Hiya Pals!
Eating in Disney can be overwhelming. We’re talking all things food in this blog! Do you pack your own food? When should you make reservations? Where can we eat? Is it all expensive? We’ll talk about all this and more! Follow along for tips about eating in Disney.
Bringing your own food
Did you know Disney allows you to bring in your own food? Therefore, you can pack a small cooler and bring almost anything along with you. Oftentimes, we pack lunch along with us and eat in line. It saves time on waiting and money on ordering. You can almost always count on us having snacks in our park bag. This helps with mini meltdowns and keeps the hunger at bay. The rules regarding coolers are as follows: Coolers with or without wheels, larger than 24″ long X 15″ wide X 18″ high are NOT allowed. Loose or dry ice is also not allowed. They suggest using re-usable ice packs, but we often pack small quart or sandwich size zip top bags with ice in them. This allows us to throw the whole thing away after we eat. Eating in Disney just got cheaper- when you bring in your own food.
When to make dining reservations
In order to get the best reservations, you can book Disney dining locations at the 60-day mark. This means 60 days from the first day of your vacation, you can book reservations for your entire trip. Dining reservations at certain locations can be really hard to get, so we suggest booking right away at 60 days, and if there’s a place you really want to try- make that reservation for later in your trip.
You may also want to have Erica with Travel Design Loft help you book your dining reservations! Don’t forget Disney phone lines open at 7:00am EST so you may need to call super early to get those sought after reservations. You may also find that “off times” may be easier to get reservations. Dinner at 4pm EST is really 5pm for me at home so that’s something to keep in mind when making reservations. Being flexible in your schedule helps get reservations. Eating in Disney just got easier-when you have reservations.
Character Dining Reservations
Where can you meet characters without waiting in long lines? Character Dining locations! We love every character meal we’ve tried, and highly suggest them to most people! The current list of character meals are the following: Chef Mickey’s @ Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Ohana’s (breakfast only) @ Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Crystal Palace @ Magic Kingdom, Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White (dinner only) @ Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Cape May Cafe (breakfast only) @ Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Garden Grill @ EPCOT, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall @ EPCOT, Hollywood and Vine @ Hollywood Studios, Topolino’s Terrace (breakfast only) @ Disney’s Riviera Resort, Tusker House @ Animal Kingdom, and RETURNING SOON 2/28/23 Cinderella’s Royal Table @ Magic Kingdom.
Luckily, we have been able to try all of these locations and the food is fantastic. Being able to meet characters while sitting in an air-conditioned room and not waiting in line is a fantastic perk! You may want to choose your dining location based on who’s meeting and where you may be staying or visiting that particular day. These meals can be pricey be prepared to spend around $30-40 per child and $45-60 per adult depending on the time and location of your meal. Eating in Disney just got more convenient-when you skip character lines!
Sit down meals vs. quick serve meals
Quick serve meals are where you walk up to a window and place an order, whereas sit down meals are defined as having waitstaff come to your table. Sit down meal locations are located in every park, as well as all moderate and deluxe resorts. These locations offer great food, fun atmosphere and fantastic service. Some of our favorite sit down meals include Boatwright’s Dining Hall @ Port Orleans Riverside, Coral Reef @ EPCOT, Olivia’s @ Old Key West Resort, Three Bridges Bar and Grill @ Coronado Springs and Beaches and Cream @ Beach Club Resort. These restaurants fall in the mid-range price wise. You can expect to pay around $15-35 per person per meal.
Additionally, quick serve meals are located in every park, in every resort, and offer mobile service as well. You can find anything from fruit to sandwiches, to pizza and tacos at these locations. Some of our favorite quick serve restaurants are Pecos Bills @ Magic Kingdom, Primo Piatto @ Riviera Resort, ABC Commissary @ Hollywood Studios, and Satu’li Canteen @ Animal Kingdom. These restaurants are the cheapest on Disney property and can range in price from just a few dollars up to $15 per person depending on what you order.
Reservations are recommended for sit down meals, but not required however, reservations are required for signature or character dining.
Dining Packages with fireworks viewing
Disney is currently offering dining packages where you can reserve a meal and a spot for a show. Currently, these are offered for Fantasmic packages and your choice of Mama Melrose’s Ristorante, Hollywood Brown Derby, 50’s Prime Time Cafe, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater and Hollywood & vine. Prices include your meal and guaranteed seating at Fantasmic. These are great options if you really want to see Fantasmic and eat at a great restaurant!
Similarly, at EPCOT if you want to see fireworks and dine in great locations you can book a package at restaurants like Spice Road Table, and Rose and Crown. Moreover, EPCOT offers dining packages that include entertainment that are in conjunction with the fesivals. You can find reservations and entertainment packages for all the festivals. If this is something you may be interested in we suggest talking to your Disney Travel Agent Erica!
Allergies or dietary restrictions
In reality, a vast number of people suffer from food allergies. If you or someone in your party requires a specific diet restriction fear not! Disney does a great job across all locations offering a menu that anyone can eat from. Just let your waitstaff know or enter it into your mobile order. I know a lot of people who have changed menu items to be friendly to their specific allergy or restriction. It’s something Disney does really well. In fact, at sit down restaurants the chef may even come to your table to go over the menu and let you know what dishes can be altered. When in doubt always ask! Eating in Disney just got easier-when you order allergy friendly meals.
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