*Originally posted in Spring 2015 - Stay tuned for an updated post as I experience more at Walt Disney World!
At Walt Disney World, there's always something magical to do! Whether it's hitting up your favorite attraction, taking in a Broadway-style stage show, or indulging in some retail therapy, there's something for everyone to enjoy. But did you know that all of Disney's restaurants and dining options are just as magical? With nearly 300 dining options on property, you're bound to find something unique for your family to enjoy each and every day during your Disney vacation. This post is dedicated to my top 10 favorite casual dining spots around Walt Disney World and all of the magical moments they can offer you and your family, without having to worry about getting fancy. While I haven't been able to experience each and every restaurant or eatery at WDW myself, these are the ones my family and I frequent the most and continue to call our favorites: #1 - Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort Want to have a meal with the big cheese himself? For me, there's no better way to do it than at Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort, right next to the Magic Kingdom. This character dining location serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet-style right in the middle of the famous Contemporary Resort, Walt Disney World's original on-property resort hotel. Perfect for families of all sizes with kids of all ages, you get to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto (characters subject to change!) while enjoying a fabulous spread of your favorite American cuisine, including my favorite Disney breakfast item: MICKEY WAFFLES! It's a great place to fill your tummy before heading out to the Magic Kingdom for the day, or to kick back at the end of a fun-filled day before heading back to your hotel. This is one of the most popular Disney character dining restaurants, so be sure to plan ahead and make your reservation within the applicable 180-day window before you arrive at Walt Disney World (which also applies to many of my other top 10 favorite picks!). #2 - T-REX at the Downtown Disney Marketplace If you're a fan of dinosaurs and intricately-themed, immersive dining experiences, then T-REX at the Downtown Disney Marketplace is the perfect place for your family! Set up like the familiar Rainforest Café, this restaurant offers up American cuisine in a space that takes you back to the Stone Age. You'll see advanced animatronic dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, and undersea creatures, and a meteor shower rains down on the entire restaurant every 30 minutes. There's also a large gift shop at the front entrance that includes a space for amateur archaeologists to search for fossils. This is my family's must-do every time we visit Downtown Disney for the night! Be wary if you're traveling with very young guests or those with sensitive hearing, as the meteor showers can be a bit frightening and loud. #3 - Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios Travel back to the 50's and take in a science fiction flick at the drive-in during a meal at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This uniquely-themed dining location allows you eat your meal in a car under the stars and watch campy science fiction short films featuring aliens, robots, monsters, and more! Also offering traditional American cuisine, Sci-Fi Dine-In is known for its menu of sandwiches, ribs, and gourmet burgers, including their most-requested All-American Picnic Burger. Plus, if you're of legal drinking age and like trying different specialty drinks, this dining location boasts a slew of unique cocktails, including those with glowing ice cubes! #4 - Columbia Harbour House at the Magic Kingdom If your family prefers counter-service eating at the parks over sit-down, table service dining, then be sure to check out my favorite quick-service dining location at the Magic Kingdom: The Columbia Harbour House. Located right across from the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square, this restaurant is known-for their seafood specialties including lobster rolls, fish and chips, and clam chowder, among other options. It's a great place to escape the heat and spend some time indoors people-watching from the bridge that looks over the entrance to Liberty Square from Fantasyland. Plus, it's usually not as crowded as other counter-services locations like Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café in Tomorrowland and Pinocchio's Village Haus in Fantasyland. And the New England seaside theme is quite charming! #5 - Lotus Blossom Café at EPCOT EPCOT's World Showcase undoubtedly offers the most unique and varied dining options at Walt Disney World, and the Lotus Blossom Café in the China pavilion is one of my favorite quick-service spots "around the world." Offering go-to, familiar Chinese dishes and snacks including shrimp fried rice, potstickers, and Orange Chicken (my favorite!), it's a great place to stop for a lunch in the middle of your trip around World Showcase with something for everyone in your party to enjoy. Plus, the outdoor seating serves as a great spot to people-watch and catch some of the China pavilion's street performances while you eat! #6 - Boma-Flavors of Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is world-renowned for it's architecture and sweeping views that make you feel like you've traveled from Florida to Africa in just a quick bus ride. But it also offers up authentic African cuisine in its various dining locations, including at the buffet-style Boma-Flavors of Africa restaurant. You can put your all-you-can-eat meal together from choices of dishes coming from over 50 different African countries that are sure to satisfy every member of your family. And don't worry there's American favorites like mac 'n cheese and mashed potatoes for picky eaters as well. This is a great place to enjoy a meal outside of the hustle and bustle of the parks and experience a different culture. Don't forget to try the zebra dome cakes! #7 - Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at EPCOT If you're a pizza fan, look no further than Via Napoli at ECPOT's Italy pavilion for the best pizza at Walt Disney World! Nestled in the back of the pavilion area, Via Napoli Is a southern-Italian themed restaurant with nearly 30 different kinds and sizes of Neapolitan pizzas that are cooked to perfection in the coolest pizza ovens you've ever seen. Via Napoli also serves up classic, authentic Italian dishes that are not to be missed, as well as specialty cocktails and house-made specialty sangria. This is definitely a good place to stop for a relaxed, table-service meal before taking in EPCOT's nighttime entertainment offerings! #8 - Casey's Corner at the Magic Kingdom A signature icon of Main St. USA at the Magic Kingdom, Casey's Corner serves up specialty hot dogs, nachos, and other ballpark favorites right in front of beautiful Cinderella Castle. This is always a favorite stop of ours for a counter-service meal before Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes fireworks spectacular. The indoor and outdoor seating is almost always taken all day long, so don't be afraid to find a spot to sit on the Main St. curb and eat there - It's a great way to save your spot for the daytime and nighttime parades and eat at the same time! This is definitely a good option for families with young children who may be picky or non-sophisticated eaters. #9 - Flame Tree Barbecue at Disney's Animal Kingdom Located in the Discovery Island section of Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Flame Tree Barbecue counter-service dining location offers up (in my opinion) the best pulled pork barbeque sandwich at Walt Disney World! The covered, outdoor seating areas offer stunning views of the park, including a direct view of the Expedition Everest roller coaster attraction, and is a great option for a hearty lunch to fuel up for the rest of your day at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Other meal choices include barbecue ribs and chicken in their signature Flam Tree BBQ rub. A must-do for barbecue fans! Flame Tree Barbecue is currently undergoing refurbishments at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and is therein closed until early Summer 2015. You can still try some of their signature dishes and snacks at nearby stands though - Just look for the signs on the construction walls! #10 - Whispering Canyon Café at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Another location that's perfect for barbecue fans can be found at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, right off of the central lobby. The Whispering Canyon Café is a table-service restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner featuring classic American cuisine. The Cast Members are known to be sassy and wise-cracking, there's plenty of activities for younger guests to enjoy while your waiting for your table, and the theming and decorations make you feel as you've gone back to the Old West. But be warned, you might get an interesting reaction from your server if you ask for ketchup! To learn more about these dining locations, and all of the others available at Walt Disney World, visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/. And definitely consider making your desired table-service dining reservations as soon as the 180-day window opens up before your trip. Be sure to check back for posts on Disney's Dining Plan options, how to make special dining reservations before you arrive at WDW, the best places to dine with Princesses of all ages, and what to expect when you have a meal with Disney's famous character friends. Until the next post, see ya real soon!
Maggie
7/2/2014 06:13:26 am
No eggrolls?
Haleigh
7/2/2014 01:35:50 pm
Well of course we can't forget the eggrolls, Maggie! My favorite place to get them are in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom at a stand located right next to the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. It's definitely one of my favorite places to get a quick snack! I hope to write a post all about my favorite snacks and treats to get in the parks, so be sure to stay tuned for that. Comments are closed.
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About MeA twenty-something alumni of the Disney College Program looking to help others plan the Disney vacations of their dreams! Living that Disneyland AP dream in SoCal. Archives
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