The Polite Pig, Salt and Straw, and a Poolside Feast Back at the Resort

On a recent visit to Disney Springs, I found myself exhausted from the heat and in need of something suitable that would work for a late lunch. This kind of thing happens from time to time, and I can’t help but imagine that if it happens to me, it happens to readers of the site. As much as I would have loved to continue with my day, I needed a break, and given the record heat, a poolside meal sounded like perfection.

The only problem? I was not in the mood for a standard Disney quick-service meal back at the resort. I was at Disney Springs, and wanted something good that would hold up on the boat ride back to Port Orleans French Quarter. Thankfully, I had a little time to decide because I was at Disney Springs to photograph a few things for the site.

Upon arrival, I noticed that a security checkpoint had been installed at the resort bus loop. It had not been there the last time we came through. On my way to the West Side, I also noticed a few signs advertising Halloween at Disney Springs. Part of my intent for this visit was to update our guide: Halloween at Disney Springs in 2025. If you’re visiting between now and early November, you might enjoy some of the free or paid activities and entertainment offerings. One of the best deals (if you have the Memory Maker add-on) is the free photo shoot at the Disney PhotoPass Studios. They have a Mickey Pumpkin Patch backdrop installed for the season.

My only other agenda was to try a seasonal ice cream flavor advertised at Salt and Straw. So I stepped inside and ordered a scoop of Peach Basil Miso Blondies ice cream. Of course, I sampled it and the Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread flavor before making my final decision. Both were tasty, but the peach blondie won out for me. It was incredibly delicious and a nice treat for such a hot day.

After dessert, I decided to pick up something for lunch as I made my way to the opposite end of the venue. I had a few things to do, and I didn’t want to have to double back since I was walking all the way from the West Side through Town Center to the Marketplace.

I had several options in mind that I knew offered to-go orders, like Chicken Guy!, Blaze Pizza, D-Luxe Burger, and Earl of Sandwich. Nine times out of ten, I mobile order from D-Luxe Burger when I want something to-go. This time, however, I was hoping for something a little lighter. So I stopped at The Polite Pig. The hostess told me I could order anything and they would prepare it to-go. She also mentioned that I could place an order on their website in the future and pick it up on arrival.

Big Tip: You can do this at Chicken Guy! too, and it’s a huge time saver if you end up at Disney Springs on a busy evening where everywhere has a mile-long line. (For reference, D-Luxe Burger offers mobile orders via the My Disney Experience app, but you would go online for The Polite Pig or Chicken Guy!. You’ll want to make sure to select the Disney Springs location when placing online orders on their respective websites.)

Anyway, I ordered a Caesar Salad with a cedar-planked salmon upgrade and a side of waffle fries. I placed my order at the hostess stand and then waited nearby at a private counter. Within five minutes, I had my food, and it was packaged well for the road, or boat, in this instance.

I continued to the Marketplace and finished up my errands. Then, I exited Disney Springs at the Marketplace and continued down to the boat dock. A boat was docking for the Port Orleans Resorts at the same time I arrived, so it was a short wait and peaceful trip back to the French Quarter. When I arrived back at the resort, I briefly stopped in the room for a quick refresh, and then it was off to the pool with my lunch.

It was a great meal, and one of the best salmon filets I’ve ever had. I was also happy that it wasn’t another order of chicken nuggets or a Disney burger. This was of much better quality and exactly the kind of poolside meal I had in mind, even though I had to think a little outside of the box.

Anyway, if you’re ever visiting Disney Springs and are not sure you want to invest the time in a sit-down meal, I hope this will give you a few ideas for alternative options. My day was quickly dwindling due to the extreme heat, and a couple of storms passed through not long after I enjoyed my meal. So I was glad to already be back at the resort instead of being caught out in bad weather.

For more on Disney Springs, we have a few other quick-service reviews:

• Chicken Guy Review at Disney Springs
• D-Luxe Burger Review
• Blaze Fast-Fired Pizza Review Disney Springs

For table service dining, our list of best restaurants at Disney Springs is a good place to start.

More Planning

Resorts Gal specializes in Disney World Resorts, Characters, and Dining. Explore our resources, including our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of everything you need to know about the Disney Resort Hotels. For dining, our Disney World Dining Guide is an excellent place to start. Our Disney World Transportation Guide is a wonderful resource for planning your routes. It’s one of our most popular resources. If you plan to meet characters in the parks, we have an updated list of Disney World Characters. It includes every available character meet-and-greet in the parks and where to find rare characters throughout the year. Lastly, our Disney Parks Guide provides a complete overview of all four theme parks and water parks.