Disneyworld - any recommendations?

Our 5 year old has been really, really good this year, so I think we are going to surprise him with a trip to Disneyworld in January.

Any recommendations for good food to be found?

Thanks,

Happy Taster Gal

Wear earplugs if you take your son to "It's A Small World" or you'll be hearing that song in your head forever. I was there 37 years ago and still can't shake it.

Here's what I would recommend first off. Go buy The Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld. This has two things in it you need. First is some smart advice about how to beat the crowds by doing what rides when. Frankly, you could stand in the bookstore and glean the better part of that (e.g., go to the far end of the park and work back toward the front), but then there's the second part which is: ride-by-ride info that will help you decide if your 5-year-old will be delighted-- or reduced to terrified, screaming jelly by a particular attraction. As someone who literally carried two crying children out of at least two attractions a couple of years ago-- and that was even AFTER getting the book's help-- this is essential information. A lot of Disney attractions are just too total-immersion-environment-scary for a little kid; you will make everyone's trip far better by not pushing it and just doing the things that will delight them.

Here's some park by park info and opinion, including food info where it exists:

MAGIC KINGDOM-- The book was really helpful in cluing us in to doing some of the low-key rides in Fantasyland first thing in the AM, so the kids knocked off 4 or 5 rides early and felt like they'd already had a great day. (Those same rides load very slowly later in the day, making them almost impossible to do and feel they were worth the time spent in line.) Another piece of advice well worth the book's price was to make a lunch reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle (must be done in advance). The breakfast with princess characters is about like French Laundry to get into (literally same routine-- dial and redial the instant reservations open, and hope you get in) but lunch is easy and it gets you out of the mob scene at the crappy corn dog stands (and all the fast food in the MK is crappy) and lets you sit at a table and eat like a civilized human-- and the food, while no great shakes, is as good as a nice coffeeshop, say.

EPCOT-- Frankly, I wouldn't do Epcot with a 5-year-old at all. It's just over their heads and the best things will be too scary-- a lot of Imax movie type stuff. That said, Epcot has some of the nicer restaurants within the parks, such as the French one, where you can actually have a glass of wine. (Isn't there a Norwegian restaurant, too? I think Vital Info liked that.)

ANIMAL KINGDOM-- The underrated park in Orlando, this was a big hit with my kids who love animals (though the Bug's Life 3-D show was one of the things we ran screaming from), the evocations of Africa and Asia are surprisingly convincing in their squeaky-clean way, and I actually found a place to have decent food (at least for the grownups)-- a rotisserie chicken place in the African part. Stay away from the Dino ride, which approaches Universal Studios scariness, but the place where kids can dig for dinosaur bones was a big hit, my wife and I took turns watching them and going off to ride the rides that were too much for the kids. This is one of the secrets of happy Disney visits, take a break from rides and lines and give them an hour here and there to play in the freeform play areas like the dino thing here or Toontown in the MK.

DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS-- Not that much here for kids other than a couple of the better shows (Lion King, Playhouse Disney) but there's another play area (themed a la Honey I Shrunk the Kids) that served for one of us to watch them and the other to go ride the more adult rides. Years ago when I worked on some Disney projects I ate at the Brown Derby and it was another surprisingly decent, grownup restaurant within the parks. Of course, by going there with your five-year-old, you'll be making it a little less so....

DOWNTOWN DISNEY/PLEASURE ISLAND-- Disney's nighttime restaurant-and-mall area has some megachain-style restaurants, we tried Paula Abdul's Cuban one and let's just say it was the biggest, nicest, blandest Cuban restaurant I've ever been to. But you're in Orlando, so you may well end up here anyway out of a shortage of alternatives. Oh well.

BOARDWALK-- Ready for Disney to give you some fun for free? Or nearly so? The boardwalk, which goes near some of their vacation properties, turned out to be a perfectly pleasant place to hang out, drive one of those pedal surrey things, eat ice cream, and just have a nice afternoon with the kids, minus the franticness of a park.

CHARACTER BREAKFASTS-- The book will tell you where you can actually get in for one of these (we went to one at the no-longer-accurately-named Contemporary Hotel). At that age, eating French toast sticks from a buffet and saying hi to Goofy is as good as it gets-- at least as good as any ride.

