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Walt Disney World offers over 400 restaurants and food outlets, many of which are not located within the parks themselves. All resorts house their own food courts and/or restaurants - and you don't have to be a guest of that particular resort to enjoy what's on offer. In fact, we find this a great way to explore the various resorts and have discovered that some of these restaurants are the best on Disney property. There are also a number of table service and quick service restaurants situated in Disney Springs and on the Boardwalk (between Epcot and Hollywood Studios).
Here we'll be sharing our experiences of the various non-park locations we've dined at over the years.
Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House and Kidani Village
Sanaa (Kidani Village)
Sittings: Breakfast (Quick Service) Lunch and Dinner (Table Service)
Reservations: Available for lunch and dinner sittings.
Type of food: African with an Indian base
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit (Breakfast) 1 Table Service credit (Lunch and Dinner)
Characters: None
We've eaten dinner here on a number of occasions and if you're a fan of curry flavours, you'll love this restaurant - not only for it's delicious meals but also for the theming and fabulous service we've always received here.
Starting with the Indian-style Bread Service with all nine accompaniments can be filling (so arrive hungry) but is a fabulous way to sample a variety of different breads topped with a number of sauces of ascending spice. From mild mango chutney or red pepper hummus up to the rather fiery red chile sambal.
For your main meal, we recommend the Potjie Inspired option where you can choose from Goan Seafood Curry, Butter Chicken (a personal favourite), Beef or Spicy Durban Shrimp, then pair it with either a Chickpea Wat, Aloo Masala, Paneer Tikka, Lentil Dahl or Coconut Vegetables, all served with Basmati Rice. We find the dishes aren't too spicy but still have plenty of flavour.
The desserts are a work of art and most taste as good as they look. Our personal favourite is the Caramel N'dizi. The Kenyan Coffee Petit Entremet was good but we would have liked more coffee flavour.
Hint: Arrive early for your reservation and enjoy the views of the Sunset Savanna as you wait for your table. Inside the restaurant, there are a number of tables overlooking the savanna, where you may be treated to a visit from passing wildlife as you eat, but these tables aren't guaranteed and you could have a long wait for one to become available.
Boma - Flavors of Africa (Jambo House)
Sittings: Breakfast and Dinner - both buffet
Reservations: Available for both sittings.
Type of food: African cuisine served alongside American favourites
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit per person
Characters: None
Over at Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House, you'll find another popular restaurant, Boma - Flavors of Africa which serves breakfast until 11am and dinner from 5pm, both buffet style.
When we ate dinner here, we found the offerings quite extensive and the dishes varied enough to suit a number of palettes. Much of the food is on rotation, so when you dine depicts the exact dishes you'll receive, but there's always a choice of soups and stews, salads, meats, sides and desserts.
Again, this is a popular restaurant so bookings are recommended. The restaurant is noisy, heightened by the drums and singing which can take place intermittently throughout your meal, but it's supposed to resemble a bustling African marketplace, so it's to be expected.
If you're celebrating a special occasion, have this noted on your reservation and you might receive a nice surprise at the end of your meal:
The Mara (Jambo House)
Sittings: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Late Night Dining (Quick Service)
Reservations: Not Needed
Type of food: Breakfast Platters, Cereals and Pastries until 11.00am. Flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches and pitas at lunchtime, plus stews and chicken dinner (after 5pm). Also a select number of flatbread options for late night dining up to 1.30am.
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service Credit per meal
Characters: None
A great quick service restaurant, which is tucked away somewhat near the pool at Jambo House. We found breakfast was just okay whenever we ate here, preferring the pastry options to the bounty platters, but were never disappointed with anything else we ordered - especially the tasty flatbreads and pitas.
We wouldn't go out of our way to eat here again, but it's ideal for anyone staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort.
Beach Club Resort
Cape May Cafe
Sittings: Breakfast and Dinner - both buffet
Reservations: Available for both sittings.
Type of food: American, with an extensive seafood selection at dinner
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit per person
Characters: Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Goofy (Breakfast only)
If you're a fan of seafood, this is an ideal restaurant for you. The dinner buffet offers a variety of shellfish, shrimps/prawns and even provides buckets to fill with crabs legs.
There's also a selection of meats, salads, vegetables, breads, pasta and desserts to help yourself to.
We found the dinner buffet just okay, but the breakfast buffet is one of our favourites, not only for the food but also for the fabulous character interaction we've always had here.
Breakfast includes an array of fruits, cereals, pastries, meats, cheeses, hot food and most importantly, Mickey Waffles. There are often some more unusual dishes to try and we've never been disappointed with the breakfast food here.
