So maybe the first thing that comes to mind when you say Disney isn’t food but it should be! Did you know that on Disney property alone there are over 250 restaurants and that doesn’t include all the quick stop locations located inside the parks. Disney is a diner’s paradise! The best thing about Disney dining isn’t unprejudiced the food however; it’s also an experience, with each and every restaurant having its own theme. You’ll find everything from a Sci -Fi diner that’s a blast from the past to a hip and trendy spot serving New Africa cuisine. Disney has so much to offer in the plot of dining experiences that it would take you almost a year to eat at every possible location!
After a lot of plan I’ve put together my picks (and I am an expert as a Itinerary Planner for WDW this is my job!) for the best places to eat and experience at Disney, many of these restaurants are not located inside a theme park and therefore do not require admission but they all require a priority seating arrangement which can be made by calling (407)-WDW-DINE. So let’s obtain started….
# 1 My favorite is The Whispering Canyon Cafe located inside the Wilderness Lodge Resort.
In this rowdy, family-style restaurant right out of the Old West, you can open your morning off with a bang-up breakfast of such favorites as buttermilk pancakes or good old-fashioned food with fixin’s to satisfy any cowboy or cowgirl in the family.
Later in the day, bring your posse by for lunch or dinner when they’re serving up burgers, meatloaf, roast chicken or they’re famous Canyon Skillet which includes pulled pork and ribs, chicken,baked beans, corn bread, mashed potatoes and of course corn on the cob! The café also serves a vegetarian enchilada, too! There’s plenty to go around and something for everyone!
But it can get loud and rowdy here but the happenings and going-ons are all part of the experience and the magic! Jump on a hobby horse or join the story-telling, games and sing-alongs in this raucous, meal-time rodeo. Beware though; the servers are full of pranks and practical jokes. Ask for ketchup and you might earn more than you bargained for! Laughs are legendary here, so occupy a load off and get ready for fun.
# 2 A truly magical dining experience can be found at Cinderella’s Royal Table located inside the Magic Kingdom.
You’ll get the royal treatment here at this private location that’s tucked away inside Cinderella Castle. The dining hall is bulky of bright fairytale details like high archways, leaded windows, grand light fixtures, coats of arms and medieval flags.
All meals end happily ever after here; with scenic views of Fantasyland, Lords and Ladies alike will sit wide -eyed at the all-you-care-to-eat breakfast and prix fixe lunch and Signature Dining dinner as they hobnob with Disney royalty.
At the Once Upon a Time Breakfast you’ll join Cinderella and her Royal Friends for the most important meal of the day at this all-you-care-to-eat feast.
For the Fairytale Lunch you’ll rub elbows with Disney’s royal elite – of course I’m talking about the Princesses!
After dark you can dine amid Gothic splendor while Guests’ celebrate special occasions at the Dreams Come Fair Dinner. Whichincludes one complimentary professional Imaging Package per group of 4 paying Guests, 2 packages for groups of 5 to 8 Guests, and 3 packages for groups of 9 to 12 Guests?
You don’t need to be a kid to enjoy this one of a kind restaurant but you do need to follow this important advice: This is the hottest spot on Disney property and seating is limited. The spot books 90 days in advance sells out within 10 minutes each day. So if you are interested in a priority seating here you need to be on the phone calling WDW-DINE no later then 7:50am EST as phone calls are taken starting at 8:00am.
If you’re looking for the perfect location for a romantic proposal or to celebrate some other special event. Magical Proposal Packages include an all inclusive dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table featuring a specially created Chocolate Slipper Dessert, an engraved Glass Slipper in which the ring is presented, champagne flutes and more. You can call (407) 824-4477 or email wdw.crt.special.events@disney.com for pricing, details and proposal arrangements. This magical moment does require at least 7 days notice.
# 3 1900 Park Fare located in Disney’s Sizable Floridian Resort & Spa offers breakfast and dinner buffets with American-style cuisine and menu selections that change frequently. Both buffets are hosted by popular Disney Characters who are always delighted to pose for photos or sign an autograph. Inside the large dining room, the décor is drawn from whimsical Victorian seaside resorts. The main feature of the room is a fancifully designed fairground organ fondly referred to as Big Bertha, who provides musical accompaniment to meals with her multitude of instruments that include pipes, drums, a xylophone and castanets.
