Disney World in Florida is full of excitement and wonders not just for your eyes but also for your appetite.
The theme park’s world-renowned reputation might just be for the thrill rides and Disney-themed atmosphere. However, the park is full of fabulous restaurants that will make you smile and your mouth water.
When you have your favorite characters as your waiter, it’s hard to focus on the quality of the cuisine. That’s why we’ve taken careful time to rank all the restaurants at Disney World. We analyzed each menu, location, and price to determine where the best places to eat are in this world of magic.
- Which Disney World Park has the Best Restaurants?
- How to Make Disney Dining Reservations
- The Best Places to Eat in the Magic Kingdom
- The Best Places to Eat in Epcot
- The Best Places to Eat in Hollywood Studios
- The Best Places to Eat in Animal Kingdom
- The Best Character Dining at Disney World Resort Hotels
- Conclusion
Which Disney World Park has the Best Restaurants?
It’s difficult to say which Disney World Park has the best restaurant because there are so many quality restaurants in each location. Whether you’re stopping by Epicot to have pasta at Via Napoli or cruising through Hollywood studio to visit the 50’s Cafe, you’re guaranteed to find a tasty treat.
That being said, there is one park that stands out above the rest in terms of dining: The Magic Kingdom. We fell in love with the dining options at Magic Kingdom, but that’s not the only reason we selected it. Magic Kingdom is also great for restaurants due to its accessibility.
Unlike some of the other parks in Disney, which are easy to get lost in, Magic Kingdom has one of the most straightforward layouts. The map is easy to understand, and the restaurants are conveniently located (mostly in Liberty Square), so you’ll have time to browse a few menus before deciding where to sit down.
Beyond the relative ease of finding the restaurants, we also felt that the Magic Kingdom has some of the most varied dining options of all the parks. Whether you’re a picky eater or not, you don’t have to worry about finding something you like in this park.
Finally, we also felt that Magic Kingdom is one of the places to get a Disney-themed meal in Disney World. Most families expect to be waited on by their favorite characters when dining in Disney and Magic Kingdom does not disappoint. You can even have a drink in Gaston’s famous tavern from the movie Beauty and the Beast.
How to Make Disney Dining Reservations
If you find a restaurant on this list that you want to try, you should make a reservation. The parks get crowded quickly, and the most popular restaurants are the first ones to fill up. Fortunately, Disney has a straightforward online reservation system.
The first thing you will want to be sure of is the reservation window. If you book your reservation far in advance, you have a better chance of getting a great table in your favorite restaurant. The earliest you can book a reservation is 60 days in advance.
If that’s not enough time, then you can book a reservation through your hotel. Disney Resort hotels can book reservations 60 days in advance plus the length of your stay at Disney World.
Remember that you’ll need a reservation for park entry and a Disney Park Pass to dine at any restaurant. You’ll also need to make a reservation, including your number of guests to dine at any dine-in-style restaurant in Disney World.
The Best Places to Eat in the Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom is home to more than just the famous castle from the Disney Logo – it’s also got some of the best restaurants in Disney World! Read our top five restaurants in the Magic Kingdom below.
Sleepy Hollow
Named after the famous hometown of the headless horseman, this restaurant exists to “fill the hollow in your belly.” It stands in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom, a fantastic location for taking a break between rides or after a trip to Cinderella’s castle.
More of a place to stop for a bite instead of a sit-down meal, this restaurant has famous American cuisine like funnel cakes and waffle sandwiches. While your kids are enjoying a sweet snack, you can relax with a cup of coffee or tea.
If you’re feeling very experimental, then you can try a specialty ice coffee with either mocha or french vanilla flavoring. This is one of the cheaper stops in the park for food. You can walk away with a snack and a drink for less than $12.
Columbia Harbour House
Also, in Liberty Square, this is a fantastic spot to stop if you want to sample some of Disney’s best seafood. The building is modeled after the famous tiny village houses from your favorite movies, and once you walk inside, you’ll feel like you’re at a Long John Silver’s fast food shop.
