BONUS: Dining through Disney
If there is one thing I know about Disney is that they are great at surprises and special magical moments. Well, more information from your local Disney Adult might not be the most magical moment to you, but bonus information on dining through Disney can still be quite helpful when planning your vacation. That being said, I could not give my recommendations for eating in Disney without mentioning Disney Springs and the Resorts. Disney Springs is an outdoor shopping area that has had many names over the years, but first opened in 1975 as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village. The shopping area has constantly been rebranded by changing its name to Walt Disney World Village, Disney Village Marketplace, Downtown Disney, which is what I remember as a kid, and finally Disney Springs in 2015.
While the days of Downtown Disney past sported night clubs, this area now gives more of an elevated outdoor mall feel with live music, restaurants, unique shops, and concert venue spaces. Something that I appreciated about Disney Springs is that there is no entrance fee, and it is free to park in the garages. I found myself making dinner reservations semi-frequently in Disney Springs when we lived in Florida. It was also nice to have an elevated theater experience when Marvel or Disney movies would premiere.
Disney Springs Quick Service:
My sweet tooth has been satisfied multiple times in Disney Springs, so since life is short why not start off with dessert first on your shopping trip!? You could get your candy fill at the gigantic M&M store, but there are so many unique options in the shopping center. One of the most internet famous dessert places is Gideon’s Bakery. This spooky themed shop gives me slight Tim Burton vibes, but don’t let the size of these monstrous cookies scare you away. I have tried both the original chocolate ship and the cookies and cream cookie and I don’t think I could finish it in one sitting without help from a friend. They also do monthly flavors for cakes, cookies and cold brews. I would like to note that due to the internet this small store has become wildly popular, so don’t be surprised if you get on a virtual waitlist and have to go back at a later time to pick up these treats.
Another sweet option is Salt & Straw. This small chain opened up originally in Portland, Oregon and is pretty famous along the west coast for the unique ice cream flavors. While fun seasonal flavors are typically offered, I was pretty blown away tasting the strawberry honey balsamic and black pepper ice cream. I have also taste tested olive oil ice cream here, but if those flavors do not appease you then more tame flavors like chocolate gooey brownie are offered. For my vegan and gluten free friends Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC has delightful options for those with allergies. From someone who is not gluten free, you honestly did not miss any ingredients because the cupcake was so sweet and soft.
If you aren’t full after the multiple sweet options in Disney Springs, there are some tasty yet budget friendly quick service options with plenty of seating. While it is a chain, we constantly found ourselves at Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza to get a cheaper but equally delightful personal pan pizza. Think better Subway but for pizza. For restaurants that are more distinctive to Disney Springs, I would try Chicken Guy, Earl of Sandwich, or The Polite Pig. Chicken Guy is a little bit of fried flavortown from one of our favorite food network stars Guy Fieri. This restaurant is all about the chicken and the variety of dipping sauces. Earl of Sandwich has a variety of sandwiches, wraps and salads but also has a substantial breakfast menu. For a BBQ fix, The Polite Pig can satisfy that hankering with ribs, pork shoulder, or smoked turkey.
Don’t forget to grab a gigantic cookie at Gideon’s Bakery if you are walking around Disney Springs.
Disney Springs Table Service:
Disney Springs doesn’t necessarily have their table service restaurants separated by price, but for the nicer sit down restaurants, it is generally recommended to get a reservation. Two of my favorite table service restaurants in the shopping complex have to be Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant and The Boathouse. Raglan Road has very traditional fish and chips and bangers and mash, but this dining experience stuck out to me for another reason. For one, there is constantly live music or Irish dancing going on in the pub and it is incredibly fun to watch. In addition, there are multiple gluten free options including a gluten free fish and chips. We went to this restaurant for a friend’s birthday just for the fish and chips, and they did a great job of accommodating allergies.
The Boathouse is one of those restaurants that is great for a special date night or get together. I personally met up with a long distance friend while she was in town, and we had a phenomenal girl’s lunch together filled with sharing drinks, appetizers, and entrees. For starters, share the coconut shrimp or shrimp with London dry gin cocktail sauce. The best entrees have consistently been the dockside shrimp boil and crab cakes. Feel free to wash this down with a Duck Duck Razz- a fun blue cocktail with a miniature rubber ducky to top.
Besides Disney Springs and the four Disney theme parks, there are also twenty five themed resorts throughout this gigantic forty-three square mile property. While a lot of guests choose to stay on property, you do not have to be one of them in order to have a dining reservation in the resorts. In fact, it is super fun to go to the resort for breakfast before you go into the parks. Whenever I lived in Florida, I would actually book breakfast at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa because the parking was free. We would park there, have our breakfast, then go to Magic Kingdom without having to worry about a parking fee or the traffic leaving the park.
