When visiting Disney World in Orlando, Florida, there are so many options of not only things to see and do, but the Disney Restaurants give a huge choice of places to eat as well. You have four theme parks, Disney Springs, and their hotels you can visit, all of which have multiple options for Disney dining. So where do you start?
Top 5 Disney Restaurants For The Best Disney Dining
A few things to know that may help you when trying to choose where to go are: They are wonderful with any food allergy or intolerance issues, so don’t feel like you can’t choose a place solely based on the menu. Many times there are lots of alternative options, so ask. They want to please you, and they will do anything they can to do so.
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Get the Disney app
The Disney app not only shows all the places you eat and can book a reservation at, but they are on a map for you, with wait times, and you can see the menus right there on your phone and make reservations. There is also a key to show you a price range for places so that you know right away if it’s in your price range, or if you can skip over it. This is very helpful!
So, if someone were to give you advice on where are the best places to eat, to help you narrow it down, that would be helpful, right? Well, that is just what I am going to do.
I will also give you a few suggestions of other smaller and inexpensive spots to take advantage of as well.
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The Crystal Palace
This is located in the Magic Kingdom, right at the left end of Main Street, USA. It is beautiful inside, and it is a place you need a reservation for because it is character dining. Characters like Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger will be perusing the place and visiting your table for photos and to interact. It is so much fun, but of course, in addition to that part, the food is great. It is a buffet-style, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so the food does change per time of the day.
The prices range from $35 to $59.99 per person. You can eat as much as you want and they do a fantastic job catering to your needs, such as gluten-free bread and things like that. It is easily going to be a highlight of your whole trip if you choose to dine there. Book as ahead as you possibly can on the app or online to get the best selection for times you would want.
Pinocchio Village Haus
This is also in the Magic Kingdom and is a less expensive option, with really good food. It’s located near Fantasyland and just around the corner from the Be Our Guest restaurant.
It is a walk-up service where you stand in line, give your order and pay one person, and then move to the counter to await your food, and then find a table.
It can get pretty hectic in there if you are there in peak season, so if you have enough people to split your party up, have one or two hold a table while you order the food.
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They have things like Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches, Pizzas and flatbreads (The Caprese pizza is amazing…) Salads and breaded chicken, which they can also make you in a gluten-free breading that is crispy and yummy. There are great desserts too, and the prices range from about $10 to $13 per meal, not counting a drink or dessert.
In the Magic Kingdom, you will be able to find lots of smaller places where you just walk up and get something small like popcorn, snacks, turkey legs over in Frontierland, Starbucks in Main Street, pineapple whips in Adventureland and lots more.
So if you do one large meal at a great place and then pack a couple of snacks or hit a smaller place for another meal, it can alleviate the pressure of the money so much, and allow you to enjoy the one meal much more.
Teppan Edo
This is located in Epcot and is in Japan out in the World Showcase section. It is a wonderful place to eat, with a very authentic feel to it. It has Hibachi style cooking where you have a very entertaining chef who takes care of you and puts on a great little show while you eat.
They have sushi, wonderful appetizers like edamame, and great desserts in addition to the main course. The prices are mid-range, and about what you would pay elsewhere for this type of dining. The most expensive steak on the menu is $56, but most of the items are more in the $30 range. Kid’s meals are about $14.
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Next door to Teppan Edo is another great Japanese place called Tokyo, and there is also a little kiosk that sells shaved ice that is fantastic and a few other Japanese items as well.
Epcot is known for all its foods that you can try from different countries and it is for a good reason. The Food and Wine Festival is the best time to go and try lots of things. They have several stands in each country with small sample-sized food and beverages.
The Brown Derby
This is located in Hollywood Studios, right off the main street and off to the right. It is a copy of the original Brown Derby from old Hollywood, complete with artwork and style. It is lovely inside with very classic lighting and seating.
They have copies of the sketches that were done for the famous stars who dined there, and it is fun to try to guess who some of them are. Many are tough! If you ask, the front desk will let you see a cheat sheet type notebook that tells who they all are, too.
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The menu is a great one, with things like pork tenderloin, chicken and their famous Cobb salad, which is excellent. They have heavenly desserts, and they make you feel important and take great care of you there. They specialize in classic cocktails as well.
The price ranges from about $15 to $35 for adults. It is best to make reservations ahead of time for this place as well, as it does stay steady and busy. They do also have a package for dining there that includes a seat at the Fantasmic show as well.
Hollywood Studios has many other great places to eat as well, like Hollywood & Vine, Starring Rolls Café, the Sunset Ranch Café and smaller walk-up kiosks all over the park too.
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Bongos Cuban Café
This is located in Disney Springs, which is a fabulous place to go to eat and shop that is not in one of the theme parks. You can go and spend the day having a great time without the cost of a theme park admission, but of course, there are no rides, other than a couple of small ones. Bongos is a two-story restaurant, unlike any other which is why it is on our best Disney dining list.
They have dancing and music that goes on much of the time, and it is such a fun atmosphere. The music is wonderful, and the costumes are unreal, as well as the bongo-playing and dancing. I will warn you that it is loud. If you have children or adults with you that get overwhelmed by loud volume levels, this is not the place for you, but otherwise, you will love it.
They have fantastic Cuban food that is, even more, the draw to get in than the fun. They have soups and salads that are very reasonably priced, and the entrees range up to $35. The skirt steak is so good, and the rice and plantains are a meal all by themselves. They have ribs, fish, chicken, a little of everything, so it is easy to make everyone joining you, happy.
Disney Springs has recently remodeled and has a huge selection of eateries, including bakeries and larger restaurants. You will not lack to find great food and drinks. They have a gluten-free bakery with wonderful cupcakes and even a cupcake atm. No joke.
One more tip. If you want to check out the non-Universal or Disney park attractions you can get discount admission with the Orlando GoPass. You can save up to 55% off admission prices buy building your own pass. They have many locations to choose from. These include Legoland, Sea World, Bush Gardens, The Titanic Museum, The Kennedy Space Center, Gatorland, many water parks and more! You can also buy an all-inclusive pass for up to 5 days and get into as many attractions as you can fit into your schedule for 5 days!
Utilize the app or the internet before you go and enjoy it!