Sunset Ranch Market is an outdoor food court and quick-service dining complex located on Sunset Boulevard at Disney's Hollywood Studios, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The market consists of several individual food stands surrounding a shared outdoor seating area.

The complex opened in June 1994 as part of the development of Sunset Boulevard at what was then known as Disney-MGM Studios. Its collection of small food counters and open-air seating evokes the outdoor markets of Southern California.

History

Sunset Ranch Market opened in June 1994 during the expansion of Disney-MGM Studios that created Sunset Boulevard. Sunset Boulevard, branching from the park's original Hollywood Boulevard, was developed with shops, restaurants and entertainment venues and ultimately led guests toward The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The street later also became home to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (now Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets).

At its opening, Sunset Ranch Market consisted of six food-service locations: Anaheim Produce Company, Catalina Eddie's, Fairfax Fries, Hollywood Scoops, Rosie's All-American Café and Toluca Legs Turkey Co. The individual stands offered different types of food while sharing a common outdoor dining area, allowing the complex to function similarly to an open-air food court.

The lineup of stands and their menus have changed since the market opened. Fairfax Fries originally specialized in McDonald's french fries during the period in which McDonald's food products were sold at several locations throughout Walt Disney World. The Fairfax name was subsequently reused for Fairfax Fare, another food counter within the complex.

Toluca Legs Turkey Co., another of the original locations, specialized primarily in the large smoked turkey legs sold at Walt Disney World. The location closed in August 2016 and was subsequently replaced by a beverage location.

Over time, Fairfax Fare became one of the market's principal meal counters alongside Rosie's All-American Café and Catalina Eddie's. Disney park guides from the late 2010s listed Anaheim Produce, Rosie's All-American Café, Catalina Eddie's, Fairfax Fare and Hollywood Scoops together under the Sunset Ranch Market name.

Design and layout

Sunset Ranch Market is located along Sunset Boulevard, near the Theater of the Stars, which houses Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, and on the approach to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Unlike a conventional enclosed restaurant, the market is composed of separate walk-up food counters arranged around a common outdoor dining area.

The design is patterned after the open-air produce and farmers' markets associated with California. The individual establishments use names referencing places or themes associated with Southern California and Hollywood, including Anaheim, Santa Catalina Island, Fairfax and Toluca Lake.

Seating for the food stands is primarily outdoors, with tables shared by customers of the various counters.

Food stands

Disney has historically treated the individual counters at Sunset Ranch Market as separate dining locations while grouping them geographically under the Sunset Ranch Market name.

Anaheim Produce

Anaheim Produce is a walk-up produce and snack stand. It has traditionally sold fresh fruit and other snacks, along with frozen beverages. The name references Anaheim, California, the city in which Disneyland is located.

Rosie's All-American Café

Rosie's All-American Café is a quick-service counter specializing in American-style fast food. Disney park guides have listed hamburgers and chicken nuggets among its principal offerings.

The restaurant's name and visual theme evoke the American home-front culture of World War II, including imagery associated with Rosie the Riveter.

Catalina Eddie's

Catalina Eddie's is a quick-service counter traditionally specializing in pizza and salads. Its name references Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California.

Fairfax Fare

Fairfax Fare is a quick-service counter whose menu has changed substantially over its history. Previous menus have included barbecue and Tex-Mex-inspired dishes. The restaurant takes its name from Fairfax Avenue and the Fairfax District of Los Angeles.

Hollywood Scoops

Hollywood Scoops is the market's ice-cream stand. Disney park guides have listed hand-dipped ice cream and sundaes among its offerings.

Fairfax Fries

Fairfax Fries was one of the six locations identified by Disney as part of Sunset Ranch Market when the complex opened. During its operation, the stand sold McDonald's french fries and beverages. McDonald's-branded food was formerly available at several locations throughout Walt Disney World before the resort's relationship with the fast-food company was discontinued.

Toluca Legs Turkey Co.

Toluca Legs Turkey Co. was an original Sunset Ranch Market food stand specializing in smoked turkey legs. The name was a reference to Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, a neighborhood associated with the American film and television industries.

The stand closed in August 2016. Its location was subsequently used for a beverage operation.

See also

  • Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Sunset Boulevard (Disney's Hollywood Studios)
  • List of restaurants at Walt Disney World
  • Walt Disney World