Best Disney World Restaurants

[Adrenaline]

for the character meals we had to make the reservations 6 months in advance or risk not being able to reserve.

We went in September 2010 and did not have to reserve anything more than a month out.

The 1950's eat in diner with the tv sets at every table has awesome food. I will have to find out later which park it is in though. I believe it is in Hollywood Studios.

Magic Kingdom has some great food areas as well. The Winnie the Pooh and Friends dinner one was fantastic for a buffet.

The spinning eatery in Epcot was great as well.

 

[Craig234]

If you must eat at HS Moma Rosa is the only place that is edible.

Brown Derby isn't 'edible'? Hardly.

I don't remember how good Moma Rosa is - reviews are mixed, terrible to very good.

 

[TXHokie]

We are on the meal plan. So what i should have said is that we are not doing any places where dinner counts as 2 "sit down dinner meals".

The place on the top of the contemporary is one such example. Also, Canada(steak house) at Epcot is another example.

Why save? If I want a good meal it won't be at Disney. Simple fact is that food prices there are higher than reasonable. I can walk down the street from my house (1/4 mile) and eat at one of the best restaurants in the state of CT. I've eaten there once because as good as a $20 hamburger is, it is still a $20 hamburger. Point is, if I spend an extra $20 at Disney it will be on something that I can't buy/do elsewhere.

This was our same reasoning when we went this past Xmas. Having kids about the same age, we booked the restaurants based on the characters mainly for the kids and convenience. They get to relax and the characters comes to the table to take pictures and give autographs vs us waiting in yet another line. It's all about the Disney atmosphere, definitely not there for the food. We went to a couple of the ones were on your list:

Magic Kingdom:
Crystal Palace
Pooh/Tigger and pals - food was the best of all the restaurants we booked

Epcot:
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Various princess characters (Ariel was hot)


Grand Floridian Resort (hotel on monorail):
Cinderella - the stepmother played her part really well - buffet was ok

By the way if you get the meal plan, we didn't know this until half way thru our stay but you can buy the adult meal using the non-reserved meal ticket credit. There's no distinction whether you use the same credit to buy adult meal or kid's meal (except you get half the amount of food buying kid's meal). One adult meal would feed more than two kids, they do give you a lot.

Have fun. It was my first time there and I was pleasantly surprised expecting it was just for kids. It was nice to shut out the real world for a couple days.

 

[de8212]

.............
By the way if you get the meal plan, we didn't know this until half way thru our stay but you can buy the adult meal using the non-reserved meal ticket credit. There's no distinction whether you use the same credit to buy adult meal or kid's meal (except you get half the amount of food buying kid's meal). One adult meal would feed more than two kids, they do give you a lot.

........

We also have singed up for the Dining plan. Can you tell me what the non-reserved meal ticket credit means? Maybe I know but I don't really follow your statement.

Thanks.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

What is the non-reserved meal ticket credit?

 

[Golgatha]

Going to Disney World this Sunday. Can't wait!

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

you can't even get in and out of the attractions in 25 mins.


I live within 2 hours and go all to the time...it's only worth it to go off property if you really don't plan on coming back that day. We usually eat dinner off property.

I worked for and at Disney for 7 years so I know my way around it fairly well too. With the exception of The Ravenous Pig, most of the off-property places I listed are very close by, like Bahama Breeze, which is just off of 535 and I-4. If they are already in the same park where their resturant of choice is located for that day it's a no-brainer. If, like many who stay on-property, they are back at their hotel resting before dinner, it can actually be faster to go to an off-property restaurant then to hop on a Disney bus or Monorail and then trudge through a park to a dining location.

Why go off-property? It's because they'll get a better bang for their buck and better food. Except for the higher end places most of the food at Disney is mediocre at best.

 

[TXHokie]

What is the non-reserved meal ticket credit?

Ha..my bad. I made up that term because it's not credit used for a "reserved sit down dinner" and it's not snack. It's the credit you use to buy the fast food lunch.

 

[Kreon]

I heartily second your 50's Prime Time Diner. One of my favorite places to eat at Disney.

I also suggest the Marrakesh (sp?) at Morroco.

Also in EPCOT, check out the spinning restaurant at The Land.

Tusker House in Animal Kingdon is also good.

Also, pass one the Dining Plan (if it isn't to late). It is not worth it unless you use every meal voucher and thing that comes with it. It was so much nicer to eat where we wanted, what we wanted, when we wanted. We didn't feel rushed to eat a certain kind of meal at a certain time, or anything like that. In addition, I saw a lot of people with some pretty upset kids, since the kids items seem to be basically hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken tenders.

Jealous you're going to Disney World though. Hoping the gf and I can go back next year.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Kids can survive on Chicken Tenders. My son is picky. We usually just make sure any place we eat has them ;-)

We are planning on the park hopper. So we'll already be at the park (except for the hotel dining experiences) that we have reservations for. Done this in the past and it works out well.

Park hopper is worth it in my opinion. Last time we did that, it really felt like 2 dat at the park each day psycologially speaking. 5 hours at one park followed by a break during peak heat (nap time) and then 5 hours at night is awesome.

 

[quikah]

Also, pass one the Dining Plan (if it isn't to late). It is not worth it unless you use every meal voucher and thing that comes with it. It was so much nicer to eat where we wanted, what we wanted, when we wanted. We didn't feel rushed to eat a certain kind of meal at a certain time, or anything like that. In addition, I saw a lot of people with some pretty upset kids, since the kids items seem to be basically hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken tenders.

It is definitely not for some people. The dining plan does take some effort to make worthwhile. If you are fine with planning I think it is definitely worthwhile. I think the kids meals are kind of a problem in general at DW, they seem to be getting better, they are introducing some new options at Magic Kingdom this year.

 

[Phynaz]

Brown Derby isn't 'edible'? Hardly.

I don't remember how good Moma Rosa is - reviews are mixed, terrible to very good.

You're right, but I don't go the the Derby. On the DDP it's a "2", and no way worth it.

If I'm going to to drop two meal points I'm going to Le Cellier, Jiko or California Grill.

I always stayed away from Mama Rosa's because of the bad reviews. Last trip we were hungry while we were in DS and took a chance. Food was not bad at all, although the have a limited menu. Service was excellent, much better than I had gotten at the Beach Club just the night before.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Ha..my bad. I made up that term because it's not credit used for a "reserved sit down dinner" and it's not snack. It's the credit you use to buy the fast food lunch.

Oh, you mean a quick service meal?

 

[dud]

"Best restaurants" and "Disney World" is an oxymoron. Save your money ...