There was also one visit to Disney World where I actually didn’t go to the parks at all. In fact, we had a girls weekend and stayed on property of the Fort Wilderness Campsites. It was honestly one of the most memorable trips I have taken to Disney World, and we had so much fun relaxing by the pool and hopping on and off the monorail checking out different resorts that were only slightly out of my price range. That girls’ trip, along with staying on property when we vacationed as a kid, gave me a great glimpse into some resort restaurant options.
Enjoying a little treat at Disney Springs while shopping.
Resort Quick Service:
There are almost sixty quick service options amongst the resorts, and some definitely soar higher than the rest. A top rated pick amongst park goers is Capt. Cooks at the Polynesian Village Resort. In the morning you have to try the tonga toast, and if you find yourself in the area around lunch or dinner, go for the pan asian noodles and vegetables. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, pop by the Pineapple Lanai to grab a lime Dole Whip.
El Mercado de Coronado at Coronado Springs Resort has multiple affordable options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is a great place for a variety of eaters because there is tex-mex, burgers, pastas, and even pizzas and flatbreads. Primo Piatto at Disney’s Riviera Resort houses plentiful breakfast options including blueberry lemon pancakes and the Primo Piatto breakfast with scrambled eggs over mascarpone polenta.
Resort Table Service- Casual:
The casual options for the resorts do tend to be pricier than the options in the parks, but most of them are for good reason since there are characters involved. Ohana at Polynesian Resort is a top contender for the “Best Friend’s Breakfast” with Lilo and Stitch. This all you can eat Hawaiian breakfast starts at $45 per adult and $29 per child. Don’t worry, Mickey waffles are still included. Dinner is still all you can eat but doesn’t include the character interaction. However, it does include delicious Ohana noodles that Disney fans almost rioted over whenever they didn’t come back after the shutdown. Rest assured, the noodles made an appearance back on the meu very quickly.
Artist Point at Disney Wilderness Lodge is one of the top rated character dining experiences that takes you right into the storybook with Snow White, Dopey, Grumpy, and even the Evil Queen. This fixed price three course dinner menu starts at $65 per adult and $39 per child and has plenty of shared appetizers and desserts to go around. This is also one of the few places to see a Disney villain outside of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
The next two suggestions are some of my top favorites that I experienced on my Disney Staycation Girl’s Trip. We had a fantastic brunch at Ale and Compass at the Yacht Club Resort. This $23 breakfast buffet had us absolutely stuffed at the end with access to both the buffet, an included entree, and drink. I thoroughly enjoyed my dark chocolate waffles, coffee, and multiple trips to the buffet for parfaits and pastries. As great as this brunch and the company was, my top favorite restaurant experience at the resorts is hands down the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue in the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness. This dinner show runs three times an evening and is honestly hilarious and super entertaining the entire two hours. We had so much fun being involved with the show as members of the audience, and it was an honor to be the “toot toot girls” for the entire show. Besides the family fun, the fried chicken, ribs, and sides are free flowing all night. Seriously, they gave us a ridiculous amount of food.
We had a root tootin’ good time at the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.
Resort Table Service- Fancy:
When it comes to upscale dining at Disney, they pull out all the stops at the resorts. I’m talking Michelin, AAA, diamond level- you name it. That being said, some of these top rated restaurants I have personally not been to, but their reputation precedes them. I definitely have dreams of being able to afford these dining experiences one day. Starting off close to Magic Kingdom, the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort has about as spectacular views as their food menu. While looking out at Cinderella’s castle, a fee of $89 per adult or $39 per child covers a market inspiration (appetizer), Chef’s inspiration (entree), and sweet creation (dessert). Wine pairings can be added for an additional cost. Honestly, it seems pretty worth it when your appetizer can be sushi, your entree can be pasta or steak, and your dessert can be creme brulee. It’s a white woman’s dream.
Victoria and Alberts brings the grand in the name Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. This restaurant has consistently been named the premier fine dining experience in all of the land. This is where you bring out your Sunday best while enjoying eight to ten courses of the Chef’s Tasting Menu starting at a measly $295. Don't worry, and extra $150 can be added for wine tasting as well. I guess that is what you pay for a restaurant that has the Forbes Travel Guide five star reward. The price continues to increase for the Chef’s Table at Victoria and Alberts that includes a three hours with the chef for a hefty price of $425 per guest. Don’t worry, you can add those wine tastings again for $200. If the chef’s table is still for commoners, there is even the Victoria and Alberts Queen Victoria’s Room that is considered a “secluded retreat” featuring live harp music and a warm fireplace.
I believe a meal fit for a queen is quite the way to end this extra leg of the journey through Disney World’s dining experiences. For those who have stuck along the entire voyage, thank you so much for traveling alongside this Disney adult. In the words of Mickey over the intercoms as you leave the parks- See ya real soon!
The performers at the Pioneer Hall Playhouse did a phenomenal job of including the audience throughout our dinner show.