Disney World has a variety of restaurants to choose from that picking the perfect Disney dining options with kids isn’t always easy. You want to make sure they have food everyone will enjoy and that the experience is unforgettable.
Here are my ten favorite Disney dining options with kids (and adult kids!):
1. At Cinderella’s Royal Table you will be treated like royalty from the moment you enter. Cinderella greets you in the regal Grand Hall upon entering and then you are lead up a spiral staircase to where you will be seated and surrounded by several Disney Princesses. You will dine in a storybook setting with a view of Fantasyland. During your meal, young princesses will receive a wand and wishing star and princes a sword. There is a “Wishing Ceremony” where you wave your wands and swords and make a wish upon a star! All while the classic Disney Princesses visit your table for one-on-one interaction, pictures and autographs. The ambiance alone is spectacular and unique. Cinderella’s Royal Table is a true fairytale dining experience.
2. Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort is always a great time! You can’t go to Disney without meeting the Fab 5: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald & Pluto and you can do this here without waiting in any lines! A classic buffet restaurant located minutes from the Magic Kingdom. It is very lively, bright and upbeat with characters every so often leading guests in song and dance! Chef Mickey’s is the definite crowd pleaser for all ages
3. Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios is where you can meet your favorite Disney Jr. characters for Breakfast and Lunch or dine with Minnie and friends for dinner. This fun, interactive buffet breakfast features Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Handy Manny. Kids will be able to get up and dance, sing, and parade around with their favorite Disney Jr. pals! At dinner, you can experience Minnie’s Seasonal Dine, to where you will meet Minnie and her friends dressed in their seasonal best. Kids and adults will have fun celebrating the joyful togetherness of the holidays, the glamour of Hollywood, the delight of spring, the excitement of summer and the frightening fun of Halloween. Each season brings with it unique music, décor, costumes, menu items, and interactive musical moments.
4. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Hollywood Studios is a favorite for the older kids in your family. This restaurant is set up like 50’s drive in movie where you will dine in a car shaped booth or table. Sit under the stars while you eat and watch Sci-Fi movie clips from alien invasions to mummies attacking. If you don’t want to have an entire meal here, but still want to check it out book a reservation and have dessert!
5. Teppan Edo in Japan’s Epcot is where you will find the Teppan chefs cooking Japanese cuisine right in front of you. Flying shrimp tails, Mickey Mouse head made out of oil and a steaming “volcano” are bound to keep kids amused. Be sure to try this exciting hibachi meal that provides fun entertainment for the whole family in this part meal, part show dining experience.
6. Be Our Guest in the Fantasyland section of the Magic Kingdom is another one of a kind dining experience. Breakfast and Lunch are quick service meals while dinner is a table service. You will step inside the enchanting castle of the Beast and be seated in one of the three dining rooms- The West Wing, The Castle Gallery or The Grand Ballroom. The theme of each is amazing and Disney engineers did a wonderful job of immersing guests into the heartwarming mystery and romance of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Be sure to try the grey stuff because it truly is delicious!
7. Garden Grill is located in the Future World section of Epcot. A character meal featuring Chip n’ Dale, Pluto & Mickey! This is Disney World’s only rotating restaurant and turns very slowly as you eat giving you different views of the Living with the Land attraction. Garden Grill is served family style with foods like roasted turkey, filet of beef, fish of the day, mashed potatoes and a Living with the Land salad that has greens and other vegetables grown right in Epcot!
8. Ohana located in the Polynesia resort is a quick trip from Magic Kingdom on the monorail. The
breakfast features Lilo, Stitch, Pluto & Mickey. Food is served family style and is very delicious! You will get a basket of Hawaiian bread followed by a huge helping of Mickey waffles, scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, and sausage. The juice, commonly referred to as P.O.G., is a mix of passion fruits, orange juice and guava juices- delicious is an understatement! Ohana means family and you are treated like family when you eat here! Another option for this restaurant is dinner, which features Polynesian inspired dishes and great entertainment. If you get a later reservation, you can even get a view of the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks while you eat!
9. Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom is a character meal with your favorite Hundred Acre Wood friends, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore. Breakfast features French Toast Puffs, an omelet station, and chocolate chip pancakes. Later, enjoy carved flank steak for lunch and sirloin for dinner, plus oven-roasted chicken, Atlantic salmon, peel-and-eat shrimp, turkey, mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets and more. Is it my favorite food, no but is it worth a visit to see your kids smiling faces when Winnie the Pooh and friends comes out to visit, absolutely!
10. Coral Reef located in Future World at Epcot has spectacular views of a living coral reef with the 4,000 amazing sea creatures who call this place home. This restaurant features tiered seating with one entire wall that looks into the tank from The Seas with Nemo & Friends. The menu is mainly seafood but other options like steak and pasta are also available. For kids they always have pizza, chicken, pork and a fish of the day. The view alone makes Coral Reef a one of a kind dining experience and is a great non character meal choice that is sure to please kids and adults alike.
There are so many great restaurants in Disney World that it is difficult to narrow it down to just ten! Some other’s include Akershus Princess Storybook Dining, 1900 Park Fare, 50’s Prime Time Cafe, T-Rex at Disney Springs, and Sanaa to name a few! Wherever you choose to eat, Disney does an excellent job at making sure everyone has a great time.
It is always recommended that dining reservations are made in advance. You can begin making them 180 days before the date of your vacation. If you need helping planning your next Disney vacation, please contact me at jillian@mickeytravels or find me on Facebook! MickeyTravels in an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and our services are 100% free.
