s an add-on! This is one of our favorite places to eat in WDW; always have a good meal here. The sandwiches are tops. Count me as another person who misses the bread bowl. With the soup and a drink it made a filling and affordable meal.
The Mac & Cheese looks like it would be better w/no shrimp & a bit more lobster! 🙂
Jason in NH – You’re new to the site? You’re in for a daily treat! I can’t wait to get to this site every day to see the wonderful Disney World goodies they have for us! It’s the best site on the web about Disney food and it’s fun. Ahem…back to business.
I LOVE CHH and their ‘Anchors Away’ sandwich (and I loved the old chicken strips and chowder they used to have), but I’d love to try the seafood mac’n’cheese. It looks very good. The location and theming in CHH is wonderful; it’s a great restaurant.
An elevator behind the scenes is accessible by asking a Cast Member. This is Disney– guest service is the number one priority. And during dinner, the lobster roll is still available upon request.
Harbor House also has a very good Allergy Free menu, ie Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free.
We had the Gluten Free chicken fingers and they were awesome. Our friends tried them and they said they were much better than the standard ones that they had.
All allergy foods served in Disney are prepared in a dedicated part of the kitchen and are produced fresh when ordered. (So there will be a 15-20 minute wait), but worth it, cause it’s fresh.
That seafood mac! They used to have an amazing lobster mac and cheese at Le Cellier which I am not seeing on their current menu. I guess this can be somewhat of a substitute when I am there in a few weeks. Thanks for the news!
Seafood mac and cheese? Yes, please! So noted for my next trip.
I would definitely try the seafood mac and cheese but the pot pie doesn’t look very appealing imo.
I really enjoy CHH, but I’ve never been able to dine upstairs in all the times I’ve been there. It’s always roped off with “closed” signs. Maybe because we go at slower times?
Looks like CHH keeps getting better and better! Seafood mac and cheese sure does sound good!
I had the Seafood Mac n cheese on Saturday (6/21), it was very good and filling. It was super cheesy and came with an ample portion of shrimp and lobster. I really liked it.
Seafood Mac and cheese was awesome
We were going to make reservations at Tony’s for our trip this fall….Forget it now!!! We’re going to Columbia Harbor House!
Ahhh man… Now I don’t know what i’m going to have! We are visiting from the UK next year, and out of our family of four, I am the only one who loves seafood, so I doubt i’ll get away with more than one visit here! The seafood macaroni cheese looks divine! But I’m also torn between the shrimp platter and the grilled salmon. What a dilemma!
I love this review! It makes me feel more comfortable about eating here during our keys to the kingdom trip. My sister and I are not seafood lovers. She’s actually allergic to shell fish and fish… or so her allergist says. She’s never had a reaction as we don’t eat it! I would be open to trying the mac and cheese and she would enjoy the pot pie.
However… checking the app it appears that the mac and cheese is not showing up on their menus anymore. Anyone have any ideas? Am I just blind?
Terri — Unfortunately, the Seafood Mac and Cheese is off the menu right now, but the Chicken Pot Pie appears to still be available.
Hi I’m wondering if you know a way to get the recipe for the chicken pot pie at the Columbia Harbor house in
the magic kingdom? We LOVED it and I’d like to make it at home! I’ve looked everywhere!
Thanks
Wendy, you can try calling Disney directly. The non-reservations number is (407) 939-2273. No guarantee they can help, but it can’t hurt to ask! Good luck!