The characters (at breakfast only) include Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy - all dressed in their beach attire. We've eaten here 4 times for breakfast and the interaction has always been so much fun. The characters take plenty of time at the table: signing autographs, posing for photos (including selfies), playing with the kids when they were younger and Goofy even sat down to draw a picture on one occasion. Great fun.
Yacht Club Resort
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Sittings: Dinner
Reservations: Available at 180 days
Type of food: Steak and Seafood
Dining Plan: 2 Table Service Credits per person
Characters: None
Next door at the Yacht Club Resort is a steak lovers dream. We ate at this Signature Restaurant during our 2019 trip, having heard glowing reviews of the food. It didn't disappoint.
You can watch the butchers as they prepare the cuts of meat, which is delivered to your table cooked to perfection. The food, service, and ambience were all top notch, and we were even presented with a personalised menu and complimentary dessert, in acknowledgement of our 20th Wedding Anniversary.
As it's a Signature Restaurant, eating here does require 2 table service credits per person, and if paying out of pocket, the prices are rather eye-watering. But, it's a great location for a special occasion, and we were even treated to some of the Epcot fireworks as we dined.
Contemporary Resort
Contempo Cafe
Sittings: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Not needed
Type of food: American
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We ate here while exploring the monorail resorts one evening before heading in to Magic Kingdom. Contempo Cafe is a Quick Service restaurant located within The Contemporary Resort. The dinner menu isn't as extensive as some other Quick Service locations but what we had was good and we loved being able to sit and eat our meal as we watched the monorail glide by on it's way to Magic Kingdom.
Hint: If you head outside while visiting the Contemporary Resort, it's a perfect opportunity to take in the views of Magic Kingdom.
Hint: It's an easy walk from the Contemporary Resort to the entrance of Magic Kingdom, and a quick monorail ride from the Polynesian and Grand Floridian resorts, making these ideal places to eat if you're looking for somewhere to dine as you're on your way into or out of the park.
Port Orleans French Quarter
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory
Sittings: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Not needed
Type of food: American with some Southern Classic offerings
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
A fabulous Quick Service restaurant which has recently undergone a refurbishment and which offers something a little different: Southern Classic Fried Chicken, Blackened Rib Eye and Barbecue Ribs, as well as Jambalaya and Gumbo are served along with burgers, pizza and pasta.
Hint: The Gumbo is available as an entree or a snack, making this one of the few savoury options available as a snack credit if you're on the Disney Dining Plan.
Whatever you decide, make sure you leave room for the famous French Quarter Beignets - delicious, freshly fried parcels of dough covered with a heap of icing sugar.
Again, these are available as a snack credit on the dining plan. They're best served hot, are extremely messy to eat but are very hard to resist.
Port Orleans Riverside
Riverside Mill Food Court
Sittings: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Not needed
Type of food: American
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Located at the adjacent Port Orleans Riverside Resort, the Riverside Mill Food Court offers a good selection served from a number of food stations including: pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches and salads, as well as a carvery.
At lunch and dinner, there's the option to customise your own pizza and salad to individual tastes, and it's worth noting that the large pizzas are big enough to share.
There are a limited number of breakfast dishes such as the bounty platter, grilled steak, french toast and pancakes.
Polynesian Village Resort
'Ohana
Sittings: Breakfast and Dinner
Reservations: Available from 180 days and highly recommended
Type of food: American
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Lilo and Stitch (Breakfast only)
We've only eaten breakfast here, but dinner gets some good reviews. Both meals are served family style - where you can eat as much as you like from the dishes brought directly to your table.
At dinner, huge skewers of meat make the rounds, so you can choose exactly what you wish to accompany the selection of noodles, salads and vegetables also available.
During breakfast, a number of platters are placed in the centre of your table for you to serve yourself from.
There's also the opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse (decked in his Hawaiian shirt), Pluto, Lilo and Stitch. With the exception of Stitch, all characters visit your table to sign autographs and pose for photographs.
Stitch meets diners just outside the restaurant entrance, so it's an ideal way to pass the time while you're waiting to be seated.
PhotoPass Photographers are on hand to take group photographs, or you can obviously take your own.
On our last visit, we had some great interaction with Stitch. He loved the t-shirts the kids were wearing and spent plenty of time with each of them, pulling them in for big hugs and generally messing around, which was fabulous fun.
The rest of the characters come to your table and the interaction can be just as much fun, especially when speaking to Lilo about your experience with Stitch.
As for the food, it's just okay. We've eaten breakfast here twice now and, unfortunately, the second time we were rather disappointed with the substandard service and the luke-warm food.
The bacon, which made up part of the breakfast platter on our first visit has now been substituted with ham, which none of us were particularly impressed with. This is served alongside scrambled egg, sausages, fried potatoes, breakfast biscuits and Mickey Waffles (or Stitch Waffles as we had).