More general comments on dining in Orlando are here:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1421

Mike G wrote:That said, Epcot has some of the nicer restaurants within the parks, such as the French one, where you can actually have a glass of wine.

And the German beer garden has fresh Becks flown in from Germany every day. Rumor has it that it is full alcohol content beer rather than the 3.2% stuff you get in the rest of Florida.

Mike G wrote:Frankly, you could stand in the bookstore and glean the better part of that (e.g., go to the far end of the park and work back toward the front), but then there's the second part which is: ride-by-ride info that will help you decide if your 5-year-old will be delighted-- or reduced to terrified, screaming jelly by a particular attraction. As someone who literally carried two crying children out of at least two attractions a couple of years ago-- and that was even AFTER getting the book's help-- this is essential information. A lot of Disney attractions are just too total-immersion-environment-scary for a little kid; you will make everyone's trip far better by not pushing it and just doing the things that will delight them.

My 21 year-old daughter still holds it against me that I "forced her" (i.e., agreed to accompany her) on the Snow White ride when she was like six. The cackling witch with the apple was pretty much the end of the line for her. If you must go on this train ride, my recommendation is not to sit in the first car.

It's odd how as American parents we feel we owe it to our kids to take them to Disneyland, but we do. I have been to both California and Florida locations maybe three times each. Never again for me, but if you have kids of that age, you really have no choice.

That said, on my last trip to Epcot, I had dinner in the underwater restaurant (Living Seas?) and thought the view was great, the fish fine and the price high but overall worth the experience.

Hammond

I just got back. DO NOT eat at Magic Kingdom, trust me - it's awful. You cannot get good food at the park.

Eat at the Grand Floridian (anywhere) or the Polynesion Resort. Downtown Disney is hit or miss - I would eat at Puck's Cafe or Dining Room - preferably the Dining Room which is quieter, better service and better food.

Epcot is pretty good - the French restaurant is good but the great food is at the resort restaurants and not in the parks.

PLEASURE ISLAND-- Disney's nighttime restaurant-and-mall area has some megachain-style restaurants, we tried Paula Abdul's Cuban one and let's just say it was the biggest, nicest, blandest Cuban restaurant I've ever been to

It's not Paula Abdul - it's Gloria Estefan's restaurant - Bongo's

Like there's a difference!

Mike,
who now understands why he kept circling River North trying to find Jean Claude van Damme's Restaurant

I wondered, why would a Syrian-Brazilian lady from LA have Cuban place in Florida? Honest mistake -- Estefan's husband is a Lebanese-Cuban. Much to some earlier points made today about the Levanine presence in Latin America.

Like there's a difference!

Contemporary Resort: California Grill
Boardwalk Resort: Flying Fish
WDW Swan and Dolphin Resorts: BlueZoo, Fresh and Kimono's
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Jiko
Wilderness Lodge Resort: Artist Point
Yacht Club Resort: Yachtsman Steakhouse
Grand Floridian Resort: Victoria and Albert's/Narcoossee's/Citricos/Grand Floridian Cafe
Old Key West Resort: Olivia's Cafe
Polynesian Resort: Kona Cafe
Epcot: Bistro de Paris
MGM: Brown Derby and 50's Prime Time Cafe
Animal Kingdom: Tusker House
Downtown Disney: Fulton's Crab House, Portofino Yacht Club and Raglan Road

I agree that the dining options in the Magic Kingdom are lacking. The Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge and Polynesian Resorts are just a short monorail or boat ride away.

You can find menus to the WDW restaurants here:
http://allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

Please let me know if you have any questions!

We weren't thrilled with California Grill (but it was also Christmas or Christmas Eve, so there was a "special" menu that was pretty much just upscale banquet food). We liked the steak house in the Boardwalk, and the Canadian restaurant in Epcot.

Most places say you have to make reservations, so do that if you can, but if your first choice is booked, try walking in. We tried to get reservations at Flying Fish, and ended up elsewhere. Later we walked by, and it was 1/2 full. They said it would have been no problem walking in. Seems a lot of people just don't show up, or cancel at the last minute.

There's a piano bar in Boardwalk or somewhere walking distance there, and we had a great time. Lots of the people who work in Disney go there and sing songs and crack jokes. Late at night, the Magic kingdom is much less crowded, there are hardly any lines, and the staff are looser and funnier. It's a Small World is lots of fun if you're a bit tipsey

As to the Character breakfasts, we went to the one in the Grand Floridian and it was a nightmare. The window of when kids find it fun is very small. Either kids are too small, and when Donald comes up they start screaming in fear, or they are bored by it.