This beautiful restaurant is home to the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast where you’ll dine in Turn of the Century flare. Mary Poppins, Alice, The Mad Hatter and other Wonderland friends join in on the festivities! This all – you-can-eat buffet offers favorites like Mickey -Shaped waffles in addition to their distinguished omelet station where you can build your own concoctions.
Lunch is not served at this location but Alice and her friends return in the afternoon for the Wonderland Tea Party. Children ages 4-12 join Alice for an hour of story-telling, games, sing-a-longs and cupcakes! And let’s not forget tea to sip on (which tastes like fruit juice. How curious.) Pint-sized party goers “finger paint” designs and add decorations to the tops of their cupcakes and then, the best part, they eat the cakes! How sweet is that?
In the evening this enchanting restaurant is home to Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner. Join Cinderella, Prince Charming and other Storybook Characters for a bountiful buffet fit for a princess! Entrees and other offering are subject to change without notice but may include such delectibles as Salmon or carved Beef. It’s the perfect ending to a magical day!
# 4 The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios isopen for lunch and dinner and serves contemporary American cuisine along with seasonal specialties that include seafood, steak and poultry selections.
The fact that the upscale atmosphere brings you back to the Golden Age of Hollywood is no coincidence. That’s because this restaurant is an authentic replica of the famous Brown Derby, a longstanding Hollywood landmark and haunt for Tinseltown’s biggest and brightest personalities.
“Meet me at The Derby!” could often be heard crossing the lips of celebrities. Now you can say it, too, and join the glamorous company.
The Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant redefines the concept of dining with the stars. The warm wood-paneled walls of this gourmet restaurant are adorned with caricatures of famous faces. The tradition of capturing the likenesses of luminaries began in the unusual Brown Derby restaurant.
Other legacies carried over to this location can be found on the menu with the signature dishes. The famous Brown Derby Cobb salad follows the recipe created by Bob Cobb, the owner of the historic California Brown Derby. Another Brown Derby new is the light grapefruit cake with cream cheese icing.
For an enhanced dining experience, request wine pairings with your meal of course for Guests 21 or older. The extensive wine list also offers bottle or wines by the glass. Classic cocktails are poured table side here as well.
When making reservations make sure to ask about the Fantasmic! Dinner Package to receive priority seating during this spectacular nighttime show. Study up-close the courageous struggle of Mickey, as he faces Disney villains in this lavish spectacle sure to thrill the whole family.
My # 5 choice is the Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort,a dinner restaurant boasting high-grade steaks, succulent seafood, free-range chicken and juicy lamb dishes. The menu is rounded out with innovative children’s choices for a satisfying family dining experience.
A New England theme is the backdrop for this classic steakhouse where you can discover seasonal flavors every time you dine! Serving the best in quality, aged, grain-fed beef from the launch kitchen that features a butchering room where the steaks are hand-cut, the chef has paired unique accompaniments with each entrée, as well as a wide selection of wines from both new- and old-world regions on the award-winning list.
And since this is Disney the children’s menu sports finger-licking grilled chicken strips, baked fish, pasta and even a kid sized grilled sirloin steak.
Let the handsome dessert tray tempt you with crème brulee with rolled chocolate and original berries or seasonally inspired desserts.
Watch chefs prepare your meal in the open kitchen as you relax in leather seats amongst gleaming brass and polished woodwork beneath knotty-pine beams. This restaurant is a top-deck experience for the entire family!
# 6 The Rainforest Cafe’ which is located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
This accepted themed brings adventure to your table serving up outstanding American cuisine that includes luscious salads, pasta, sandwiches, seafood, burgers and poultry dishes, as well as a variety of vegetarian selections. While you dine animated animals recite facts about the rainforest as the sky claps with the articulate of simulated thunder and sudden rainstorms. (Don’t worry—you won’t accumulate wet!) Lush vegetation, banyan trees, waterfalls, trumpeting elephants and chest-pounding gorillas round out the rich jungle ambiance. You actually get the feeling of dining in the middle of the rainforest!
Top off your dining safari with a signature desert such as the Journey’s Waste Sparkling Volcano, a chocolate brownie tower topped with ice cream, whipped cream and caramel and chocolate sauces—it’s erupting with sweet goodness! And don’t forget to visit the large themed gift shop where you’re sure to gather a fun souvenir for yourself or a friend.
Tip: This is one of two locations at Walt Disney World; the other is located in the Downtown Disney area.
