Best Themed Table Service Restaurants in Disney World Resort Hotels

Guests often choose to eat meals in Walt Disney World’s Theme Parks, and there are plenty of fabulous choices waiting to be discovered in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.  Disney Springs is also full of memorable venues for a meal or drink.  

But the next time you visit WDW, don’t forget to check out the eateries within the Disney Resort Hotels. You don’t have to be staying there to enjoy a meal – try Resort Hopping!).  World-class food, impeccable theming, and renowned Disney service are all waiting for you.  Here are some of the best themed table service restaurants in WDW Resort Hotels. 

‘Ohana

Our favorite Walt Disney World restaurants immediately transport us to another place or time, and ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort certainly does that!  Take a trip to a tropical island in the South Pacific without ever leaving Orlando when you dine at this Polynesian-themed favorite.  Larger than life tikis abound amid lush greenery, and carved tropical birds and sea life soar overhead.  

The back of the chair you’ll sit in brings to mind a beautiful palm leaf, and Guests can watch meals being prepared over flames in the open kitchen.  If that’s not enough, snag a window seat for excellent views of Bay Lake and Cinderella Castle.  Enjoy island-inspired fare here for breakfast or dinner (the pineapple bread is out of this world!).

Credit: Disney

Beaches and Cream Soda Shop

Step into this 1950s soda shop for a taste of the sweet life!  Located in Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Beaches and Cream Soda Shop features fun retro décor (eat at an ice cream cone-shaped table, or a pastel-colored booth outfitted with beachballs) and great views of WDW’s best Resort pool complex, Stormalong Bay.  The shop just oozes happiness, and that’s even before you dig into one of Beaches and Cream’s signature treats!  

While burgers and other first course items are available, dessert is the big star here.  Malted milkshakes, delectable sundaes, cookie fries, and adult floats await.  And if you’re really hungry (or if you brought a few friends), try the famous Kitchen Sink: it’s ice cream covered in every topping on site!

Trail’s End Restaurant

Unless you’re staying here at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, it’ll be a bit of a hike to get to Trail’s End Restaurant – but it’s more than worth it for this underrated table service eatery!  Sometimes, even on vacation, you just want to get away from it all – and that’s exactly what Trail’s End offers.  Refreshingly simple and rustic, you’ll dine under wooden beams among folksy, backwoods décor (think canoes, animal heads, and hanging copper cookware) that, unlike most restaurants in WDW, really seems like it hasn’t changed much in decades.  

The authenticity here is charmingly unrefined, without bells and whistles, and allows Guests a break from the chaos of a day in a Disney Theme Park.  Plus, the food is surprisingly inexpensive here for a table service restaurant at WDW!  Enjoy American cuisine like cornbread, pork ribs, and sundaes as part of your family-style breakfast or dinner. 

Sanaa

What Disney World Guest wouldn’t love dining while zebras, giraffes, and gazelles graze on the other side of the window?  Head to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village for a meal at Sanaa, which overlooks Sunset Savanna.  

If you can tear your gaze away from the animals outside, look around at the displays of traditional African market items like gourds and woven baskets under the branches of a beautifully crafted acacia tree whose huge leaves cover the ceiling.  Enjoy African inspired dishes and Indian flavors (feel free to talk to your service about the level of spice you and your party can tolerate), including some of the best vegetarian dishes on Disney property.

Ale & Compass Restaurant

When Guests think of stellar restaurants in Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, typically the upscale Yachtsman Steakhouse comes to mind (rightfully so).  But if you’re looking for a less pricy, less formal restaurant with amazing appetizers, head to Yacht Club’s Ale & Compass Restaurant, which happens to have a delightful ambiance that is simultaneously cozy, elegant, and easygoing.  The ceiling is high but angled, and features numerous circular windows lending it the feel of a lighthouse, airy yet intimate.  

It’s tough to pull off a nautical theme without going overboard (pun intended) into kitschy territory, but Ale & Compass succeeds!  And oh, the food.  You can’t go wrong here, but do yourself a favor and try the Truffle Fries with Roasted Shallot Mayo, which may just be our favorite fries of life!

Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood

A 15^th-story location always helps push a WDW restaurant onto a “must-visit” list! Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood occupies the rooftop of Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, and unsurprisingly, the views across Disney property are spectacular.  But there’s just as much to look at within the restaurant itself.  

The décor embraces Spanish surrealism, and you won’t be able to pull your eyes away from the vaulted mosaic ceiling.  Huge arched windows frame the stunning view, and the two olive trees create a magical canopy above diners.  Try the small plates, featuring ingredients brought in directly from Spain.

Bottom Line

On a Disney World vacation, there are many restaurants competing for your attention, whether it’s in a Disney Theme Park or at Disney Springs.  But it would be a mistake to overlook the culinary and thematic gems within Disney’s Resort Hotels, where some of the very best dining on property can be had.  For a delicious meal in an unforgettable atmosphere, try one of these wonderfully themed table service restaurants at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel.