A Disney Nerd Reviews The Market at Ale & Compass

In case you haven’t heard, there’s been some changes to the dining selections at Disney’s Yacht Club. The table service restaurant called Captain’s Grille is has been transformed into Ale & Compass. The lounge/bar area which bears the same name is also getting a revamp, and the opening of The Market at Ale and Compass (notice a theme here). Yacht Club was in desperate need of The Market at Ale and Compass and it’s a wonderful addition to the resort! Take a right when you enter to lobby from the main entrance and walk past the check-in desk and you will find The Market at Ale and Compass. It’s a grab and go food service located right beside the shop (formally known as Fittings and Fairing but now the store and the dining share the same name).

As I mentioned before, The Market was a much-needed element to Yacht Club. Before it opened there was no quick service or grab and go option at Yacht Club unless you count Hurricane Hannah’s by the pool or the quick service at Beach Club. But Hurricane Hannah’s closes around 9pm which doesn’t help anyone who wants a late night snack. The quick service at Beach Club could be a long walk if you’re very hungry so it’s not as convenient. I was not only happy to see The Market open but that is was open until 11:30pm every day. I took advantage of those late night hours during my stay at Yacht Club in September, running down for a late night snack (or two).

While you’re at The Market, you can purchase the Rapid Fill Refillable Resort Mugs and utilize them in a Coke Freestyle machine and I love the Coke Freestyle machines. There are hundreds of combinations of soda (Vanilla Coke, Strawberry Sprite, Cherry flavored Dasani water, and SO much more!). In addition to the Coke Freestyle machine, you still have the ice tea options, hot drinks like coffee and more in addition to several bottled drink selections in the cooler which even include protein shakes. The cooler has your standard options that we’ve come to expect at select Disney World resorts, salads, cold sandwiches, fruit cups, and more. I found the cooler very similar to what you might find at some DVC resorts or even the value resort’s food courts.

One thing I found interesting was the wonderful selection of prepackaged items. It went beyond the typical chips even though they were there but you could also get protein bars, jerky, cookies, chocolates from The Ganachery, and so much more. There’s even a bakery display with muffins, bagels, and other assorted pastries. Croissants are my personal pastry weakness and I was excited to see a multi-grain croissant (all the deliciousness with a little less guilt)! Now beyond all these other food selections, I haven’t mentioned the hot items yet which is the best part in my opinion. They have a great selection of hot sandwiches, pastries, and more available ready-made and put in a warmer so it stays hot until you grab it. I really enjoyed the selection of hot items. Two of my personal favorites are the Spicy Italian Panini and the Spinach and Feta Pastry. I even went back on my trip in November to The Market just to get the Spinach and Feta Pastry because I had a craving!

The Market is just a wonderful spot to easily grab something and take it to your room or have a seat and relax in the small dining space. I also realized that not only is it convenient for guests staying at Yacht Club but it’s also great for people that are attending conventions at the convention center at Yacht Club which makes this new dining options even more vital. Being able to quickly get something to eat and it’s something that is delicious (personally, I didn’t have one bad thing there) is very important if you are on a break at a conference and just need a little snack. The Market had a lot of healthy options for snacks, protein bars, gluten and/or dairy-free options, jerky, organic options and more which I was happy to see this selection and took advantage of these options. They really took thought into catering to many different taste palettes and dietary needs. I’m very happy that The Market at Ale and Compass is around and I know I will be making many stops there on my future trips!

Do you want to try The Market for yourself and want to plan your next Disney vacation? Then be sure to contact the official travel agent of The Disney Nerds Podcast, Once Upon a Time Travel.