10. Hollywood Studio’s Hollywood & Vine.
Hollywood Studio’s Hollywood & Vine usually hosts an experience called Disney Junior Play n’ Dine where you get to sing and dance and interact with your favorite Disney Junior characters. Occasionally during different seasons Minnie takes over and hosts different events. Our family’s favorite dining experience here was at Christmas! We met our favorite Disney characters who were all dressed up in their Christmas best! We even had a chance to snap a picture with “Santa Goofy.” I recommend this experience for families traveling with littles. If you have little ones who love to sing hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog than this is a stop for you. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan this is one table service credit. Most character meals will be two credits so this is a great way to still get the character experience and only using one credit. While the experience was memorable the food and atmosphere weren’t amazing. It is loud with the kids and buffet but still earns a place on the top ten list!
9. Teppan Edo
This restaurant is not what you really think of as a Disney Dining Experience at first glance. I have been hesitant for years to make this reservation until just a month ago because I didn’t want to waste a table credit and was worried my family wouldn’t enjoy it. Was I wrong! Teppan Edo in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot is a new fav! The dining area here is split in to smaller rooms and if you are a smaller party you will most likely be seated with other guests. The meal is cooked on a hibachi grill with great entertainment by your chef! The food is amazing and I definitely recommend the filet mignon. This is one table service credit on the dining plan. This is more of an experience and less of a “Disney” experience. It is something you can find at even your own local hibachi restaurant but Disney always adds a little extra magic to a normal experience.
8. Chef Mickey’s Character Buffet at the Contemporary Resort
This is a classic restaurant. This is the place that for many is the first place their children may have laid eyes on their favorite characters. Plus eating with the monorail passing overhead is pretty cool too! The characters are great about spending time at your table here and having fun with the kids. This meal is covered under the Disney Dining Plan. It is a pretty pricey restaurant if you aren’t on the plan. If you do have the Dining Plan this is a great use of only one table service credit! I am not huge on cons when talking about Disney Dining Experiences and honestly I find things I love about each one but I should say why it is in 8th place. The food is American cuisine and there is a huge variety but it isn’t anything great. You are paying for the experience when you come here and not the food. Foodies beware! For kids it is a great place for your picky eaters! You will want to book 100+ days in advance for this restaurant.
7. Be Our Guest
Enter the Beast’s castle in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom so you can tell a tale as old as time. You can enjoy French inspired food while sitting in one of three different rooms. Our favorite is the West Wing! We have sat in the Grand Ballroom and West Wing but haven’t experienced the Castle Gallery. I would highly recommend requesting the West Wing! You can see the room transform at different times and even see the petal drop from the rose! If you are traveling with small children be warned that it is a darker room with occasional thunder. Breakfast and lunch are considered a quick service meal if you are on the dining plan but two table service credits if you go for dinner! Dinner is a three course meal and don’t forget to try the grey stuff! Going at breakfast or lunch is a great use of a quick service credit! This restaurant is hard to get a reservation at so if you can, make that 180 days in advance reservation!
6. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
This is a princess meal in Epcot that the little princesses will love. Just don’t tell your child you are eating with princesses. Let’s just say one little girl I know had a “royal” meltdown when she realized they weren’t actually going to sit down and eat with her. This Disney Dining Experience is located in the Norway Pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase. This is a three course meal starting with a Norwegian appetizer buffet. Don’t let that scare you because it’s pretty great. The food is pretty good here but really we went for the princesses not the food. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan this is a one table service credit. So a great option to meet princesses and only use one credit since many other character dining experiences are two. If you have a little princess who wants to parade around the dining room following her favorite princess than you should definitely make a reservation here. Speaking of reservations this dining experience is easier to get reservations to than Cinderella’s Royal Table. Make sure when you leave to get in line for one of my favorite rides right there in Norway, Frozen Ever After!
