Today, we are taking in lunch at one of Disney’s newer counter service locations, Landscape of Flavors at the Art of Animation Resort.

Landscape of Flavors took Walt Disney World by storm when it opened a couple of years ago. It was similar to other value resort counter service spots and food courts, in that it offered quick service food from various stations. But right from the start, Landscape of Flavors offered fresh flavors and customizable options that set it apart.

And with it, there came a bit of a wait.

Today, we’re heading back to see what is the same, what has changed, and if the wait times for food that we feared have come to pass.

Let’s head in!

Atmosphere

One of the most interesting things about Landscape of Flavors is its entrance. You actually access the restaurant through the Ink and Paint Gift Shop.

Go past the wares, and here you are!

Seating is ample, to say the least. More than 500 spots await you once you receive your food, and there are more tables and chairs outside.

The beautiful lights overhead are painted to represent scenes from each of the four films highlighted at the resort: Finding Nemo, Cars, Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.

I know that was a pretty quick tour of the surroundings, but I promise you there’s a lot to look at in the ordering area! So let’s get to it.

Eats

Like many other Disney food court-type counter service spots (think Everything Pop or Sunshine Seasons), Landscape of Flavors offers different stations for different types of food. The difference here is that the options have an international flair that’s a little more interesting than some other spots.

But don’t worry; there are flavors to appeal to picky and discriminating eaters alike.

During breakfast, stations change up with morning meal options. Today, we’re taking a look at a few of the stations you’ll find for lunch and dinner. I was visiting for lunch at the time.

The name of the game here is customization! Nearly everything can be made according to what you like. You can order a custom salad from the Salad Station.

I absolutely love their Create Your Own Pasta Station! I had one of my favorite meals here on a recent trip.

I also snapped a picture of the Stir-Fry Station chef at work — it’s always so cool to watch them, and the food looks fresh and delicious!

A few of the stations are opened all day, like the Smoothie Station and the Gelato Station.

After looking around a bit, we figured out that we wanted to try the Tandoori Station.

The tandoori options come with your choice of two sides, which include an assortment of Roasted Vegetables.

We also thought the Burgers from the Burger and Sandwich Station looked interesting.

We placed our orders with the staff at each station, waited for our food, and then had a look around at Grab and Go options.

There is a Bakery Case that holds an assortment of Breakfast Pastries as well as Bakery Dessert Items, like Cookies, Tarts, and the like.

They also stock Gluten Free Goodies made by Babycakes NYC! If you’re missing the treats from the bakery since its closure at Downtown Disney, this is a good place to pick up some things.

There’s an assortment of beverages and food in the Grab and Go area as well. You’ll find bottled options, including Wine and Beer.

You’ll also find customary fountain stations beyond the check out area for fountain drinks. This is where you’ll grab refills using your Souvenir Refillable Mugs.

If you aren’t in the mood to wait around for food, you’ll find Sushi and other items — packaged and ready to go!

The use of real plates and silverware also sets this spot apart. While most of the other counter service locations around Walt Disney World still use disposable items, you’ll find real utensils and plates here.

Once you have your made to order and grab and go items, pick up your utensils and head to the cashier to pay for everything.

So, what did we decide on? Glad you asked!

At the Tandoori Station, we went with the Tandoori Chicken. The dish came with Rice Pilaf and Naan (one of our favorite snack values!), and we could choose two sides. We went with Roasted New Red Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach with Curried Tofu. Since everything was pretty much ready to go at this station, we had our food quickly here. This station offers consistently delicious and interesting food, and we were very happy with our selection.

Our other item was a completely different matter, though.

I went with the House-Made Vegetable Burger…and proceeded to wait half of forever for them to make it.

Seriously. It was like 20 minutes for me to get it. And once I did, it tasted okay. But by that time, the rest of the food was cold.

With Pepper Jack Cheese, a Fried Green Tomato Slice, and a Brioche Bun, it’s definitely a cut above your garden variety veggie burger. 😉 It’s also served with your choice of a side of Fries or Cole Slaw.

After a lunch plagued with bad timing, we turned our attention toward a sweet ending. We decided to try one of the grab and go options — the Frozen Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake on a Straw.

I told you all about this one a while back. Lemme just say — it returned the smile to our faces! It was such a fun dessert item.

And I got to take the Mickey Straw with me for later!

Overall

I seriously love a stroll through Landscape of Flavors. All of the food is so interesting here. From the stations to the grab and go options, you can see that they are striving to offer guests something that’s a cut above typical food court food.

However, the issue that we were concerned about during our very first visit has certainly come to fruition. With so many stations and customizable options (and many fancy garnishes, like fried green tomato slices), the wait times for items can be long. If you’re in a situation where you stay together as a group, and move from station to station to get items, someone will invariably end up with cold food. And the cumulative wait can be ridiculously long.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but I would definitely recommend that you try and split up to order if possible and eat at slower times if your schedule permits it.

With a little forethought, I’m confident that you’ll enjoy a trip to Landscape of Flavors.

Is Landscape of Flavors one of your favorite spots to dine? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!