4 replies to this topic

[Dianna]

I have several favorites based on different criteria.

 

Favorite table service food: Le Cellier - a Canadian steakhouse in the Canadian part of Epcot's World Showcase.

 

Favorite counter service food (and very reasonably priced, for Disney): Earl of Sandwich - the sandwiches are delicious (their bread is so good), and their sides and desserts are, too. Really packed around lunchtime, but the line moves fast.

 

Favorite theming: probably Sci-Fi Dine-in - a table service restaurant in Hollywood Studios - you really feel like you're in an old drive in theater when you walk in. You even eat in cars, and watch old (and I do mean old) sci-fi flicks.

 

Favorite service: the Rose and Crown - a table service restaurant in the England part of Epcot's World Showcase. We really clicked with the waitress one year there, and they named us "family of the day" and gave us free smoothies, party hats, fussed over us, and otherwise treated us special. It was just one of those "magic moments."

 

Favorite dessert: the Chocolate Wave at Epcot's Coral Reef restaurant in Future World (a few years ago... the more recent versions are nothing like what that first one was.) Oh my goodness... every chocolate dessert pales in comparison. I wish they still made them like that first one.

 

These favorites are based on when they had a good free dining plan. Now I wouldn't spend the money on any of them except for Earl of Sandwich (which I visit every year). The food at the off-property restuarants is better. (The taste and quality of the food at Disney restaurants has gone down due to the free dining.)

 

What are your favorites?

 

Dianna

[Jennifer Berry]

Totally agree about the Sci-Fi Dine In, but be aware you have to request the car or you may end up with a regular table. The loop of movies and clips overlapped by about 20 minutes while we were there, but it bugged me more than it did the kids. ;-)

I definitely endorse The Whispering Canyon restaurant at Wilderness Lodge for its food and atmosphere. It's like the 50s Diner at HS in that the wait staff are cheeky: the waitress introduced herself by telling my son to "shove ovah!" and perching herself on half his seat, she threw the straws on the table as she walked by, and if people don't eat all their vegetables your server is likely as not to cut off a piece and "airplane" it into your mouth with the rest of the restaurant's patrons supplying the sound effects. It's loud and wonderful fun, but it rubbed a couple members of our party the wrong way. There are also nightly wooden horse races, which all children present are encouraged to participate in, and if someone needs ketchup your child can help the wait staff be sure they get ALL the ketchup in the whole place. :-) The food was really good as well. Large portions of upscale meat-and-potatoes dishes like meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, roast chicken and vegetables, pork medallions in wine sauce, etc. All of us enjoyed our dishes thoroughly. I would put them firmly a step or two above your standard chain steak house in the quality of the food, with an atmosphere that is worth the extra price you pay at Disney. In addition the Wilderness Lodge resort is gorgeously themed and fun to walk around, and since it's just a short boat ride across the lagoon to the Magic Kingdom it can easily be fit into your day's schedule.

[Kaye Franks Moshtael]

Ok, now I definitely have to try Whispering Canyon...that sounds like a riot! This is not really a restaurant recommendation, but if you find that you are hungry in the parks, and hadn't really planned (ie, budgeted) for eating on site, turkey legs are probably the most economical solution.  I haven't had one at Disney in a while, but we have at Universal & Sea World.  Two of them easily feeds our family of 3 (and the males are pretty big eaters), and they usually run around $10/each.  No other way to feed 3 people on site for $20!  And remember, Disney will let you bring in food and drinks (Universal and Sea World, not so much!), and ice water is free at all of the parks.

[Christy Johnson Brown]

I agree about Le Cellier @ Epcot and Earl of Sandwich @ Downtown Disney.  Once before when we had purchased the Dining Plan, we went to the Hoop De Doo Review and spent  2 credits.  Food was pretty good and show was fun.  O'Hana has always been a favorite as well for dinner (went once for breakfast), but seems like food can be hit or miss.  Last few times were not as good as years past.  The French bakery in Epcot was awesome and the Japanese restaurant (can't remember name) had the coolest kid meal containers  that looked like an airplane and inside like bento box.  My kids loved it.

[Michelle Townes Lofton]

My kids love the character breakfast at O'Hana.  My youngest son drinks glass after glass of their guava juice!  It is their favorite character breakfast because the boys feel it is geared for slightly older kids.  O'Hana for dinner is great, too.  They will put together a vegan menu if requested.

 

My favorite is Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, because they have the best selection of vegan food at Disney World (in my opinion).  I am not stuck eating salad and a baked potato!  For counter service, I like Seasons at Epcot for the same reason I like Boma.  I can find hummus, bean salads, soy milk, and other non-dairy, non-meat items there.

 

My husband's favorites are House of Blues in Downtown Disney, Coral Reef at Epcot, and California Grill at the Contemporary.  He's a man of few words, so he didn't expound, just told me which ones made his list! LOL.  

 

On trips when we've rented a car, we've eaten at least half of our meals off-site.  There are so many wonderful restaurants in the area and the prices are usually more reasonable than those on-site.  We will hit the restaurant.com website right before we leave and select a few restaurants from that list, too.  In the past we've gotten House of Blues and Todd English's Bluezoo at the Dolphin.