Market at Ale & Compass Review
The Market at Ale & Compass is a counter service restaurant at Yacht Club, a Deluxe Resort at Walt Disney World. In this WDW dining review, we’ll share food photos, compare this to other places to eat at Beach Club & BoardWalk Inn, and cover whether we recommend the Market at Ale & Compass.
Despite its debut about a couple of years ago, readers have not exactly been clamoring for a review of the Market at Ale & Compass. Unlike many posts that are driven by “a lot of people have been asking about…” literally no one has inquired about this new-ish counter service option. And yet, here we are.
There’s probably a Walt Disney quote about giving people what they never knew they wanted instead of what they say they want. That quote is about as applicable here as putting “if you can dream it, you can do it” on the plate for the Chili-Cheese All-Beef Foot Long Hot Dog at All Star Sports.
In terms of basics, the Market at Ale & Compass participates in the Disney Dining Plan as a counter service credit. It does not accept the Tables in Wonderland card for a 20% discount. The Market at Ale & Compass is typically not a good value on the Disney Dining Plan, as most of the entree options are relatively inexpensive (see best value quick service DDP credit restaurants here). By contrast, it’s a good option, price-wise, for those paying out of pocket.
Even more basic, the Market at Ale & Compass is not the same as Ale & Compass Restaurant, which we reviewed here. Oddly, it’s not even at Ale & Compass, which is on the opposite side of the lobby. Unless you’re actively looking for the Market “at” Ale & Compass, you probably won’t find it, as it’s down a side hallway to the left of the front desk, located adjacent to the gift shop.
Thematically speaking, the Market at Ale & Compass is…well, it exists. Market-themed, I suppose. Maybe gift shop themed, if you look over that way. Is muted colors a theme? What about refrigerators?
Suffice to say, the Market at Ale & Compass is a utilitarian space, a counter service location carved out of a merchandise location to check that box on the amenities list.
So far we’ve got “hard to find” and “maybe refrigerator themed” for the Market at Ale & Compass. Given so much excitement early on in this review, it’s really hard to fathom why none of you cared.
Aside from the stuff in the fridges, everything served at the Market at Ale & Compass for lunch and dinner is a sandwich. This is a bit disappointing, as the Crescent Lake area is desperately in need of a robust counter service restaurant.
When the Market & Ale Compass was announced, we thought it might fill that void. Instead, it’s like a clone of Beach Club Market, which is similar in style.
Maybe we overestimate the demand for counter service dining at Yacht & Beach Club, but it still surprises us neither have a proper counter service restaurant. Close both of these markets and add something in between that’s actually worthwhile.
In any case, let’s move on to the food…
For mine, I ordered the Italian Panini: “Capicola, Mortadella, Ham, Provolone, and Giardinere.”
I liked this, but I’m a sucker for Italian sandwiches. It was oily and left my hands an absolute mess, but the flavors generally worked, the meats and cheeses were all good, and the sandwich was filling. I’d order it again if I were staying at Yacht Club and didn’t want to leave the hotel for a meal.
For her meal, Sarah had the Vegetable Sandwich: “Roasted Broccoli and Garlic, Kale, Almonds, Golden Raisins, Chao or Provolone Cheese, Whole Grain Baguette.”
None of the baked goods or desserts looked appealing to us, so we didn’t bother. We did note that they had Halo Top ice cream, which is delicious.
This ice cream is also supposedly healthy, but I don’t buy that for a second. What, you think I didn’t see “the Non-Fat Yogurt” episode of Seinfeld?!
Overall, the Market at Ale & Compass is…there. No, not there at Ale & Compass, but over there, down that side hallway inside the gift shop. The sandwiches here are perfectly satisfactory, but absolutely no one should go out of their way to dine here. Even if you’re staying at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, you’re better off walking a bit to Epcot or another Crescent Lake resort unless you’re exhausted or are in a pinch time-wise. You were all right not to ask us about this one, as it’s right up there as one of the least-interesting dining options at Walt Disney World.
