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The Walt Disney World Restaurants That Offer You A Different Experience Every Time

The Walt Disney World Resort is certainly not short of restaurants for Guests to dine in. There is something for every appetite, and a variety of experiences to enjoy too.

When it comes to grabbing something on-the-go, Disney snacks are readily available throughout the Disney theme parks. If you’re looking for casual dining, quick-service restaurants are the place to stop, whether that be in a Disney theme park, or Disney Resort, and we’re not just talking about typical fast food, like burgers and fries. In fact, there are a huge range of choices on offer around Walt Disney World when it comes to quick-service dining options. No need to wait in line either; the introduction of Mobile Ordering has made it easy for Guests to place an order using the Disney Genie app.

For something a little more relaxing, Guests can choose from a wide range of full-service restaurants. These include:

  • family-style dining experiences, where food is served to your table in skillets, allowing for each Guest to help themselves to what they fancy, such as Liberty Tree Tavern and Whispering Canyon Cafe.
  • buffet dining, where Guests have a wide range of choices available to them, such as Boma – Flavors of Africa and Cape May Cafe. 
  • fine or signature dining experiences, offering top-quality food in sophisticated and refined dining rooms, such as California Grill and Citrico’s.
  • Disney character dining, where Guests are accompanied by favorite Disney characters, such as Tusker House Restaurant and Chef Mickey’s.
  • featured dining experiences that are unique to the Walt Disney World Resort, such as Tiffins Restaurant and Coral Reef Restaurant.
  • casual dining experiences where you can just relax in the surroundings whilst enjoying good food, such as Sebastian’s Bistro and Olivia’s Cafe.

We’ve recently covered the Walt Disney World attractions that guarantee you a different experience every time. Did you know that there are also several dining experiences available in Lake Buena Vista that will guarantee Guests a different experience every time?

Now, you may be wondering how this is possible… Of course, the menus in the Walt Disney World restaurants aren’t altered too frequently, meaning you’ll likely order and enjoy the same dish every time. However, it’s the Cast Members and the restaurant that you visit that will help to offer a unique Disney experience every time. So where can you have these different experiences despite dining in the same Walt Disney World restaurant? Let’s take a look!

Whispering Canyon Cafe

Located in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, this full-service restaurant is known to serve up all-you-care-to-enjoy signature skillets, in an Old Western style eatery. 

Not only is the food delicious but you can expect to be served by Cast Members who have plenty of sass. We’re talking having too many straws thrown onto the table with your drinks, your beverage being served in different size glasses depending on if you’ve asked for a ‘small glass of water’ or you’ve been caught needing a refill too many times, and a Cast Member even eating your very own birthday cake!

Don’t expect the dining room to be quiet either! From other tables telling everyone that they need ketchup, to the male members of the dining room having to sing ‘I’m A Little Teapot’ for everyone else (including actions!), and even games taking place for the younger Guests, Whispering Canyon Cafe keeps Guests returning for more! Whether you join in the fun for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’re guaranteed to have lots of fun!

whispering-canyon-cafe

Credit: Disney Tips

Hoop-De-Doo Musical Revue

Just across Bay Lake, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is home to Pioneer Hall. Every evening, the Pioneer Hall Players take to the stage to host the Hoop-De-Doo Musical Revue. Guests can enjoy a high-spirited show, filled with music and comedy, that is accompanied by a delicious feast. 

Unlimited beer, wine, sangria and soft drinks is available to Guests, as well as rustic-style food, and is even finished up with strawberry shortcake for dessert. Your experience will be different every time, just from the amount of food and drink you decide to consume. Not only that but members of the audience are invited to join in the show at several points, who will each bring something different every time. And if you want to join in the fun, you may need to visit a few times before you are chosen to get up on stage!

Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue

Credit: Disney

50’s Prime Time Cafe

Looking for a place to enjoy classic American comfort food, in an old-fashioned style restaurant? The 50’s Prime Time Cafe is the place to go. You’ll find it at Echo Lake in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, just a short walk from Hollywood Boulevard.

Open from 10:45 a.m. through to 9 p.m., Guests can enjoy lunch or dinner at this full-service restaurant. Whilst you may have your favorite menu items to order, you never know what your experience may entail. Why? Well because, this is a Disney dining location where the Cast Members are allowed to serve with sass, and may even be a little ‘nasty’ to their Guests. Make sure to show your table manners and eat your greens otherwise you could be in for a little telling-off!

prime-time-disney-world

Credit: Disney Tips

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

If you’d rather enjoy a little TV-watching whilst you eat your food, then you may want to head to Commissary Lane in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater offers Guests the experience of dining in a 50’s-style drive in ‘theatre’. Open from 10:30 a.m. through to 9 p.m., a scrumptious menu serves up American favorites. 

Enjoy the ambiance of the dining room, creating the feeling of being at a drive-in theatre. With a variety of sci-fi movie clips available to view, you may have to visit a few times to see them all. Keep returning for the same delicious food but different movie viewing every time!

sci-fi-dine-in

Credit: Disney Tips

Be Our Guest

Located in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom Park, Guests can dine in Beast’s enchanted castle at Be Our Guest. A prix fixe 3-course menu is served up that features French-inspired dishes, and of course, the Grey Stuff, which is famous from Lumiere’s song, Be Our Guest.

