What are your favorite places to eat?

[PHS79]

Today the first day of our is at the 180 day mark, so we are trying to figure out where we would like to make our reservations. The 3 of us (my DW, DD 5, and myself) are going to be there 10 days/9 nights and my parents are going to join us for 6 days/5 nights, and we all will have the DDP. We know that we are going to make reservations for Ohana, Chef Mickeys, Akershus, and Be Our Guest. But we are not sure of any others after that.

What are some of your favorite places to eat that take reservations? Also we are planning on probably 2 nights that my parents will take our DD so my DW and I can have a little kid free time. So what restaurants would you suggest for those nights?

Thank you!!

 

[LAKid53]

Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios or California Grill at the Contemporary for those child free dinners.

 

[zurgandfriend]

Some nice signature restaurants are California Grill, Yachtsman, Citrico's, Narcoosee's, Flying Fish or Fulton. Some 1 credit to enjoy are Chefs de France, Rose and Crown, Captain's Grille, Kona Cafe, Grand Floridian Cafe or Tutto Italia.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

California Grill, Biergarten, raglan Road, Via Napoli.

 

[mouse_luv]

Teppan Edo, the Plaza, Yachtsman, Kona Cafe

 

[horizons82]

I can't recommend California Grill enough for an all-around experience...it's at the top of the Contemporary, had excellent food, and you can go out on the observation desk at night to watch the fireworks.

In my opinion, if enjoying a nice meal is your primary goal, I would recommend the resort restaurants over in-park restaurants as the ones in the resorts tend to be a little more slower pace and the quality of the food higher (and more spacious dining areas as the tables more separated).

Another place I'd recommend would be Jiko--which is in the Animal Kingdom Lodge--but would require a slightly more adventurous palate.

If the ones above are perhaps a little too high-end, I would also recommend Sanaa in the Kidani Village section of the Animal Kingdom Lodge as it has been my favorite meal that is a little below the signature restaurant price range.

Best in-park restaurant IMHO is Le Cellier in Epcot (although noisy, crowded, and tables close together), and Hollywood Brown Derby in the Studios for all-around experience.

Enjoy!

 

[sophie_the_pooh]

Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios or California Grill at the Contemporary for those child free dinners.

Agreed! With your daughter, I would suggest The Crystal Palace, lots of character interactions (Pooh and friends)and the food is great! The Coral Reef in Epcot is also a good option, my son loved to look at the aquarium while eating (ok, he also enjoyed running around the restaurant, but the fishes kept him entertained for a while!). Sci-fi dine-in in DHS is also an original option, since you get to eat in a car parked in front of the large screen.

 

[aw14]

In park we always eat at Rose and crown. At resorts Boma and Sanaa are
Also excellent choices.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Casey's Corner

 

[aw14]

Totally forgot Casey's. We love it. Can't beat the pulled pork hotdogs.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Totally forgot Casey's. We love it. Can't beat the pulled pork hotdogs.

It certainly needs to have ADRs - you can stand for ages trying to get a table !!!!

 

[piperuk]

Have been three times to WDW and each time have been lucky enough to have the DDP

Fave top 5 eateries are:

50s Prime Time Cafe (best food in any of the parks in my opinion. The meatloaf is to die for, and its just so much fun! The servers are great)

Whispering Canyon Cafe (again loads of fun, great food, great servers, plus Wilderness Lodge is a brilliant hotel)

Buma (amazing well cooked buffet, perfect)

Ohana (dinner was amazing -but didn't rate the breakfast)

Cape May Cafe (again, top class buffet)

Honourable mentions go to:
Sci Fi Dine In - great experience
Tusker House - great food
Olivia's - gorgeous food, away from the crowds
Tony's Town Square - ditto, plus a wonderful location for the parades
The Crystal Palace - its a good buffet with characters slap bang in the middle of MK - perfect? Almost, just outside of my top 5 as I've had better buffets elsewhere, ie. Buma and CMC.
Akershus breakfast - unlimited plates of cooked breakfast and also an unlimited cold buffet! Food and princesses everywhere. Great if your daughter is around that Princess obsessed age. A better option than dining in Cinderella's castle IMO if your budget won't stretch to both.

Have tried some of the other 'big favourites' but wasn't as impressed - these include Chef Mickey's, Biergarten, (both overhyped, not bad by any means, but expected better especially Biergarten), Boatwrights, 1900 Park Fare breakfast...but that's just my opinion!

Haven't tried any signature restaurants...they are next on the list!

 

[bee]

Places I have been and liked in the last few years and my opinion of their kid-friendliness:
Kid-friendly: Via Napoli, La Hacienda de San Angel (Epcot), The Wave (Contemporary), Kona Cafe (Polynesian) Rainforest Cafe (DTD/AK)
Less kid-friendly but still kid-tolerable: Chefs de France, Coral Reef, San Angel Inn (Epcot), Portobello (DTD)
Better for adults only: Crossroads at House of Blues (DTD-casual with great happy hour!)

Places I haven't been but have heard are fabulous:
Kid-friendly: T-Rex (DTD), Chef Mickey's (Contemporary), Garden Grill, Akershus (Epcot), Cinderella's Royal Table, The Crystal Palace (MK), 'Ohana (Polynesian), Boma (AKL), 1900 Park Fare (GF)
Better for adults only: California Grill (Contemporary)

 

[DisneyDaver]

What are some of your favorite places to eat that take reservations? Also we are planning on probably 2 nights that my parents will take our DD so my DW and I can have a little kid free time. So what restaurants would you suggest for those nights?

Far and away the best choice for the two of you is the California Grill at the Contemporary. I've had some of the best meals I've ever had there. My wife and I will be dining there this November on the night of our 1 year wedding anniversary. Try to go when you can enjoy watching Wishes from one of their balconies after dinner.

 

[TXDisney]

We love Le Celier in Canada at epcot. We do dinner there everytime we go.
We are trying a few new restaurants this time when we go in a couple weeks. Trying teppen edo, California grill and akershus dining hall. Hopefully they will be good. Also remember you will be going during the food and wine festival, so the day or days you're in epcot there's food everywhere, so you don't need reservations really.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

Recommended: Coral Reef (Epcot), Crystal Palace (MK - breakfast only), Nine Dragons (Epcot), Biergarten (Epcot), Whispering Canyon (Wilderness Lodge Resort), San Angel Inn (Epcot).

Used to recommend but not anymore: Teppan Edo (Epcot) - because the food is rather blah and our local Japanese steakhouse is cheaper with better food; 'Ohana (Polynesian Resort) - because they got rid of chicken as one of the main meal proteins and we don't care for the bread pudding desert; LeCellier (Epcot) - extremely overrated place that now take 2 DP options and it's ok but not worth that.

Tried and would NOT recommend: Mama Melrose (DHS) - food there simply wasn't good; 50's Prime Time (DHS) - food was lousy and the waitress was never in character; Sci-Fi Diner (DHS) - the theming and decor was far better than the food; Chef Mickey's (Contemporary Resort) - simply too noisy and too long a wait (breakfast buffet at Crystal Palace is much better); Tony's Town Square (MK) - food was just not very good.