How do you like to eat on a disney vacation?

[danyoung56]

I don't limit myself when on a Disney vacation. I try to diet a bit more than usual in the weeks before, losing a few pounds so I have room to gain it all back! I don't like going off property for meals during vacations, instead enjoying either the parks or resorts. I also don't like worrying too much about the budget. I try to have enough in the bank to cover everything, and even a little bit more if something should come in pricier than I expected.

In the MK I'm big fan of Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's, so I'll suffer through a so-so burger (although that fixin's bar is pretty incredible!) just to catch a set from the biggest little star in the galaxy. I also like the seafood at Columbia Harbor House, eating upstairs on the "bridge" and watching the people below. Lately I've enjoyed the Plaza if I have the time - they do a pretty mean reuben.

I don't usually do lunch in Epcot, but I'm big on almost all of the TS locations. My fav by far is the Coral Reef, both for the food and for the amazing atmosphere. I'll rotate through most of the World Showcase restaurants, just to have the variety.

About the only place in the Studios that I frequent is the Brown Derby, although my last visit in January was pretty sucky due to a bad waitress. I'll be back again, though, and hopefully it'll be better.

I usually skip breakfast, but I like the breakfast buffet at Tusker House in DAK - great food, and I really like being ahead of the rope drop crowd. Yak & Yeti has been pretty good for lunch, but I never miss hitting the ribs at Flame Tree.

I also enjoy dinner in the resorts, lately frequenting Narcoosee's and 'Ohana. But by far my favorite restaurant anywhere is the California Grill. Great food, great service, and an amazing view over the Seven Seas Lagoon and the MK. I try to get there a couple hours before fireworks, and then stand out on the balcony, drink in hand, watching the explosions over the MK - magical!

 

[Hockey89]

V&A is my only must every year.... I mix and match the other signature places every year.... Can't wait to try new places at Disney Springs.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

 

[disneyfirstLJ]

My daughter is not a meal eater. She likes to snack throughout the day instead of eating big meals. So we each pick one place where we want to go that requires an ADR and I schedule those. Otherwise, we play it by ear. Sometimes I will schedule something special like in 2015 we did the Tea at the Grand Floridan and in 2016 we did the Wishes dessert party. We only eat in a chain restaurant if it is something we don't have at home like Earl of Sandwich.

 

[aw14]

We have certain restaurants that are go to's for us each trip (Boma, Rose and Crown) however we try to find at least one or two that we have never tried.

Although this trip we aren't doing Rose and Crown. We have the following
Chefs de France
Sanaa
Raglan Road
Boma
'Ohana

 

[Me 'Earties]

Oh man-I love to eat while at WDW. At home, we typically cook our dinners, and going out is typically reserved for a lunch/dinner during the weekend (like perhaps a Panera for lunch one day, and/or dinner at local sushi place). Basically, at home, we are reserved; at Disney, we go bananas. I typically have one ADR per day (can't wing it anymore with larger groups and with children that cannot wait until 9 pm to sit down), and it's a mix of favs and something new. On the list of must-dos for us are Tony's (tradition mostly-we live outside NYC, so you can imagine that we have a lot of Italian places ), Boma, Chefs de France, 'Ohana, and Biergarten (usually we just walk up for lunch here). And then we are eating all throughout the day-any of many quick service places on property, snacks, etc. I will say that if we're using our DVC, breakfast is typically made in the room's kitchen. We're always amazed of how much we spend on food-probably way too much but the TIW have helped a little (again, large party and an ADR just about every night).

All I know is that I'll have way too many pineapple floats while there!

 

[LAKid53]

We have our favorites... dinner our last night will be Raglan Road. If we are staying at WL, then breakfast the morning we leave is Whispering Canyons - I mean unlimited eggs, bacon, sausage, Mickey waffles - heaven in a skillet. We normally eat breakfast in our room because one of our traveling party just can't seem to get her posterior out of bed before 8:00 am (yeah, I'm looking at you, DD!)

We usually plan around the park we are in for dinner or checking out what's new at Disney Springs. There are still restaurants at Epcot I've not patronized, so our next trip will include dining in Mexico (I know, how could I have missed tequila flights) and Morocco.

 

[Plowboy]

Mrs. P and I like to mix it up every trip, although we have our "musts" that we hit every trip. For example, we "must" hit the Biergarten one day in Epcot and we "must" do Boma for breakfast on our final morning. We usually do food court breakfast on park days and since we usually go during F&W we graze a fair amount. As an example of our tastes, I submit the following ADR's for our upcoming November trip: Olivia's (breakfast), Turf Club (dinner), Yak & Yeti (lunch), Jiko (dinner), Biergarten (lunch), Raglan Road (brunch), Olivia's (dinner), Boma (breakfast). Not to be forgotten is the elusive reservation for Hoop-de-doo that I can't seem to snag. Bon Appetite!

