Best Disney Restaurants
 

Will be going to Disneyworld on January 7th with 5 other adults. May I have some suggestions/experiences of the best restaurants to go to? (And what to avoid, if any?)

Dona, we used the Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld by Sehlinger on all three of our trips and were very successful in following those recommendations. Check it out. Our best meals were at Akershus <BR>(at the Norway building in Epcot)(we ate there 3 times!) and at the California Grill at the Contemporary (you can see the fireworks at Magic Kingdom from there)( Our kids spent a great 3 hours at the Neverland Club at the Polynesian while my husband and I enjoyed one quiet meal :) ). We found the food average and high priced at the Moroccan restaurant though the belly dancer was fun. Though we found the food nothing special,our whole family enjoyed the atmoshere at the Sci-Fi Dine-In and the Prime Time Cafe at MGM. Most everything we ate at Magic Kingdom was aweful. Maybe someone who has been there recently can tell you about someplace worthwhile there. Have fun!

The restaurants in the parks themselves are not the greatest. The hotels have some of the best restaurants and several are of world class quality. These are serious restaurants with sophisticated food, good wine lists and very good service. <BR>My faves are: California Grill, because I love innovative cuisine and the ability to have wines by the glass I could not afford otherwise. View from top of the Contemporary adds to the whole event. <BR>2. Flying Fish Cafe: Nouvelle seafood. Disney has outdone itself at this Boardwalk restaurant where "cutting-edge cuisine"is served. <BR>3.Portobello Yacht Club: Downtown Disney <BR>good italian food and superb Italian wines. Brunello by the glass. <BR>If you are truly a foodie: Victoria and Albert at the Grand Floridian but it is so expensive...and you need to reserve about now. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Best restaurant I went to was the Flying Fish Cafe. Beautiful interior, great food, graciously served. <BR>Next door, sharing the same kitchen I think is Le Bistro, and their food is more eclectic, and excellent as well. <BR> <BR>Both are Very un-Disney, not jammed with people (and noisy like some of the massive restaurants). <BR> <BR>Also enjoyed Tapanyaki at Japan in Epcot-good food, but more of a disney feel.

In the mornings I love to hit the Boardwalk Bakery for YUMMY apple turnovers or brownies -- sit on the boardwalk and have breakfast - nothing better. There's also the bakery on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom which has fabulous cinnamin rolls. I, too, like the Japanese restuarant in Epcot - my favorite is Tempura Udon. Wolfgang Puck's isn't Disney owned and is a chain of sorts but we always have great food there (downtown Disney). If you like ice cream - there's a place called Beaches & Cream at the Yacht Club which has great big sundaes - great for sharing -- their food is just greasy burgers and fries, but that's sometimes a welcome change. <BR> <BR>As adults, you must be sure to hit Jelly Rolls - a dueling piano bar on the Boardwalk. Also - the Adventurers' Club at Pleasure Island is fun. <BR> <BR>If you are really into the Disney way, do a character meal. I've done Chef Mickey's dinner and it was good food and you can get your picture taken with characters without fighting kids in line to do so! <BR> <BR>Oh, I've also ate at Spoodles on the Boardwalk which was good as well. <BR> <BR>

Hi! Just got back from a fabulous trip to Disney this afternoon. I'll post a report later because we had such a great time. Anyway, two of our best meals on this trip were at House of Blues at Disney's West Side (not Disney owned and operated) and Spoodles on the Boardwalk. As Julie said, Chef Mickey's is good for a character meal, as is Crystal Palace with Pooh and friends. Ok, I'm already having Disney withdrawal. Time to start planning the next trip.

we stayed at The Grand Floridian both times we went to disneyworld. Kids liked eating at the restaurant at the hotel for the club sandwiches which really were good and my son loved their cheese pizza which was better than the theme parks! The Brown Derby at MGM wasn't all that great as was the diner at MGM. Rainforest Cafe at both locations was decent--nothing at Epcot was good (Mexican and American was all we tried). Have fun (take peanut butter and loaf of bread!!!)

