World Showcase Restaurants at Epcot
 

My sister has gotten the idea into her head that there is little point in the World Showcase restaurants for anyone who has access to good ethnic restaurants. I have tried to persuade her that this is rank heresy, but she is not having any. I do think she has some reasonable concerns about expense and a tendency to overeat, as well.

As things stand now, we'll probably make a reservation for dinner (I'm thinking Le Cellier) for us, and let them wander and eat counter service. I'm trying to figure if it will be a problem if I make a reservation for more people than are planning to dine, on the chance that she'll change her mind when she sees the restaurants. I'm also trying to figure how late a reservation I can make without having the non-dining portion of the party standing forlornly outside the gate while we finish our meal (If I knew everyone was eating I'd just take the latest one they had).

How late you can dine depends on what time the park closes. When you call WDW-Dine, they should be able to tell you what time the park closes on that day, and what the last time you should make a reservation and not have the others standing in the parking lot waiting for you. If you call WDW-Dine, and get "cast member"/employee who won't tell you these times, then hang up and call back, keeping your fingers crossed for luck, to get a friendlier one.

As for the World Showcase, they are the first restaurants to fill up with reservations so book asap. Book it for your full party because it is much easier to downsize the reservation than it is to try to get a bigger table at the last moment (actually you probably won't be able to increase the number so just plan that you cannot increase it).

The World Showcase restaurants (and counter service in the World Showcase) are desirable because they have more and better food options than most of the rest of the WDW parks. I personally can eat only so many hamburgers and fries per trip. Also, after walking the parks all day for several days, it's nice to have a sitdown meal with decent food. Will the food be as good as the best ethnic places in your hometown? Of course not... but after several days of burgers and hot dogs, it will seem (and it really is) quite tasty.

Just be aware that the Epcot restaurants, while better than most of the Disney offerings, are still OK - not great - and certainly not a good deal for the money (compared to dining in places other than Orlando).

I've eaten at Le Cellier, and while it's ok, it's just ok for a pretty expensive yet mediocre steak (not bad but certainly not any better than Outback). We paid well over $100 for dinner for two with a glass of wine each, and we had to wait 45 minutes for our priority seating so we missed the fireworks. And this was in the off-season.

If you want to try something unique and more exotic, such as Moroccan, this would be the ideal time. But for just a steak, I think I'm probably more with your sister.

I've eaten at Le Cellier and the Moroccan restaurant and would recommend the Moroccan one over the French any day.

Le Cellier is the steak house in the Canadian area and not a French restaurant. Just fyi. I think the French is Chefs de France?

Next time I'm at Epcot, I plan to eat Moroccan.

Chefs de France (which is the French restaurant) gets kind of so, so reviews, but most people seem to like Le Cellier. I would not get anywhere with Moroccan since there is an excellent Moroccan restaurant down the street from her home. I might get a little farther with the idea that there are no Canadian restaurants in the neighborhood.