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Your Thoughts
Have you dined at Market at Ale & Compass? What did you order? Thoughts on the whole dining ‘experience’ here, from theme and atmosphere to cuisine? Do you agree or disagree with our review? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Well, now that you said Halo Top ice cream was delicious, I’m questioning how much weight I should give any of your restaurant and food reviews 😉
Actually, I was wondering if you have plans to post reviews of other restaurants at Boardwalk and Swan and Dolphin. We are planning to stay in the Crescent Lake area and want to know whether those places are worth visiting. Thanks!
Haha! Halo Top is delicious for what it is, which is a quasi-healthy ice cream. Better than carrots, not as good as at least a dozen other ice cream brands!
As for other restaurant reviews, we’ve covered most of them: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-restaurant-reviews/
Whew! Thanks for qualifying that original statement, because I have literally spent hours over the past couple weeks reading your restaurant reviews and I’d hate to have to think it was all for naught. 🙂
For your low fat ice cream needs, go with Yasso bars. All other diet ice cream is inferior (and gross).
You didn’t mention if the marketing and design team brought the blues and grays that you appreciated so much from the actual Ale and Compass restaurant to it’s little cousin across the lobby and down the hidden hallway. We may not clamor for a review, but now we know it exist, and I can honestly say that I never heard of this little refrigerator market. This review put a smile on my face.
Does Hurricane Hanna’s count as Beach/Yacht Club counter service? I agree that it’s a pity there’s not more, though I will say that breakfast at the Beach Club Marketplace is a pretty good. I’ve once even gone to the Dolphin to get food for takeout as there were not really any good counter service options along the Boardwalk!
The problem, I think, with the Market at Ale & Compass is the lack of turnover. I rarely see people eating there; it’s always empty when I stop by, so of course the food will all be stale rather than freshly made! I know the Yacht Club is supposed to be about refined elegance with a nautical flair, but they could really make the Market a little more inviting looking with some bright colors, with a wide variety of merchandise (rather than $300 Tommy Bahama shirts) to help increase guest interest while they are walking by. Would it really hurt the Yacht Club’s style that much to offer Mickey Waffles in the morning, like the Beach Club Marketplace? I bet that would get guests excited to go there more!
No, Haagen-Dazs ice cream is delicious. Halo Top is delicious… for low calorie ice cream. (I have a few pints in the freezer right now because it is good and sometime 100 calories of ice cream is a nice treat. On vacation, I’m going full fat/flavor!)
I’m with everyone else, the Epcot resorts could use some solid counter service options. We really liked The Mara on our last visit when we stayed at Kidani. Sometimes you want a quick, casual meal.
The strawberry banana smoothie is good. Not to sugary and tastes somewhat healthy. The kids meal protein option has hummus, veggies , chicken and an egg. $7 with a drink. Not amazing, but a bit healthier than a sandwich.
I think you could say 7-11 was refrigerator- themed too.
True, But I Think it’s a Better Option!
I am truly disappointed by the way WDW is Trending.
I’ve eaten there – and I thought it was actually very expensive and bad. Much worse than at whatever they call the gift shop food in the Beach Club. At this place in the Yacht Club…it all looks like airport food to me. Cooked elsewhere, packaged 3 days ago and sent to be sold to a captive audience with nowhere else to go. A major disappointment.
For us, the lack of counter service restaurants is the biggest weakness of the Crescent Lake resorts. I understand that it is a quick walk to a ton of options in Epcot, but if you’re trying to enjoy a resort day, which this area’s resorts are otherwise really well suited for, it is frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, I have been known to enjoy meals made up entirely of pastries from Boardwalk Bakery chased with an ice cream from Ample Hills, but it would be nice to have more options for quality quick service food outside of the dessert menu for my family.
I agree that the Cresent Lake area could use a good counter Service, it would be a nice escape from World Showcase, of a place to stop while walking over from HS. As it stands now, the Market is just one of many unexpiring eateries. Disney really needs a change of Leadership to turn this around!