In MGM I also recommend the drive-in (don't remember the name). Nothing special in the food (but quite good shakes), but very kid-friendly, and they run old movie trailers continuously (when you start seeing repeats, it probably means you've overstayed your welcome).

Stay away from the restaurants in Downtown Disney -- overpriced factory food. If you want factory food, downtown Orlando is only a few minutes away, and some of it is worthwhile.

In Epcot, the Morrocan place is really pretty good -- not fabulous, but pretty good.

I've eaten at California Grill on top of the Contemporary and had excellent meals. It's pricey but the view during the fireworks show over the Magic Kingdom is extraordinary. They dim the lights and pipe in the music. It's even better if you walk out on the roof. They recently had a chef change. I don't know if you want to dine at a restaurant like this with a 5 year old. There weren't too many kids the 2 times I've been there. Another great, but pricey restaurant is Todd English's Blue Zoo in the the Dolphin. Here's a great web site that has all the restaurants, including menues and prices.
http://allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm#res

We have eaten at Flying Fish at the Boardwalk many times (though not in the last 2 years), and it has always been excellent. Nice selection of very fresh seafood. Try to get the seats at the counter in front of the kitchen. It can get a bit hot, but it is interesting to watch the cooking, and the kids loved it. There is also a mediterranean place at the boardwalk that was quite good but I cant remember its name.

-Will

Mike G wrote:DOWNTOWN DISNEY/PLEASURE ISLAND-- Disney's nighttime restaurant-and-mall area has some megachain-style restaurants, we tried Paula Abdul's Cuban one and let's just say it was the biggest, nicest, blandest Cuban restaurant I've ever been to. But you're in Orlando, so you may well end up here anyway out of a shortage of alternatives.

I too ended up here... (hey, the choices were between Emeril's, Wolfgang Pucks Express, House of Blues, Rainforest Cafe, and this). The name is Bongo's, actually owned by Gloria Esteffan not Paula Abdul.

I remember having pretty decent food, though, and don't remember it being particularly bland (the rice bland, yes)... I think I had one of their specials they had that night. My mom, who isn't a very adventurous eater said she liked it but I kind of could tell she may have not liked it much... I think I had some amazingly done plantains and some sort of steak... And several authentic Mojitos, which probably helped the food along ... And they had live music, which made it interesting.

i'd say it's probably got to be one of the better places to eat if you're confined to Disney... (also, btw, its next to pleasure island on the walk, so you don't have to pay to get in to the area where it's at)

I agree with Mike's excellent suggestion on the Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld. They do a really good job of covering all of the various aspects.

There are also a number of websites and blogs dedicated to maximizing your experience at the various parks. Since I avoid Orlando like the plague, I am not really up to date on those sites.

One more thing. If you stay at a Disney property, Disney is offering a service where you check your luggage at O'Hare and it is delivered directly to your room. Sounded pretty interesting to me.

jlawrence01 wrote:If you stay at a Disney property, Disney is offering a service where you check your luggage at O'Hare and it is delivered directly to your room. Sounded pretty interesting to me.

yes they do, and it does sound wonderful to not have to worry about. i think you can do it out of midway too, i think you need to get the luggage tags to put on your luggage for this ahead of time. then they see it on your luggage and take care of the rest. last time i was at disney (long story as to why i go so often... l o l) someone took my luggage and went off 2 hours away before realizing it wasn't there bag. they didn't even bother to look at the giant luggage tag (bearing a big "CNN" logo) attached, they just assumed they were the only one with that particular luggage... what a nightmare! too bad i didn't have the disney luggage service that time!

All,

Thanks so much for the wealth of AWESOME information!! I am ordering the book immediately and really appreciate all the suggestions for dining.

; ) Happy Taster Gal

p.s. and we are taking advantage of the luggage service (I think they call it Magic Express)

Well i know it's cheesey and the food will be awful but thank you for posting this. i just called and booked Cinderella's table for lunch in March (1st try - only 90 days ahead!)

Thank you! My princess worshipping 3yo will be thrilled!

