Mopnmom

Hi Everyone!
Hubby and I are going to Disney World in Florida the end of March, with no children or grandchildren. Quite a switch for us. Can anyone recommend a nicer sit down restaurant within the park or in one of the Disney resorts for a nice meal? Sure would appreciate any hints!

Ryan

At the Magic Kingdom, your sit down options are limited. Tony's Town Square is usually a decent option. (It was closed recently for refurbishment, not sure when it will reopen.)

The Liberty Tree also is not bad. But, at a certain time of day it becomes a character dining option.

The Crystal Palace is a buffet. It is also character dining.

If you are willing to leave the park for dinner, try Citrico's at The Grand Floridian.

We've also liked The California Grill at the Contemporary, Artist Point at the Wilderness Lodge, and The Kona Cafe at the Polynesian.

If you want to pile lots of food on your plate, Ohana at the Polynesian. Not my style, but it is often crowded.

If you consider dining at the other parks, the World Expo restaurants in Epcot can be good. We've liked Chefs De France and Le Cellier. We also like the Brown Derby in the Disney Movie Park.

For something really different, try Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Randa

Epcot has some good ones. Our favorite is Le Cellier, in Canada. Excellent food that is quite pricey, and therefore a good use of a dining credit. Chefs de France is a good one also. If you like something a little more exotic, Restaurant Marrakesh in Morroco is also good. The Brown Derby in Disney Studios is very good, but you have to use two credits for that. As far as the resorts go, Kona Cafe in the Polynesian is a good one, but always sooo crowded. Boma, at Animal Kingdom Lodge, offers superb food (buffet style) amid amazing themeing ... a truly great dining experience.

klam_chowder

We had an incredible dining experience at the California Grill in the Contemporary Resort. I say dining experience as while the meal itself was excellent, the ambiance, service and watching Wishes from their adjoining Observation Deck after dinner, really made it a perfect evening.

We also ate at Artist Point and it was worse meal we had during our 8 nites at DW. I would not go back even if it was a "1 credit" establishment.

The PPs' other recs that we have tried were good as well.

Enjoy-la!

Orlando_Vic

I'm not really sure if any of these are on the plan, but the best Disney restaurant is probably Victoria & Albert's in Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. This is the opinion of the the Orlando Sentinel's restaurant critic, Scott Joseph in the 2007 Foodie Awards <http://tinyurl.com/ynse4t> for best restaurants in Central Florida.

Artist Point and California Grill are also excellent and I highly recommend them. One word of caution, though. Make your reservations now. They are that popular.

wanderluster

If you haven't already,
go to the site:

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Click on *forums* at the
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for everything and I DO mean
*everything* Disney.

This question will be answered
as well as questions you didn't
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Question for Klam_Chowder:

What exactly does the *la* mean
in *enjoy - la!*

Rich

We also liked the Flying Fish at the Boardwalk. .

krisf

Another vote here for Le Cellier at Epcot. We also last trip very much enjoyed Fulton's Crab House at Downtown Disney - every single member of our 14-person party, kids and adults alike, enjoyed the meal (and not all of us are seafood lovers either!). Also, it is casual, but Mama Melrose at Disney/MGM Studios has been a good Italian meal any time we've been there - decent value too. My parents on their last trip commented on how good the Wolfgang Puck Express was (Downtown Disney); he also has a full-service rest. there.

klam_chowder

wanderluster, it's a regional colloquiolism. I won't say from what region as I keep thinking that someday some one will recognize it and I can connect with my "village people"...LOL!

When I first started posting on Fodors, I had a hard time finding where I'd left off on a thread as the posts are not numbered. So I chose a closing that I could find easily as I scrolled down the page. This was before I read a clever Fodorite tell another poster the "click on your screen name" trick. Anyhow, I just kept it up. And yes, I am easily amused

Enjoy-la!

Debi

My favorite restaurants are the one in the Mexican section of Epcot, and at the Living Seas exhibit in Epcot...

mouseRD

I'll add Jiko's at AKL as being wonderful; incredible food & service. I haven't tried Boma there as we aren't too crazy about buffets. We also loved Artist's Point at the WL, Brown Derby at MGM (or whatever it is called now!), Flying Fish Cafe at the Boardwalk, Le Cellier in Epcot, Blue Zoo at the Dolphin & Kona Cafe (we had lunch there)at the Polynesian. I'd still like to try California Grill (we ate there when it was called Top of the World - a Broadway revue, dinner show) & all of the Grand Floridian restaurants, esp Victoria & Alberts!

butsey

California GRille was a treat I loved it.

Attnymom

We have eaten at many of the mentioned restaurants, but our favorite is Jiko at AKL. It is the only restaurant in Disney where I actually felt like I was eating at a nice, adult restaurant. Our food was delicious, the wine list was great and the atmosphere was wonderful.

travelinwifey

Unfortunately the Victoria and Albert isn't offered in the Disney plan.

We will be celebrating my Dad's 70th birthday at the 9 Dragons at the epcot for good luck, the parents are on the dining plan. We ate there last year for my inlaw's 50th Anniversary, the honey chicken was excellent.

Town Square is good, as mentioned above.

The luau type dinner at the Polynesian is good and very Hawaii-like, but it will take 2 regular meal points for one dining experience there.

Also as mentioned above the Mexican resaurant inside Epcot is pretty good also, I think that would be one dinner point.

Mopnmom

Thanks everyone for your meal suggestions. Gonna be great doing things for ourselves this time.

gohedwig

Just returned from WDW yesterday - just the 2 of us; no kids nor grandchildren. We looked for very different dinner experiences and menus. Stayed away from WDW's highest price restaurants
Dined at 2 buffets: Clambake at Cape May Cafe at Beach Club (clams, mussels, seafood-style) and Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge (great variety, including best vegetarian choices).
50s Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Studios is just a fun place to eat (the food was good also). Tony's on Town Square in the Magic Kingdom (it is open) was good for Italian choices. Went to House of Blues restaurant (Downtown Disney) for Cajun-style options after the Cirque de Soleil show . We made reservations ahead of time for all 5 restaurants and just walked up to be seated. We changed the time of some of our reservations while at WDW. Enjoyed all.
Have fun on your trip
Gohedwig

cd

FYI just read in today's paper that children are no longer permitted to dine at Victoria & Albert's in Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. So for those interested in having dinner with no children around it might be worth the starting tab of $125.00pp (a little too rich for me)

xrae

www.allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm for Disney restaurant menus. I love to browse even when I don't have a trip planned!

stumpworks73

If Portabello's at Pleasure Island is on your list, it's a personal favorite. Another vote for Jiko's. All the food was very fine and the African dishes offer unique variety.

Sorry to hear about a bad experience at Artist's Point. We have had good luck at the Wilderness restaurant.