I have to disagree with the above comment that nothing at Epcot is good. While Disney is not known for it's food, it is possible to get very good meals there. Personally, we also enjoy eating at Akershus at Norway, and Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco pavilion and have had good experiences at both. Chefs de France is excellent, but very pricey.

Hi - <BR> <BR>If you like crab, do Fulton's Fish in Downtown Disney. <BR> <BR>The biggest and most flavorful crab claws I ever had. It was a bit expensive but it's the type of thing that's fun to do once in a while for the very reason that you don't do often. Service was excellent. Our waiter was ready to run down the street to the next restaurant to get me some Tiramisu until I stopped him mid-stride. I was so full I really didn't need it! <BR> <BR>Also, the Beaches & Cream is great for ice cream. <BR> <BR>Rainforest is O.K. but it depends. I have 2 not far from my home and we've been to both, ordered the same thing and gotten very different results. Here near my house, the bruschetta and chicken ceasar salad are very good. <BR> <BR>:-)

Hi Dona: One of our best ever family vacations was at Disney World. We had a great time at the Hoop de do Revue, it was a whole event in itself. We also did the buffet Mickey Dinner at the Grand Floridian. This was good because we could have Adult food and still let our youngest son have the character dinner that he loved (our best Mickey pictures came from that dinner) The food was pretty good and the cost was not as bad as most disney meals! We ate very little at the parks as I brought snacks in my knapsacks. The food we did eat in the parks went from bad to awful! Karen

Dear Dona <BR>We went to Disney world Twice. As adults our favorite places were Coral Reefs, on our second trip we took my mother and ate very well at California Grill, Portobello's and Chef de France. For the kids they enjoyed Eating at King Stephen Hall in the castle, and the ESPN Club Hope this helps <BR>Ronnie

Check out Deb Wills Unofficial WDW Guide at www.wdwig.com, she posts menus of the different restaurants & comments from folks who have eaten there. Our last trip we ate at Planet Hollywood at Downtown disney & Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom just for the atmosphere / experience, & had fun. With a group of adults don't miss going to Pleasure Island one evening, & be sure to go to the Adventurer's Club. No food there, just drinks, but the shows are great fun! Sci-Fi Dine-In at MGM is great atmosphere, but prices are high for average food. I do enjoy the food at the Japanese pavilion at Epcot. Have fun!

We were recently disappointed with our meals at California Grill. IMO not as good as it was a few years ago. <BR> <BR>As for fast food at the parks, I highly recommend Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom - lots of choice and not all fried, athough the fried chicken sandwich was really good. Rotisserie chicken, soups, salads, sandwiches. Lots of fresh choices. <BR> <BR>Also, Pure and Simple in the Wonders of LIfe building - hardly ever anyone there, but the food is fresh and refreshingly healthy. Great Tuna and turkey subs, excellent frozen yogurt with or without fresh fruit or strawberries. Not busy or crowded even smack in the middle of the lunch hours.

Dona, <BR> We found the Rainforest Cafe at downtown disney really good. A great atmosphere and good food as well. As far as the parks are concerned, food is not out of this world, but also it isn't as bad as many people make out. We found that if we have a big breakfast, we can hold out untill about 2.00 to 2.30 untill we need a snack. This means your not in the food outlets when everyone else is. Then you can book a meal a bit later in one of the restaurants, when again it will be queiter as a lot of others will have already eaten. Whilst other people eat at the same time, fet in the Q's for the popular rides. It will save you no end of hassle. <BR>

We've just returned from Disneyworld and would recommend Teppanyaki in Japan at Epcot. Your chef prepares your meal on the grill in front of you. The restaurant itself is quiet and dim, with wonderfully attentive service. You really feel as if you have stepped out of Disneyworld for a while. <BR>