 

[Cowboy Steve]

Not to be forgotten is the elusive reservation for Hoop-de-doo that I can't seem to snag. Bon Appetite!

I stumbled upon a little tidbit when making reservations for our trip the week after Thanksgiving - call the dining reservation line even if the dinner show you want isn't showing up on the Disney website. When making our ADRs at 180 days out the dinner show we wanted (Spirit of Aloha) wasn't showing up on the online dining reservation system. So we tried via Chat with a cast member. They didn't have access to any more information than we did online, but they suggested calling the reservation hotline as their system was different. We did... and sure enough, the dinner show was available for reservations! We also had the same problem with the Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party - it wasn't showing up online. Again, via the Dining Reservation hot line, we were able to make reservations! Double score! lol. Might be too late for your trip this year, but something to file away for your next trip!

 

[HurricaneHanna]

We usually do a table service breakfast or early lunch. We do a table service dinner every night usually on the late side. We like to try at least one new place on every trip. This time it will be Tiffins and Skipper Canteen. There a few favorites that are must dos every time- Bluezoo, Citricos, California Grill, Flying Fish (so glad this will be open again soon).

 

[Belle_MTL]

We are in the minority in that we cook most of our own meals even when staying at WDW. We always stay in a cabin at Fort Wilderness. On park days we pack a lunch for our kids and my husband and I will just grab a QS. At home we never eat takeout due to my son's multiple food allergies. So I've noticed that since my kids are not used to take out, when we did order them QS they would barely touch it (ordered chicken tenders and broccoli for my son at Columbia Harbour House and he only ate the broccoli). We do have one TS that is an absolute must and that is breakfast at Chef Mickey's. We try to mix up the Qs' that we eat at to try them all, with the exception of AK, where we have to eat at Mr.Kamal's. We actually go back at the end of the day and order samosas to bring back to the cabin.

 

[jaklgreen]

With all the options for food on a disney vacation how do you decide? We have a family tradition what we call "eating outside the box" aka we don't eat at chain places that we could get at home and we like trying different things so whenever a new place opens we're on it but we also have a few favorites. For example, when I travel with my granddaughter for her it's not a vacation if she doesn't have lunch at the patisserie in France...apparently that ham and cheese croissant with a strawberry tart has her name all over it lol. We also like things like the specialty meals during food and wine but mainly it's one sit down/table service meal a day and we play the rest by ear. So how do you food at disney?

We eat like you. We try to eat something that we do not get on a regular basis. My kids love Biergarten and Teppan, etc. No burgers for us. The patisserie is also a must. Over the years my kids have tried so many new things that they have enjoyed that trying new foods is one of the highlights of our trip. I go solo every year for the Food and Wine fest and try to do as many food seminars as possible.

 

[jaklgreen]

I go to WDW to eat and drink, pretty much everything else is a bonus. I go every year during F&W so at Epcot it's all about trying to eat at every booth at least once. Columbia Harbour House and Flametree Barbecue are my 2 gotta have places in the theme parks. Disney Springs is tough, I've always been a huge Raglan Road fan but with all that has opened this past year I may skip it on my next trip. It's my favorite restaurant in the world, but then again so has been Jiko's and Flying Fish. Man there is such awesome food in DIsney, just eat everything, thats my goal.

Where we separated at birth? LOL My new favorite is Morimotos.

 

[Mickey5150]

Where we separated at birth? LOL My new favorite is Morimotos.

Most people plan fastpasses before they go, I'm more concerned about where my schedule takes me as far as food. I only have 2 DS stops this next trip but I'm trying to squeeze in a 3rd just to eat more.

 

[KikoKea]

We are not foodies and are happy with salads, hot dogs, sandwiches, and burgers. So, food is not an attraction or high on our list of enjoyable or must-do items, and we prefer not to spend a large portion of our budget on food.

However.....we do have a few favorite places to eat. We love Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's for sentimental reasons, and are fine with the burgers or salads, and always find the sandwiches and salads at Columbia Harbor House to be good, and we love the decor and quiet upstairs. Flame Tree in AK has great BBQ, even if you do have to fend off the birds. Sunshine Seasons has a good variety to choose from and we like eating in the atrium of The Land if it is not crowded, and we always stop by Kringla in Norway for a pastry in the evening to eat on the way out of the park. We also like Tangerine at Morocco because the the different and 'exotic' (to us!) items.

The only TS places we really like are Sanaa at AK Lodge because of the interesting menu, San Angel Inn for the atmosphere , and Akershus at Norway because we really do like the food there.

 

[mishel635]

We look at sit down meals as a big part of our vacation and like to try a few new restaurants every time and also a few favorites that we do every trip (dinner at Ohana, Sanaa, Chef Mickey's breakfast). Since we usually walk about 8-10 miles every day at Disney I don't usually gain any weight either despite eating anything we want from morning til night!