Actually it's not cheesy-- the dining hall is comparable to a fake mittel-European restaurant like Klas, and rather nicely done-- and neither is the food terrible by any means; it's perfectly decent if unlikely to figure in your postcards home.

I will point out that lunch, not being an official "character" event, is not that hard to get into-- it's breakfast that is. On the other hand, you will see characters before your lunch, and take your kid's picture with some princess or other, and dine in the exact same atmospheric setting, so let the other folks fight to get into breakfast and you can have a similar experience without the hysteria, and spare yourself a 45-minute wait for a corndog at high noon in Florida (which is the biggest benefit of dining there).

The alternative, as some folks have suggested, is to duck out of the park to one of the hotels that's directly attached to the MK like the Grand Floridian, and if you think your child would benefit from a little midday break from Total Disney Overload that's probably a good idea too. In terms of time elapsed getting to your lunch spot + acceptable food quality + Disney atmosphere at a lower level of intensity, I think Cinderella's is the best combination overall. But YCMV (Your Child May Vary).

The Wall Street Journal has an article in today's paper about navigating the dining options at Disney World. You can read it here if you have a subscription (which I do not).

If anyone else would like the text of this article, PM me and I will send it on. It has some helpful tips if you're planning a trip.

We're headed to Disney World in February. Any recent recommendations? We'll have a 4 and 6 year old along.

Marmish wrote:We're headed to Disney World in February. Any recent recommendations? We'll have a 4 and 6 year old along.

The last time I was there, the best thing we had was from the vegetarian Indian stand in Animal Kingdom. It's a small booth (sometimes with a long line), and has very flavorful (not spicy) items including kid-friendly things like samosas.

https://www.eater.com/2017/6/27/15877108/where-to-eat-disney-best-food-Orlando

Eater did a fun, multipart guide for eating in Disneyworld.

The hubby's favorite hand's down is the Morrocco pavilion in Epcot.
The Belly dancing may have something to do with it,
but the food is very good as well.

We have always included a trip to the Brown Derby (although there are 2 cheaper alternatives) with guaranteed seating at the Fantasmic show piled on. Be warned that it gets late in the evening and tired kids can turn it into a battle....

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/fantasmic-dining-package/

Marmish wrote:We're headed to Disney World in February. Any recent recommendations? We'll have a 4 and 6 year old along.

There are tons of recommendations. Are you staying offsite or onsite, and will you have a car while you're there? Are you using the DP? I can ramble a bit about this...

I'd suggest not paying TOO much attention to food. I mean, you can eat pretty well down there, but (assumption) your vacation is gonna be primarily for the "Disney Magic" for the kids. Traveling far away to eat well vs the price you'll be paying for park tickets and experiences vs the time you have to do it in is something to REALLY consider. I would suggest figuring out what you want to do when you are there, and then kinda narrowing down your BEST option for a meal where you will happen to be at a time you'll want a meal.

There are a shit ton of restaurants. Quality control for the QS or CS places is all over the map. One 15.00 meal at one qs could be an absolute TRAVESTY, while one 15.00 meal at another qs will make you think they are undercharging.

My Targets:

Animal Kingdom: Flame Tree BBQ. SPARE RIBS. It's real smoked bbq. It's not the best bbq in the world, but, it's amusement park takeout food that is damn good for the price. Pro tip: get the onion rings.

The Boardwalk: Ample Hills Creamery ice cream is THE TRUTH. If you are in Epcot, or staying at an epcot area resort, or will be visiting the boardwalk, make it a point to try and get there. The Boardwalk bakery is right next door to Ample Hills. Go ahead and buy something there, and remember I told you not to. It all looks so good. You'll wish you'd bought more ice cream instead.

Magic Kingdom:
Columbia Harbor House - You'll need to go at an off time, because everyone knows it's good, so it's crowded. Eat upstairs there.

Pecos Bill's:
Travesty. Everyone gushes about the free toppings bar. Sure, you can get as much guacamole as you want. Ever had Dean's dip guacamole that you can buy next to the french onion dip at a grocery store? More on this later....

IMO, if you need to eat when you're at MAgic Kingdom, you're better off walking to the Contemporary, or hopping on the Monorail to one of the resorts.

Hollywood:
Take the boat to the Swan Dolphin Hotel, and eat ANYWHERE there. (no ddp tho, so only if you're paying out of pocket.) Or the Boardwalk, or one of the Epcot area resorts.