On the plus side, the delicious juice is still served, as well as the pineapple-coconut bread and fruit platter. All of which you can request more of as required.
Kona Cafe
Sittings: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Available from 180 days
Type of food: American with some good seafood options, including Sushi
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We were much more impressed with the Polynesian Village Resorts other table service restaurant, Kona Cafe, when we ate dinner here.
If you're looking for more healthy options, there are a few good choices on the menu. We particularly enjoyed the Asian Stir Fry and the Grilled Chili-dusted Shrimp, whereas the Kona Coffee-rubbed Filet was voted the best steak of the whole trip - and there were plenty sampled to compare it to.
The desserts were also fantastic. Chocolate lovers will enjoy the Kilauea Torte, filled with warm liquid chocolate. There was plenty of fruit to dip into the Chocolate Fondue and the Kona Kone - a waffle bowl, filled with ice-cream, Mickey sprinkles and chocolate sauce, served on a bed of candy floss, was the perfect end to a superb meal.
Boardwalk
Trattoria al Forno
Sittings: Breakfast and Dinner
Reservations: Available from 180 days
Type of food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: Tangled and The Little Mermaid characters (Breakfast only)
Another venue with great desserts is Trattoria al Forno, situated on the Boardwalk.
Breakfast provides the opportunity to meet characters such as Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Ariel and Prince Eric while you dine on a selection of breakfast options.
We ate an enjoyable dinner here on our last trip, ordering the Pettini di Mare - Seared sea scallops with risotto and Polpetta Gigante, which is a giant beef and spinach meatball served with pasta. The Pasta alla Bolognese and Oak-grilled Strip Steak also received a thumbs up.
For dessert, we opted for the Dark Chocolate Semolina Torta, Zeppoli - which are pieces of sugar coated fried dough served with 3 dipping sauces, plus the Affogato al Caffe - an espresso with gelato. All delicious but our favourites were the rich chocolate Torta and the Zeppoli.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs has the largest selection of restaurants located outside the parks. Many guests and non-guests flock here to enjoy the shops and eateries situated along the wide walkways.
A recent overhaul has seen a number of changes to the restaurants here, so we were happy to see one of our favourite Quick Service locations remains:
Wolfgang Puck Express (Marketplace)
Sittings: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Not required
Type of food: American
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Serving pasta, pizzas, sandwiches and salads, as well as family favourites such as rotisserie chicken and meatloaf. Although the portions aren't huge, we've always enjoyed our meals here.
The pasta is a particular favourite, especially the Spaghetti & Meatballs and Ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, served with a basil and tomato cream sauce. There's also has a good selection of salad options, the Barbecue Chicken, and the Chinois Chicken versions are our top picks.
Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza
Sittings: Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Not Required
Type of food: Pizzas
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Another fabulous Disney Springs Quick Service restaurant where you can select one of the signature pizzas from the menu, or build your own 11 inch pizza from a choice of over 40 toppings.
All pizzas are cooked to order, so at busy times there can be a bit of a wait, but the results are our favourite pizzas on property with delicious artisan bases covered with plenty of fresh toppings.
On our last trip, we ordered the BBQ Chicken - chicken, mozzarella, red onion and banana peppers drizzled with a barbecue sauce, and a Red Vine Pizza - mozzarella, tomatoes, parmesan and basil. We can higly recommend them both.
Of the many Table Service restaurants at Disney Springs, we've only eaten at a couple and both were during our first trip back in 2012.
Planet Hollywood was a once and done for us. The service was appalling and the food wasn't anything special.
T-Rex was better and we all enjoyed the food, atmosphere (which is extremely noisy), special effects (which are even noisier) and great service we received here.
T-REX
Sittings: Lunch and Dinner
Reservations: Available from 180 days
Type of food: American
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
The food here is pretty typical of American fare - soups, salads, burgers, pasta, steak and chicken, but many people dine here for the theming.
Animatronic dinosaurs, giant wasps and enormous fossils decorate the various rooms within the restaurant, there are lighting effects constantly changing, then at certain times, you can witness the explosions and rumblings of a meteor shower.
The kids loved this but it's obviously extremely noisy, so if you're looking for a peaceful atmosphere, this restaurant is not for you.
We do, however, recommend ordering one of the most fun desserts - the Chocolate Extinction. Chocolate Fudge cake and ice-cream with various toppings, plus an added special effect:
There are just so many restaurants to choose from when dining at Walt Disney World, both inside and outside the parks, that it can become overwhelming to select just a few during your trips. We hope this goes some way to helping with your decisions and would love to know if you have any personal favourites. Why not drop us a comment below?
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