![]() People are always asking where is the best place to eat in the World. Welp, that’s a very difficult question. Obviously everybody’s preferences are different in terms of atmosphere, food and who they are dining with. Is it just adults? Are there kids? Does anybody have any food allergies? I thought I would share my personal favorites in terms of food AND atmosphere (a 2 for 1 deal!). Before I get into that, though, I would like to say that if anybody in your party has any dietary restrictions, Disney is the place to go. They are absolutely fabulous. You can call ahead and give them your dining reservation number and notify them of your restrictions. It is also a good idea to mention it to your host or hostess when they are seating you. Oftentimes the chef will come out and help you pick what you can eat. For buffets, the chefs often come out and physically walk you through the buffet and point out what you can and can’t eat. So, if you have dietary restrictions… I recommend you move to Disney World. Or, for any other reason as well. :) Favorite Restaurants for Food ![]() 1) Tusker House - this is located in Animal Kingdom. It is buffet-style African food. They also have a section for kids (which is even at their height!). The kids section has things like mini-corn dogs, fries, and other familiar food. This is a must-do every single trip for me. ![]() 2) Le Cellier - this is located in the Canada pavilion in Epcot. It is a steakhouse, but they have many other fabulous dishes. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back. ![]() 3) Kona Cafe - located in the Polynesian, this restaurant has phenomenal breakfasts. Their Tonga Toast is a favorite among… everybody, but pretty much everything else here is to die for as well. :) Anybody can eat here, not just those staying at the Polynesian. If you aren’t staying on the monorail line, it would be good to eat here on a day you are planning on visiting either Magic Kingdom or Epcot in the morning. Favorite Restaurants for Atmosphere My husband and I both enjoy the food at these restaurants, it’s just not the main draw for us. ![]() 1) Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant - this restaurant is located at Hollywood Studios. I just love the atmosphere. It is a dark-ish restaurant meant to look like a 1950’s drive in theater… where you eat in cars and watch short B-movies! Love. It. ![]() 2) Coral Reef - this restaurant is located in the Future World section of Epcot. You are eating next to an enormous aquarium (one entire wall of the restaurant is the aquarium) full of fish, sharks and turtles. Very very cool. ![]() 3) San Angel Inn Restaurante - this restaurant is (not surprisingly) located in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot. Inside you’ll find an authentic Mexican market, an enormous pyramid, and a starry Mexican night sky. You can also catch glimpses of people going by on the boat ride that is also located here. ~ Bonus! ~ Favorite Restaurants for Experience/Atmosphere I thought this should be it’s own separate section because, well, it’s not just the atmosphere that makes these places so amazing… it’s the experience too! ![]() 1) Crystal Palace - This is located just off of Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. It is a gorgeous, bright restaurant that is practically all windows. It is a buffet-style restaurant with character experiences. The characters in this restaurant are from Winnie The Pooh. They rotate through the restaurant and stop by your table to say hi and take pics. Any adults weirded out by this… don’t be. I’ve been here with a group made ONLY of adults. It wasn’t awkward at all. I’ve seen other adults there as well. You can have as much interaction with the characters as you want. ![]() 2) Be Our Guest Restaurant - this is located in the New Fantasyland section of the Magic Kingdom. It can not. be. missed. First, it is located inside Beast’s castle (from Beauty and the Beast). Second, as soon as you enter you walk through a hall of suits of armor, where you place your order on touch-screen kiosks (for lunch). I’ll save the rest for a surprise, but let me say, the way they bring your food is the coolest thing ever. You HAVE to try it. There are no reservations accepted for lunch, but are pretty much required for dinner. There you have it! My favorite restaurant faves. Bon Appetit! ![]() Taking small children to Disney World can be a very daunting task in the safety department. It seems to only get more complicated by the day. Parents are worried about what happens if their child gets lost or stolen? While I don’t have kids myself, I don’t blame them. Disney World is HUGE. (Random tangent: when I was a child I got lost/wandered away while visiting the happiest place on earth at least twice (that I remember) and both times I was reunited with my family very quickly. So even though I don’t have kids, I can relate from the child’s perspective. I have seriously still questioned if they were TRYING to leave me behind after the second time.) I digress… I have read many comments here and there over the years that I’ve thought would be awesome tips for those bringing kids to see the mouse. I thought compile a list of my own personal faves. Again... I have to mention… I can’t take credit for these ideas being my own. These are not tips I’ve ever seen given out/supported by Disney, but I can’t imagine they’d ever object! Now, on to it! 1) Take a picture of your child each morning before you leave your room. In a time of stress (God forbid) there is a good chance you won’t be able to remember what your kid is wearing that day. Also, I’d like to add, delete the picture from the previous day if the pictures will be next to each other in your history. :) 2) Ensure your child CAN’T forget your cell phone number. If there is any chance you feel they may not remember it (keeping in mind it’s easy to forget common things in times of emotional turmoil) use some method to put your number “on” your child. I’ve seen some pretty creative ideas in this area. First, you can use numbered beads (from a craft store) and string them on a piece of elastic (also from the craft store). You can then make it into a necklace or bracelet. I personally would opt for the necklace due to the use of magic bands. Another cool option is to make custom temporary tattoos. Just google that phrase and you can find many different companies that have tattoos that say “If Lost, Please Call ###-####”. 3) Show the little ones who a cast member is and what their name tags look like as SOON as you arrive. This was another really clever idea I’ve read. While their costumes change depending on where they are working, their name tags are the same. Show your child the cast member’s name tag and explain to look for somebody with that name tag if they get lost. (I’ve also heard of telling children to look for other mom’s with kids, and go to them. I’m not sure how I feel on this personally, but to each their own, and if you think it’s a good idea, go for it!). 4) This idea is pretty contrary to my previous point, but another great thought is to tell your child to stay put! If they notice they are lost, they should stay exactly where they are (and hope it isn’t outside in the middle of a torrential downpour). You should, theoretically, be able to retrace your steps and find your child where you left them. 5) Again, another contrary point, have a meeting place (for the older people in the group). Have a VERY SPECIFIC meeting place. Telling people to meet by Spaceship Earth is NOT helpful… it’s a huge icon. What side of Spaceship Earth? I hope some of these were helpful and can place your mind at ease when traveling to the World so your only worries are what ride to go on next. :) |
AuthorBrittany is a Disney fanatic and an agent with Magical Journeys Travel. As a College of Disney Knowledge graduate, she has plenty of expert tips to share. Brittany can help you plan a spectacular Disney vacation and ensure you get the best deal possible... for free! Archives
October 2023
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