As you plan a trip to Walt Disney World, there are a lot of excellent restaurants throughout the four Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, and Disney Springs. Although it might be tempting to visit all of them, transportation around Walt Disney World takes time. Because of this, we highly recommend dining where you are.
This means that if you are visiting one of the Disney Parks, eat either in that Park or near that Park. When staying at a specific Resort, consider eating at that Disney Resort. Doing this will save you travel time, allowing you more time to enjoy the magic in the Disney Parks.
We want to share some of our top places to eat when visiting Disney Parks. Often these might be right in the Parks themselves, but other times we like to visit nearby Disney Resorts for a meal.
Each of the four Disney Parks has a handful of excellent quick service and table service options for Guests to choose from during meal time. Depending on if you want something fast or want time to sit and relax during your meal can help you narrow down some of your top options in the Disney Parks.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some of the best dining options of any Disney Park. For quick service, check out either Sat’uli Canteen or Flame Tree Barbecue. Both of these quick-service locations offer fresh, delicious entrees.
Flame Tree Barbecue has great platters of meat that are perfect for sharing between a few people. Over at Sat’uli Canteen, Guests can enjoy a cheeseburger pod or a protein bowl. Both are full of flavor and delicious.
Guests can find a signature dining experience at Tiffins when looking for a sit-down meal. Here they offer fine dining focused on a variety of unique flavors. Guests can also enjoy a fun character meal at Tusker House. This is a good option when you have both adventurous and picky eaters, as the buffet provides opportunities for everyone.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This Disney Park can be tricky when it comes to dining. We prefer the table service options at Disney’s Hollywood Studios over the quick service options. Sci-Fi Dine-in, 50s Prime Time, Hollywood Brown Derby, Ma’ma Melrose, and Hollywood and Vine are all decent sit-down options.
Each location provides a decent menu, good service, and a friendly, fun atmosphere for a meal. When looking for a quick-service place, we tend to hit the skyliner for dinner at Disney’s Riviera’s Primo Piatto. Not only is it fun to ride the skyliner, but we like the air conditioning and menu here compared to Woody’s Lunch Box and the options on Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
EPCOT
There are numerous options when it comes to good food at EPCOT. We would recommend a variety of table-service options throughout the Park. We love the fun character meal at Garden Grill in The Land Pavilion. Here Guests meet Chip n’ Dale, Farmer Mickey, and other friends during a family-style dinner. This is a great menu and is a lot of fun for the whole family.
For those looking for a more fine-dining experience, EPCOT has a handful of great options. Le Cellier, Chef de France, Rose and Crown, and many others provide an excellent menu selection and a high-end dining experience that many are surprised to find in a Disney Park.
We enjoy having quick bites in different countries when visiting EPCOT and looking for a quick meal. During festivals, we can enjoy a variety of small plates from the other kitchens. This is a fantastic way to sample a lot of extra food.
We also enjoy a quick meal at Regal Eagle Smokehouse in the American Pavilion. This has been a great addition to EPCOT.
Magic Kingdom
The iconic Magic Kingdom is Disney Park, and we need help with dining. There are numerous quick service options here, but most typically serve Theme Park food such as burgers and chicken nuggets.
Casey’s Corner is a top choice for our family because we enjoy the corn dog nuggets and Disney fries. If you don’t eat hot dogs, this isn’t an option for your family. Columbia Harbour House is our other top quick service location within Magic Kingdom. Here we enjoy the platter with fish, shrimp, and chicken nuggets.
For table service dining, we will have to suggest leaving Magic Kingdom. Head to one of the three monorail Resorts for a nice sit-down meal. We enjoy Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Grand Floridan Cafe at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Guests can also find signature dining experiences at these nearby Resorts. California Grill, Narcoossee’s, and Citricos provide excellent, high-end dining experiences. Guests can enjoy a relaxing meal at these three locations before heading out to enjoy the fireworks from a more relaxed area.
The Monorail Resorts also offer excellent quick service options if you don’t want a full sit-down meal. Contempo Cafe, Capt’n Cooks, and Gasparilla Grill all have excellent menus that provide great opportunities throughout the day for Guests. Use mobile ordering to ensure a quick pick-up experience when you arrive at the Resort.
When visiting Walt Disney World, make sure to take advantage of the dining locations that are nearby. This can save you much travel time throughout your vacation and allow you more magical experiences within the Disney Parks. There are many dining options throughout Walt Disney World, but make sure they work for you and your travel goals.
Related: 10 Quick Tips for Dining at Disney