Epcot:
You have a shit ton of options in the World Showcase. Just remember, if you're in Chicago, you have better choices than pretty much all of the World Showcase pavillions, and probably cheaper, too. In Future World, Sunshine Seasons is pretty well reguarded. That would be my target if I were in FW. I wouldn't get sucked into the lure of awesome ethnic foods in the WS. Don't be surprised if you try something, and say to yourself, at home, I could have gotten it better and cheaper - just sayin'.


Temper your expectations, and eat well where you can. You can eat pretty well, and you can have some great meals, but, you'll be paying premium prices to do so if you are in the parks, or in one of their hotels. I think a great way to plan meals is to figure out the best place for where you'll be at a meal time, and then decide the logistics based on that.

2 Examples:
1. Going to MK? Maybe Chef Mickey's makes sense. Here's why:
It's a break from the sensory overload of the park.
The "Fab 5" will each stop at your table, and ask if you want a picture with the kids.
The food is fine if you know how to navigate a buffet.
All in all, the high price tag might make sense. Those character pictures might save you a BUNCH of time if you want character pictures.

2. Perhaps a Fantasmic package makes sense at Hollywood? You have to weigh your options. If you are going to be at Hollywood, and you'll want a meal while you're there, AND you want to see Fantasmic, if you book the package you have guaranteed best seating in the theater, and you only have to get there 30 minutes early. You are then also able to get 4th, 5th, 6th fastpasses if available instead of holding on to a fantasmic fastpass, and not being able to book more.

So back to Pecos Bill's:
My approach is that DW is an amusement park. If you live in a big city with tons of decent ethnic options, I wouldn't target ethnic options in DW expecting a whole bunch. DW is catering to ppl from all over the world. My idea of guacamole is not the same as someone else's. I've read countless recommendations of the fantastic food and "free" guacamole at Pecos BIll's. It was an absolute atrocity.

Happy to try and give more opinions when you get closer to the vacation, and you try to figure out the puzzle pieces. The unofficial guide is a great book, and also their Touring Plans web site is worth every damn penny of the 15.00 membership price. There are Disney food guides/blogs all over the web. Here's a decent start: http://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-restaurant-reviews/

Have you made your adr's yet?

Another edit:
Some of the QS/CS meals are absolutely massive. Easily enough for two ppl to split (especially if you're trudging through 80+ degree heat and going on rides.) Honestly, some of those meals are SHOCKINGLY large.

Try a Dole Whip at your very first opportunity to do so. If you like them, there's a chance you will obsess. They are like a sweet/sour pineapple sorbet. I prefer the Pineapple Float, which is just a dole whip with pineapple juice. There is no chance I wouldn't get a Dole Whip at every possible opportunity. I jokingly call the Alladin ride, "Alladin's Carpets And Dole WHips" since Aloha Isle, which sells dole whips, is right there.

LOL, sorry, but another related edit:

Do NOT rule out the Early Morning Magic offering at MK if you can swing it. You basically get the park to yourself for 90 minutes, and you can ride 7dmt, pp, and a few other things with no wait as many times as you can from 7:45 to 9am. The pictures you can get will be CRAZY if the kids comply. You will also have a major head start on the "popular" rides if you like the rides offered. The included breakfast buffet lasts until 10 am, BUT, the cm's are pretty relaxed. You'll have time to graze after 10am. So if you are early risers, and the rides offered are up your alley, don't balk at the price tag. You'll actually be hard pressed to find people that say it wasn't the highlight of their trip. The wife and I split on this one. She got to sleep in late, Jr and I hit EMM, and it was an absolute blast. It made sense, she doesn't care about rides and buffets so no reason to get her a ticket for it. She had more fun sleeping in.

Seconding Brown Derby - a Cobb salad that stacks up with the best anywhere - and also Morocco at Epcot. Our other favorites were shaved ice with condensed milk at Japan and wurst and paprika fries outside Germany, but inside is totally worth it for the alpenhorn show, iconic and expert musicians. Diamond Horseshoe was earnest but totally not worth it.

Off property Q'Keenan was a great place to fill up on the cheap on arepas and fresh juices, and there was an unexpected-to-us wealth of regional Indian and Indo-Trinidadian (if Singh's Roti Shop is still open they had legit roti and non-Spinal-Tap shark sandwich).