If there’s a person who knows Walt Disney World, it’s me. I’ve visited Florida’s Magic Kingdom every year for 23 years and now am a local who lives 10 minutes away. But I don’t just visit for the attractions: I frequent many of the restaurants (both quick-service and table service) weekly because to me, the food is as good as any in the area and I enjoy all those themes that Disney delivers.
That said, I realized that despite all my Disney dining, I had not done a proper deep dive on America’s favorite meal: the cheeseburger. It was time to do a calculated study of the cheeseburgers available at Walt Disney World’s fast-food and quick-serve restaurants and rank the results.
What I Look for in a Great Cheeseburger
But first, what makes a great cheeseburger? What was I setting out to assess? Here’s my take: When it comes to an excellent cheeseburger, I first and foremost look at the meat patty: I want it to be delicious and on the juicier side. I also think a cheeseburger should include lettuce, tomato, and pickles (especially pickles), but I don’t think adding a sauce (or an extra patty, for that matter) improves things. Lastly, a cheeseburger wouldn’t be a cheeseburger without cheese—I prefer American or cheddar, and thoroughly melted.
With these general guidelines in mind, I tried eight cheeseburgers from quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World’s theme parks, resorts, and at Disney Springs, to name the best. Here’s what I found, ranked from eighth place to first.
#8. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café 1/3 lb. Angus Cheeseburger
- Location: Magic Kingdom
Since Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café is a go-to spot at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for handheld foods, I was excited to try its ⅓- pound Angus Cheeseburger consisting of flame-broiled meat, American cheese, and something they call “Sonny Eclipse Signature Sauce”. Sadly,, it did not meet my expectations. The patty had a rubbery feel and bland taste–not unlike the burgers I remember from my elementary school cafeteria. I will say, however, that the Sonny Eclipse Signature Sauce, which tasted a lot like a zippy Thousand Island dressing, made up for things a bit. The cheese was ample. No veggies, though. Not a top contender by any stretch.
#7 Regal Eagle Smokehouse Cheeseburger
- Location: World Showcase at EPCOT
The best way to describe Regal Eagle Smokehouse’s cheeseburger is average…but with a Southern flair. This standard stack of a ⅓- pound Angus burger, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato was livened up by sitting between two pieces of garlic toast instead of the traditional brioche bun. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the switch, but I wish the cheese had melted more and the burger didn’t look so thrown together.
#6 World Premiere Food Court (All-Star Movies) Cheddar Cheeseburger
- Location: Disey’s All-Star Movie Resort
This cheeseburger thoroughly impressed me, despite it coming from a resort food court. What made this burger different from the rest is that instead of lettuce shreds, the patty was topped with a large piece of lettuce. I prefer shreds on a burger (your mileage may vary), but the tomato tasted very fresh. The patty was on the smaller side but packed with flavor. In general, I don’t always have the highest expectations when it comes to quality food at Disney resort food courts, but this burger pleasantly surprised me and I enjoyed this cheeseburger more than I thought I would.
#5 The Mara Signature-blend Cheddar Burger
- Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
This resort seldom disappoints when it comes to its food, and now I can add the Signature-blend Cheddar Burger from The Mara restaurant to all the reasons why.With a signature blend of ground beef, cheddar cheese, and Berbere spice molded into a thick patty, this was a unique cheeseburger and definitely a step above more basic contenders. Although I couldn’t detect the Berbere spices specifically, this burger was definitely flavorful.
#4 Restaurantosaurus 1/3 lb. Angus Cheeseburger
- Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is home to some wonderful eateries including Restaurantosaurus (in DinoLand U.S.A.), which serves a ⅓-pound Angus cheeseburger with a hearty portion of American cheese that I could actually taste in every bite. Although the lettuce and tomato were delicious, I was really hoping for some pickles to be included (see my pickle rule above); that said, the burger was already pretty salty, so perhaps everything balanced out in the end.
#3 Connections Eatery American Classic Burger
- Location: World Celebration at EPCOT
For all of you who love a cheeseburger with a thick hockey-puck-sized patty, the American Classic Burger from Connections Eatery is for you. I loved the high-quality flavor of the gourmet beef blend, how fresh the vegetables tasted, and how I could actually get it cooked to a pink, juicy medium–not always an option at other Disney restaurants.
#2 Capt. Cook’s Cheeseburger
- Location: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
You might not believe me when I tell you that one of the best quick-service cheeseburgers at Walt Disney World can be found at Disney’s Polynesian Village’s Capt. Cook’s restaurant. But it’s true. Although not quite as tasty as the cheeseburger that stole my heart (see first place, below) this juicy, flavorful cheeseburger was a close second (if I’d been able to taste the cheese more, it might have taken the top prize).
#1 D-Luxe Burger Classic Cheeseburger
- Location: Disney Springs Town Center
It’s worth a visit to Disney’s Florida-waterfront-themed shopping, dining, and entertainment center just for the D-Luxe Burger’s Classic Cheeseburger. This winner is made with two pressed signature blend patties, cheddar cheese, 1921 Sauce, tomato, lettuce, and a pickle. Out of all of the burgers I tried, the meat was the juiciest (and the pinkest), topping all other contenders. The cheese was perfectly gooey and tasty, the bun just soft enough, and the tomato especially fresh. The original recipe for D-Luxe’s 1921 Sauce–handwritten and framed in the restaurant blends ketchup, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and rice vinegar with sugar, salt, and spices. It’s a nice touch on this winning cheeseburger, but I’m here to say it would have been equally delicious without it. Will I go back for this great cheeseburger? You can bet your mouse ears I will.