5. 1900 Park Fare Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner
Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner will have you laughing at the antics of Anastasia and Drizella under the watchful eye of Lady Tremaine while Prince Charming and Cinderella sweep around the room. These characters never break their role and are amazing at making this a magical experience. This dinner is located in the beautiful Grand Floridian Resort & Spa just a short monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom. While meeting a princess is always fun, meeting the villains of the story will always make you laugh. The meal is buffet style and has a large variety of food. Make sure to try the strawberry soup. This meal is one table service credit on the Disney Dining Plan. 1900 Park Fare also has options for a character breakfast as well as tea.
4. Disney’s Spirit of Aloha dinner Show
Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show hula’s in to our number 5 place on our Disney Dining Experience top 10 count down! I don’t know how many times I have seen this dinner show but I love it! Disney’s Polynesian Resort is the host of this show that takes place at Luau Cove. It’s an all you can eat tropical feast! This all-inclusive (yes parents all you can drink wine, beer and sangria) has pulled pork, chicken, ribs, fresh fruit and a few other sides served family style. Just save room for the pineapple coconut guava cake! If you have picky kids don’t worry they have kiddo friendly options as well. There are two shows a night. We usually pick the 5:15pm show because of the little one, but there is also an 8:15pm show which is a great date night option. There are three seating sections that determine the pricing. Disney Dining Plan is accepted here but will run you two table service credits. It’s a perfect experience to either start or end your vacation with.
3. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Disney’s Wilderness Campground
We have seen this dinner show probably more than 10 times and it still makes us laugh until our cheeks hurt! It actually became a permanent Disney show in 1974 and is the country’s longest-running dinner show! This show is 2 hours long and is full of Wild West dancing, singing and laughing. While watching you can fill your belly full of all you can eat fried chicken, smoked bbq pork ribs, green salad, baked beans and fresh cornbread. Maybe you will even be chosen to be one of the lucky participants! I can promise you lots of laughs if you make a reservation here. Littles, teens and adults will enjoy it and if you are a die-hard Disney fan like I am, you need to put this on your bucket list. For those on the Disney Dining Plan you will be using two table credits for this experience but it will be worth it!
2. Cinderella’s Royal Table
Cue the fanfare… experience a fairy tale dining experience inside Cinderella’s castle! This is one of the most or the most popular restaurants in all of Disney World. Even 180 days out from your trip you may struggle snagging a reservation here! During this dinner you will meet Cinderella and other visiting princesses. Your little princess and your own inner princess will have a magical experience. You will have the chance to wish on a star and maybe even have your dream come true right there during your vacation! The menu here is a prix fixe menu and the food is good but not as good as some other table service restaurants. It is a very pricey restaurant but you are paying for the ultimate classic Disney experience. It also has a two table service dining credit requirement if you are on the dining plan. If you aren’t a first timer to the fireworks try scheduling this reservation an hour before the nighttime fireworks and requesting a window seat! It’s another magical experience on my bucket list once the little one is old enough to wait to eat that late at night!
1.’Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast
Finally here is our Number 1 choice on our Top Ten Disney Dining Experiences count down! ‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast at Disney’s Polynesian Resort is hands down our favorite that we do every vacation on our final morning! You start your family style breakfast meal here with the most amazing pineapple and coconut bread. Make sure to say yes to their offering of passion fruit, orange and guava juice before they bring the large skillet of all you can eat sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, potatoes and of course Mickey waffles! Here you will meet Lilo, Stitch and our favorites Mickey and Pluto! Every half hour your littles can join in a parade with the characters and shake their maracas around the restaurant. We have always had the most personable “cousins” serving in true ‘Ohana or “family” style. Another perk is that this is only one table service credit if you are on the Disney dining plan! Request a table near the windows and enjoy magical views out over the resort towards the castle.
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My favorite thing to do is plan Disney vacations and it has been a dream of mine to help others plan their own magical experiences. As they say in Disney, “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow,” and I want to help you see it all!
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