With plenty of menu choices, you could have a different meal every time you dine in this popular Disney restaurant. There are also three parts of the castle to dine in, which means you should dine here at least three times to have the full Disney experience. Each dining area is uniquely themed to immerse Guests in the story of Beauty and the Beast (1991):

  • The Grand Ballroom – ever wanted to be in the ballroom where Beauty and the Beast share their classic dance? You can do just that in the largest dining area of this Disney restaurant.
  • The West Wing – it’s a little darker in this part of the Castle, and a little more enchanted! Dine alongside the Beast’s enchanted rose, and watch his portrait above the fire closely…
  • The Castle Gallery – if you admire art, then you’ll love this private library that showcases pictures of iconic scenes from the movie that inspires this Disney restaurant.
Be Our Guest Restaurant

Credit: Disney

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

Just across Seven Seas Lagoon from Magic Kingdom, you’ll find a tropical tiki bar in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Open from 3 p.m. through to 12 a.m., daily, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is the place to enjoy light bites and refreshing, handcrafted cocktails, in a tranquil hideaway. 

This popular Disney lounge may require a wait before you are able to enter, but you’ll be glad you did, as there is plenty of fun and delightful surprises waiting inside. Each drink is served up with some sort of surprise by the incredible Skippers inside. And beware when the volcano erupts… No two visits to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto are ever the same! The unique experience coupled with the delicious cocktails is what keeps us returning every visit to the Walt Disney World Resort.

trader-sams-grog-grotto

Credit: V Mills

Character Dining

There are several character dining experiences available around Walt Disney World where Guests can enjoy delicious food with fantastic company. The opportunity to dine with your favorite Disney pals is what makes character dining experiences unique every single time. 

The character dining experiences that are currently available to Guests include:

  • Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort – breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. through to 12:30 p.m., whilst dinner is served 5 p.m. through to 9:30 p.m. Guests can take part in an all-you-care-to-enjoy feast with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto, who don their very own kitchen outfits for the dining experience.
  • The Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom – join Winnie The Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore for lunch or dinner in the greenhouse-inspired restaurant that features Victorian decor. Open from 11 a.m. through to 9 p.m., Guests are guaranteed to enjoy a bountiful buffet, whilst enjoying the cutest moments with their Hundred-Acre Wood friends.
  • Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT – Chip and Dale host their harvest feast in World Nature. Guests can dine in a slow-rotating restaurant whilst tucking into family-style dining. Mickey and Pluto join the Disney chipmunks to accompany Guests to their lunch or dinner. An advance dining reservation is recommended to dine above Living with the Land, and are available to book from 11:30 a.m. through to 8 p.m. every day.
  • Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios – join Disney Junior stars at the Disney Junior Play n’ Disney Breakfast, from 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Alternatively, join Minnie and friends for lunch or dinner, in Minnie’s Seasonal Dine, available from 11:30 a.m. through to 8 p.m. Each season brings different dishes to enjoy and new costumes to admire on your Disney pals. The seasonal dines that are available to enjoy include: Halloween Dine; Holiday Dine; Silver Screen Dine, and Springtime Dine. Check the Disney Parks website for the dates that these experiences can be enjoyed.
  • ‘Ohana in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – you’ll want to visit this popular dining location for breakfast to enjoy character dining. Lilo, Stitch, Mickey Mouse and Pluto join Guests for a family-style breakfast. Not only are Mickey waffles served up in your breakfast skillet here, but Stitch waffles are too!
  • Storybook Dining at Artist Point in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – not only are you accompanied by Snow White, Dopey and Grumpy here, but you are also served up a delicious and fanciful dinner, that includes shared appetizers and desserts, and each Guests’ choice of entree. The prix fixe menu price also includes your choice of beverage, including beer, wine and soft drinks. The Evil Queen will also be available to meet with Guests, should you dare get a photo with her!
  • Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera in Disney’s Riviera Resort – similar to ‘Ohana, you’ll want to secure an advance dining reservation at breakfast time to share your dining experience with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy as they don stylish outfits that are unique to Topolino’s Terrace. This Disney restaurant also offers a prix fixe menu, that is served up with a stunning rooftop view over Walt Disney World. 
  • Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom – this extremely popular dining location is the only place to see Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Goofy in their safari gear. Open, usually, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner, offering African-inspired dishes. Don’t forget to order a helping of the favorite Jungle Juice, a.k.a. POG juice to accompany your dining experience.

Are any of these dining locations a favorite for you and your family? Is there any that you have yet to try and are now feeling inspired to do so? Next time you’re looking for a Disney dining experience that offers something new every time, be sure to secure an advanced dining reservation in one of these locations. You’ll be glad you did!

Remember that advance dining reservations can be made up to 60 days before your visit, and ensure that you are able to dine in a certain restaurant at a particular time. While some Disney restaurants often have walk-in availability, it is worth securing an advance dining reservation if you know where you would like to eat to avoid disappointment if there are no walk-in tables available.

About Victoria Mills

Victoria is a Disney-loving, tea-drinking, Math teacher from Liverpool, England. Her motto is 'work hard, Disney harder'! Having taken part in the Disney College Program back in 2010, Victoria's love and appreciation for Walt Disney World only grew, and it's the place where she feels most herself - it's home!