As we mentioned, their menu is primarily seafood. However, it’s also fast food, so you won’t have to worry about waiting around for your lobster to boil. Get a quick batch of fried shrimp or fish and some mac and cheese or chicken strips for the young ones.
You can eat at Columbia Harbor House for less than $15 per person.
Gaston’s Tavern
Gaston is one of the most popular villains in Disney films. Famous for his love of Belle in Beauty in the Beast, now you can enjoy a bottle of brew in his very own tavern!
Don’t worry; the drinks are non-alcoholic and possible for the whole family to enjoy! You must try the famous LeFou’s Brew for a bubbly taste to remember. There are also tasty treats to enjoy, like warm cinnamon rolls and the Grey Stuff Cupcake.
If you want to remember your trip to Gaston’s tavern, then buy a LeFou’s Souvenir Stein for just $13. With a drink and a snack, you can eat here for less than $15.
Liberty Tree Tavern
Disney doesn’t always have to be about anthropomorphic cartoons. They also have an extensive appreciation for history. You can dine like the founding fathers of the United States in Liberty Tree Tavern. The New England-inspired design will make you feel like you were living in 1776.
This restaurant is not for a quick bite. Instead, come in and stay awhile for lunch or dinner to experience the wonders of a full-service Disney restaurant. You can enjoy a slow-roasted turkey breast or even one of their vegetarian options, like a plant-based meatloaf.
Instead of ordering per item, there is a fixed rate of $39 per adult and $21 per child.
Cinderella Royal Table
Experience a one-of-a-kind meal inside the famous castle from Cinderella. You’ll feel like a member of fairytale royalty as you dig in beneath stone archways, medieval flags, and decadent chandeliers.
Dining here is an event in and of itself that goes far beyond the menu. You’ll pay a flat rate to enjoy fine dining from Cinderella’s chef. The main course is what everyone is waiting for, and it can range from beef tenderloin to the chef’s fish of the day.
For this kind of luxurious experience, the rate of $66 per adult is worth it.
The Best Places to Eat in Epcot
Epcot stands for the “experimental prototype community of tomorrow” and is full of restaurants ahead of their time. Read our list of the top five restaurants in Epcot below.
Via Napoli
Everybody loves Italian food, and there’s no reason to miss out on it during your trip to Disney World. Enjoy a lovely Naples-inspired meal in this delicious restaurant and pizzeria.
On the menu, you’ll find all your favorite Italian classics, from Pizza to Caprese to a wide selection of pasta. After your meal, you can help digestion with a warm espresso or satisfy your sweet tooth with a delicious tiramisu.
This is a sit-down-style restaurant, and depending on what you order, you can pay as much as $33 per adult.
Garden Grill
Catch the world’s most famous chipmunks at this fun-filled forest food spot. Chip and Dale are the hosts of the Garden Grill in Epcot and preach their environment-friendly philosophy of living with the land.
Once inside, you can enjoy the Chip ‘n’ Dale Harvest Feast, which consists of a garden salad, turkey breast, herb and leek stuffing, and seasonal vegetables. You can sub out the turkey for beef if that fits your fancy. End the meal with a delicious berry shortcake topped with whipped cream.
Adults can enjoy the feast for $55 and children ages 3-9 for $36.
Restaurant Marrakesh
If you want to get exotic with your dinner, then why not try some Moroccan cuisine in the heart of Epcot? Enjoy the luxurious and warm atmosphere with stained-glass chandeliers and gorgeous mosaics.
Located in the heart of Epcot’s Moroccan section, this is a great place to try some roast lamb or a goat cheese appetizer with crispy bread. You might also give the North Atlantic Salmon with hummus a try or the braised beef short ribs in “Meshoui-Style.”
The menus here are mostly the same for lunch and dinner and will cost about $35 to $60 per adult.
Biergarten
Epcot’s German town is a great place to stop for a drink. Walk into the Biergarten restaurant to feel like you’ve been transported to an old-country Bavarian village. The tables inside and outside are made in the traditional style of Germany’s famous Octoberfest!
On the menu, you’ll find a wide selection of German classics like bratwurst and pork schnitzel. The restaurant also has a massive assortment of German beers and wines for guests of drinking age. Don’t forget to try the Bavarian cheesecake!
Eating lunch or dinner here will cost about $35 to $60 per adult.
Coral Reef
Talk about dinner with a view! This restaurant has a massive aquarium built around it that contains a thriving coral reef and over 2,000 stunning sea creatures. You might even see some scuba divers taking care of the tank’s inhabitants.
As the name and atmosphere suggest, seafood is Coral Reef’s specialty. You can try their legendary lobster bisque or have something freshly fished from their seasonal menu. They also have chicken on the menu for those who don’t like the tastes of the ocean.
This is one of the cheaper restaurants to enjoy in Epcot. It will cost between $15 and $35 to eat here.
The Best Places to Eat in Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is a fantastic place to travel back in time to one of America’s golden ages. Enjoy eating in some of the best restaurants Hollywood Studios has to offer with our top-5 list below.
50’s Prime Time Café
Your parents can’t make you turn off the TV for dinner anymore. At the 50’s Prime Time Cafe, you can sit at one of their famous retro TV tables to enjoy a meal and a show. You’ll feel like you stepped into a time machine with the friendly 50’s culture and atmosphere.
Comfort food is on the menu. Give your stomach a smile with some golden brown crispy fried chicken. The malted milkshakes will make the hairs on your arm stand up from their rich goodness.
To have a complete meal in the 50’s Prime Time Cafe, you’ll spend around $35 per adult.
Sci-Fi Dine-In
The drive-in movie was a classic of 1950s America. Families would pull up to a giant screen in their bulky automobiles to eat popcorn and enjoy Hollywood’s newest releases. Now you can do the same in the middle of Disney World!
You can watch scenes from classic sci-fi films while you sit in a diner-booth shaped like classic American automobiles. All while enjoying delicious American food and excellent hamburgers. Also, try the buffalo chicken salad or an oven-roasted turkey sandwich.
It will cost around $35 per adult to eat here.
The Hollywood Brown Derby
The Brown Derby was a famous restaurant in classical-era Hollywood. It served tons of the most recognized celebrities to ever pass through Los Angeles, and now Disney World has created a replica for everyone to enjoy.
They sell American-style fine and signature dining with classics like the Faroe Island Salmon and Cobb Salad. It can cost up to $60 per adult to dine here.
Hollywood & Vine
This is a great place to enjoy a character-dining experience. Your favorite Disney stars will join you for breakfast as you eat, play, and enjoy the scenery. If you want a dinner or lunch experience, then try Minnie’s seasonal dining for a Disney dinner party.
The menu here features a family-style selection that you will pay a flat rate for. You can try a pancake stack for breakfast or beef tenderloin for dinner. It will cost around $60 per adult regardless of the meal you choose.
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano
Another fabulous Italian eatery in Disney world, Mama Melrose’s, brings the flare and tastes of Italy into Hollywood Studios. You’ll get to meet Mama Melrose and enjoy a meal in her home-style kitchen with ingredients and Mama’s mementos decorating the space.
You can try the crispy calamari as an appetizer. Then you should move on to a delicious pasta or a strip steak. Overall, it will cost about $35 per adult to eat here.
The Best Places to Eat in Animal Kingdom
It’s eat or be eaten in the Animal Kingdom. Learn about our five favorite restaurants in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom below.
Flame Tree Barbecue
You can taste some excellent Barbecue on Animal Kingdom’s Discovery Island. You’ll have all the breath-taking natural sights of the animal kingdom as you devour smoked meat and chicken with tasty fixings like baked beans and coleslaw. All for under $15!
