The NYC Magic Traveler: Disney World Dining Tips
- Nov 9
- 7 min read
DISNEY DINING TIPS
TOP 10 FACTS TO KNOW
Eating at Disney World is just as much fun as going on the attractions! There's counter (quick) service, casual dining, fine/signature dining, and even a few rooftop experiences. You can eat your way around the world at Epcot, and sit courtside at certain nighttime spectaculars and enjoy dessert with your fireworks (subject to weather, health and safety concerns) or pose with Disney characters. You can have a scrumptious breakfast in a castle or a cosy romantic dinner built into the under side of a French Canadian landmark. Whatever you have a taste for, the Walt Disney World Resort has it.
But, dining at Disney can be a bit confusing: reservations, apps, eating at a resort when you're not staying there, do you have to have a park ticket? Here are a few Disney World dining tips for your trip:
Check the Disney website for official information.
1. Fine dining is very popular at Disney World. To be cautious, Disney says that reservations are recommended but, honestly they seem to be required: it can extremely difficult to walk in, especially during peak times for Disney such as holidays, spring break or weekends.
Sometimes, you can join the standby virtual waiting list by using the My Disney Experience app. Take our advice, make reservations. You can make dining reservations well in advance. Fine dining is not reserved for the parks, check the resorts. See tip 7.
If the restaurant is in one of the theme parks, you will need a ticket for that park and you might need a reservation for the park when you make the reservation (or not...procedures keep changing). To make dining reservations, download the My Disney Experience App or make them on the Disney World website. TIP: Use the filters to narrow down your location.
Fine dining includes character dining. That dining is usually buffet style. The characters come to each table for photos. If you don't want them to come by, you can tell one of the servers or when they come, just wave and say hi. They'll move on. Look at Tip 4 for more information.
Each pavilion in Epcot has its own special fine dining that is specific to the country. Even during the festivals,
2. You can order your fast food for pick-up on the app for many quick serve places in the parks. Not only can you order what and where, but you can pick a time and actually tell them when to start preparing your order. It's not all about burgers and fries for the Disney Parks either, there is a lot of variety of food you can order on the app. Try Pecos Bill Tall Inn and Cafe for nacho bowl or a southwest Caesar salad in Magic Kingdom or the Lotus Blossom Cafe in Epcot's China pavilion. In fact, each pavilion in Epcot has a quick service kiosk or cart specific to the country. Over in Disney's Animal Kingdom, there are even more options featuring barbecue, Asian and African specialties. But the most unique experience has to be in the The World of Avatar/Pandora area, with Satui'li Canteen and it's creative combinations (some may be spicy).
3. When ordering a mobile pick-up, scroll down through the menu for special needs such as gluten free, plant-based and more. The filters will separate these foods to make it easier to choose. You will be surprised what may be what you need automatically without customizing the order. Disney Dining Tip: Usually, you can't pre-order the snacks from the carts.
4. Definitely check out the character dining, a dining experience when Disney characters come out to greet you while you eat. These spots will almost always need a reservation. Many times, these locations are buffet. They have special areas for children, with the foods that kids like and lower serving areas for children to serve themselves (with supervision, of course). Each theme park has one: The Crystal Palace and Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom); Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Norway, Epcot); Tusker House (Animal Kingdom); Hollywood & Vine (Hollywood Studios). All locations and offerings are subject to availability, current safety concerns and schedule changes.
Which character dining is the best? It depends on your taste but the Tusker House in Disney's Animal Kingdom has different food than the typical menus: African, Asian and Indian based foods highlight that menu, with American food available for kids or those who want less exotic fare. It's really special.
Before you book character dining, be sure to look at the menu on Disney's app or website.
5. Fun Disney "dining" tip: The popcorn experience is really special! If you buy the bucket, you can get low cost refills for the duration of your stay (meaning the whole trip, at all parks). There have been theme buckets and people have been collecting them for years. Popcorn is usually not part of the snacks category in the Disney Dining Plan (see #9). Also, Disney sends out news about limited availability of seasonal snacks (not just the December holidays, either). These specially decorated treats may be at certain locations only, such as the Main Street Confectionary in Magic Kingdom, places on the Boardwalk or Disney Springs.
There are popcorn buckets that are only sold at special events, such as Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party or Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Magic Kingdom. When the season for the party is over, Magic Kingdom might sell the extra buckets either on its website or even in the park! I bought a specialty popcorn bucket that way once.
6. You have to have a park ticket (and currently, a park reservation) to eat in the restaurants in the parks, even if you do not plan to do any attractions. This includes breakfast that might be scheduled before the park opens, and of course, the famous festivals in Epcot. Some of the character dining buffet experiences offer breakfast. Disney dining tip: Get there early because your breakfast reservation time might coincide with the time when the park opens (aka, the rope drop).
But once you're in the park, and once you have eaten, you might as well enjoy some of the attractions. Since you might not want to ride anything, enjoy the sit down shows: the Country Bears or Mickey's Philharmagic in Magic Kingdom; Indiana Jones Stunt Showm, the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast in Disney's Hollywood Studios; Festival of the Lion King or Finding Nemo the Musical in Disney's Animal Kingdom; or riding the boat through Living With the Land, seeing the Awesome Planet movie, the show in American Adventure in Epcot.
7. You do not have to be a guest to eat (or shop) at the resorts, which also have their famous restaurants. If you are driving into a resort, you must show your restaurant reservation to park at that resort. Otherwise, you can "resort hop" from the parks using the Disney transportation (buses, monorails, ferries or skyliner). Allow enough travel time to get to the restaurant in time. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge's Sanaa is very popular as is Queen Victoria's Room at Victoria's & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Some other popular resorts for dining include Disney's Riviera and Port Orleans. All of the higher end resorts have popular restaurants.
8. Disney Springs, the shopping, dining and entertainment district, is not a park per se. However, it is one of the busiest places to eat and I would recommend reservations highly. In my opinion, they are a must. But if you can't get a dining reservation, check out their food trucks! There are so many restaurants that it is difficult to narrow it down: Italian, seafood, celebrity chefs, pub & tavern and even the House of Blues. Check out The Boathouse, STK Steakhouse and others but Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant will give you dinner and a show.
9. The Disney Dining Plan will take another whole article, but briefly, you can prepay for your meals before you even get to Disney World. You have to be a guest at one of the resorts. There are two basic plans: the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan. Certain meals, beverages and snacks qualify in their respective categories. Gratuities are not included. It's not an unlimited program: you are paying for a certain amount of meals.
10. If you are an annual passholder or Disney Vacation Club member, ask about a discount at the table service locations. Show your ID and info from the My Disney Experience App (to prove that your pass is active). The percentage discounted may vary according to current regulations. Not all of the table service locations offer the discounts. But, there are some locations where it applies not only at the parks and resorts but at Disney Springs, too! Just ask.
All in all, the food is not to be missed at Disney World!!
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