# 7 The 50’s Prime Time Café serves classic American comfort food in a totally retro TV-themed setting. The restaurant sits across from Echo Lake in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Be welcomed into Mom’s family and feel at home in her kitchenette. But Mom expects you to mind your manners, so don’t be surprised if she tells you to retain your elbows off the table and to eat your vegetables! It’s all part of the customary fun and gentle ribbing that’s served up along with the food.
The Prime Time Café menu includes family favorites like golden fried chicken, traditional meatloaf and pot roast, cooked the contrivance Mom used to make it—that is, if Mom were a 1950s sitcom star.
For a special treat grab a “TV Table” that seats up to 4 and has a television next to the table that broadcasts clips from popular prime time sitcoms circa 1955 including “Father Knows Best” and the unusual “Mickey Mouse Club.”
Bop in for lunch or dinner. Cocktails, wines by the glass and frosty beers are available from Mom for Guests 21 and older, or relax in the Tune-In Lounge full-service bar and sip Dad’s Electric Lemonade or Grandma’s Picnic Punch.
From the mid-50s knick-knacks and memorabilia that decorate this restaurant to the dessert menu displayed through viewfinder toys, nostalgia is the main ingredient. This is a one of a kind experience that only Disney could serve up!
# 8 Chef Mickey’s at The Contemporary Resort is a buffet restaurant serving breakfast and dinner flavors—and your approved Disney Characters!
The entire family will chow down in smiles while the likes of Mickey, Goofy and any assortment of pals roam the restaurant signing autographs, posing for pictures and causing mischief! Chef Goofy even performs his famous “Napkin Dance”. Toothsome seasonal specialties make for a spectacular spread in this bright, happy set located beneath the quiet whisks of the monorail.
Breakfast includes a premium fruit bar, cereal selections, American classics like pancakes (with fun toppings!), Mickey Mouse waffles, eggs, omelette’s and pastries.
Dinner is a scrumptious affair with roasted chicken, carved beef, savory sides and kids’ favorites (like Mickey’Roni ‘n’ Cheese). Gain your meal end sweetly ever after at the sundae bar. Or decorate your own cookie. Dining here reveals true Character! You never know who’ll show up!
# 9 The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater located inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a Exasperated Scientists Delight! So if you’re feeling a little mad during your visit, try a Cosmic Concoction, such as a thick shake mixed with either Baileys Irish Cream or peppermint schnapps. Then end your meal on a sweet note with a gooey dessert like a hot fudge sundae, a warm apple and pecan crisp, or a chocolate tart.
Fabulous B-Movie
Like a night at the old drive-ins, servers at the bring food to vintage ’50s “convertible” tables as you watch sci-fi and monster flicks from the 50’s and 60’s on the big screen.
You’ll under a nighttime sky filled with twinkling stars on yummy American cuisine for lunch and dinner that includes burgers, sandwiches, ribs, seafood, pasta, steak and salads, while glow-in-the-dark ice cubes swirl in drinks. It’s all share of the otherworldly ambiance that’s hard to beat.
# 10 Ohana’s restaurant in The Polynesian Resort offers a dinner menu with selections influenced by Polynesian cuisine and a Character Dining breakfast. Both meals are served up family style, which makes sense since in the Hawaiian culture ‘ohana means family.
The Ohana servers contribute to the festive atmosphere, as they lag between tikis and tropical greenery to bring plates of Polynesian specialties to your table. Resolve from skewers roasted over an expansive 18-foot oak fire pit, such as:
• Asian Barbecued Pork Loin Skewers
• Oak Grilled Turkey Skewers
• Marinated Sirloin Steak Skewer
• Marinated Shrimp
Side dishes include stir-fried vegetables, fried dumplings, lo mein noodles and a salad starter. The corpulent bar offers select wines and fruity tropical drinks that will have you convinced you’re on a Hawaiian vacation.
When the doors open for dinner, you’ll be welcomed with the bellow of conch shells. Experience storytellers and coconut races, where children sweep coconuts with brooms across the hardwood floor down the center of the restaurant. The family fun continues as everyone is encouraged to play with hula hoops and dance to island music.
And let’s not forget the Character Dining experience you’ll find here: The Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo & Stitch
Start the day with Experiment 626, or as he’s known to his friends, Stitch! Lilo’s here, too, to extend her Polynesian hospitality to you and your family. Join them for an American breakfast influenced by the exotic tastes of Polynesia, like Hawaiian pork sausages and Island-style potatoes, and feel like you’re a part of their intergalactic ‘ohana.
This restaurant is a ton of fun for the whole family. You’ll not only leave full but with a smile on your face.