Pizzafari
This restaurant is all about beauty and appetite. Enjoy some classic pizzeria-style dishes like salads, desserts, and, of course, pizza! They have several different topping options and intricate paintings and mosaics depicting other safari animals. Enjoy a full meal here for less than $15.
Satu’li Canteen
If you’re a fan of the movie Avatar, then you can’t miss the Satu’li Canteen. This restaurant is in the Pandora – The World of Avatar exhibit and offers what people imagined the aliens from the movie would enjoy for a meal.
The dishes served here are all natural and very healthy. You’ll find whole grains, vitamin-rich vegetables, and lean meats galore. What was once an RDA mess hall is now decorated with the rich culture of the Na’vi people. You can eat here for less than $15.
Yak & Yeti
There are three different types of Yak & Yeti restaurants in the Animal Kingdom – a local food cafe, a beverage vendor, and a proper sit-down restaurant. All of them offer a mixture of American and Asian cuisines.
For the cafe and the beverage store, you will pay around $15 or less. At the dine-in restaurant, you can pay up to $35 but will have a wider selection of food items like the ahi-tuna nachos and a Kobe beef burger.
Tusker House
You can go to the Tusker House for a fabulous character-dining experience in the middle of the Animal Kingdom. You can meet a safari-themed Donald, Goofy, and Mickey for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The restaurant is themed as a Harambe marketplace and has awesome safari decorations. You can enjoy a meal of African and American cuisines for the flat rate of $35 to $60.
The Best Character Dining at Disney World Resort Hotels
If you want to dine with some of your favorite characters outside the Disney World theme parks, then you can find them at the Disney World Resort Hotels. Read our list of the top character dining experiences at Disney Hotels below.
Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort
Enjoy an all-encompassing roof-top view of the entire Disney World theme park from this lovely terrace. Mickey and his friends will join you for breakfast or dinner, all equipped with unique outfits to match the Topolino Terrace theme.
France and Italy inspire the cuisine here. You can enjoy classic items like a fresh vegetable Quiche Gruyere for breakfast or a Lobster Fettuccine for dinner. It will cost around $60 per adult to dine here.
Ravello at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Another delicious Italian-style restaurant, Ravello, will serve you breakfast or dinner during your stay at the Four Seasons Resort in Orlando. Their wood-burning oven delivers perfectly crispy bread and pizzas for the whole family to enjoy. It costs about $60 per person to dine here.
Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
You can’t miss out on the chance to meet Snow White and all seven of her rambunctious friends at Wilderness Lodge. Laugh and watch your company’s entertaining display as you dine on a delicious meal.
For the adults, you can have Disney-themed cocktails or a draft beer. For kids, they have mocktails and an appetite-friendly menu. Don’t forget to try the “poison apple” at the end for a delicious treat. You can have this entire experience for under $60 per person.
Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
If you’re staying in the Polynesian Village Resort, you should experience one of the finest aspects of their culture: dining. Now you can enjoy a hot Polynesian-style meal with tikis and tropical plants all around you.
The menu is full of Hawaiian classics, and there’s a tropical cocktail bar as well. Have the whole dining adventure with Lilo, Stitch, and Mickey for less than $60 per adult. Breakfast is even cheaper at less than $35.
Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Sometimes the Orlando coast just doesn’t compare to a good old-fashioned northeastern cape. Dining here will transport you to the famous harbors of Boston, Maine, and Rhoadisland as you chow down on chowder and lobster tails.
Similar to the Polynesian experience, breakfast is cheaper here. You can have breakfast for less than $35 and dinner for less than $60.
Conclusion
Disney World is a place for dreams to come true. We hope we made your culinary dreams come true with this list and made your choices easier during your vacation. Have an excellent time on your journey through Disney World, and remember to arrive with an empty stomach!
More about our TFVG Author
A seasoned traveller, Dad, and avid sports tourist, James foundered The Family Vacation Guide to share his expert vacation experiences- especially when it comes to being a travelling family man.
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