6 Restaurants You Shouldn't Skip At Disney World And 6 You Totally Can

If you're planning a Disney vacation, then knowing which restaurants to include on your itinerary is a must. While there are plenty of options for fun dining and food adventures at The Most Magical Place on Earth, they vary in terms of menus, crowds, and overall experience. At Disney World, there are four parks, including Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Along with EPCOT's around-the-world drink offerings, there are also numerous resorts and Disney Springs, a dining and shopping destination affiliated with Disney located outside of the park.

Long lines and expensive menus were two common complaints from frustrated customers. A trip to Disney is expensive, starting with the tickets; when you add in meals that cost up to $100 per person, your vacation budget can quickly be spent in just days. Finding great restaurant experiences that have budget-friendly options is a great way to keep costs manageable. Some of the best spots in the parks were a bit off the beaten path or didn't offer iconic views of the postcard-perfect Disney castles but instead focused on fantastic food and ambiance. Disney makes sure that each spot is magical so even if you don't end up with a seat right next to Mickey, you can be sure that your meal will be one you'll remember.

This fun, themed restaurant is right next to Jungle Cruise ride in the Adventureland section of Magic Kingdom. It serves African, Asian, and Latin food with a special Disney flair that will have you thinking you just stepped off a cruise down the Nile. There are three dining options including the mess hall, the Jungle Room (which is styled like an explorer's parlor), and the S.E.A. room, the gathering spot for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. It even earned a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best award in 2023 following favorable customer reviews.

Because it doesn't offer character dining experiences, the restaurant is a bit less crowded than other restaurants in the park. However, you can still get the magic of Disney, as it really leans heavily into the jungle adventure theme. The servers are called "skippers" and will guide you through your lunch or dinner, cracking jokes and giving you stories as if you were on a real cruise down a jungle river. From the eclectic decor to the hilarious servers, there is plenty of humor infused throughout this restaurant.

This is an iconic Disney moment but unless you're a die-hard Cinderella fan, there are other equally epic restaurant experiences that are less expensive. An adult entree costs over $60 per plate, even for breakfast and lunch. Given the high prices and just-okay food, many visitors don't feel that the food alone is worth the cost. What you're really paying a premium for is the chance to sit in the opulent dining room and meet Cinderella and other Disney princesses. It's also a good place to view the park's fireworks through the royal stained glass windows.

This is a well-known restaurant in one of the most recognizable spots at Disney so you'll have to plan ahead to get a reservation. Peak dining hours are the hardest to secure, and if you have a large party, you might need to be flexible or book months in advance. Reservations include visits with Cinderella, who welcomes you to the restaurant, as well as a tableside stop by other princesses. If seeing Disney princesses is a bucket list item and you're willing to plan your trip around this stop, it's worth it. Otherwise, you can skip this restaurant and look for other places to see the princesses for free. Of course, you'll wait in a much longer line to see them in the park so the premium might be worth the convenience for some.

This barbecue restaurant in Disney Springs strikes the perfect balance between casual ambiance and great food. It also earned the attention of the 2024 Michelin Guide to Florida Dining and was a 2023 Tripadvisor Traveler's Choice restaurant. As the name suggests, this spot is a meat lovers' paradise with dishes like chicken wings, smoked pork, and mouthwatering ribs on the menu. The Michelin guide states that the brisket is a must-try item, which pairs well with one of the many homestyle sides. The bar also has a long wine, beer, and cocktail list with four bourbon and whiskey flights available.

You won't get to enjoy epic views of the park at The Polite Pig, but it's still in a great spot nonetheless. There are large windows overlooking the main thoroughfare, perfect for people watching. You can also wait by the Town Center fountain before or after your meal to enjoy some fresh air and ambiance, or walk to nearby Waterview Park in Disney Springs, where you can find live music and other special events most nights. Best of all, restaurants and shops in Disney Springs do not require a Disney World park ticket so you can go anytime you're in the area.

This Beauty and the Beast-themed restaurant is pricey with only a few menu options. Like other high-end table service restaurants in one of Disney's castles, Be Our Guest restaurant is more about the experience than the actual food. Entrees costs $70 per plate for lunch or dinner for ages 10 and up. The menu only has four to six appetizer and entree options, plus two desserts.

Due to its popularity, the dining room is crowded so you may not have the chance to do the epic sweeping dance moves that you've envisioned after watching "Beauty and the Beast." The Grand Ballroom is definitely the most impressive of the three dining rooms but with a lot of tables, it isn't well-suited for large groups. You can also choose to dine in the West Wing or the Rose Gallery, which are both smaller and can be easier to get into. All three fill up quickly, however, so make sure to make reservations well in advance.

The food at Columbia Harbor House gets rave reviews and makes it a must-stop for those who want delicious dining and not just a fun character experience. The bulk of the menu is seafood but there are also chicken strips, fried mushrooms, and plenty of sides. This is a great spot for those with food sensitivities or allergies because the kitchen can accommodate with a variety of allergy-friendly menu options.

A fairly casual restaurant, Columbia Harbor House is much cheaper than other sit-down restaurants in the park. The most expensive entree is less than $20, and sides range from around $5 to just under $7. You can get a sandwich or platter rather than a three-course meal from a fixed menu, which is standard at many of the best-known table service restaurants at Disney World. The portions are large so you might even be able to split an entree if you aren't ravenous. It's also ready much faster, and there is plenty of seating in the restaurant. The decor is distinctly nautical, complete with ships' wheels, dark wood paneling, and woven ropes on many of the pillars.

You get a fantastic view of the rest of the Magic Kingdom as you eat, including Main Street, U.S.A. and Cinderella's Castle, but the food at The Crystal Palace is nothing special. It's served buffet style at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus, at $48 per plate for breakfast and $61 per plate for lunch and dinner, you need to bring a hearty appetite to make it worth your while.

Dining here is a character experience, with visits from Winnie the Pooh and friends.  Much of the cost comes from the demand for character visits rather than the food. The decor is reminiscent of a Victorian greenhouse with wall-to-wall windows, a top selling point for this restaurant because you get sweeping views of some of the best spots in the park. But there are other restaurants in the park at a similar price point but with better food, a better character experience, or a more impressive venue.

The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant is a spot in Hollywood Studios designed to appeal to all ages. It's a diner-themed drive-in where the tables are set in full-size cars "parked" in front of a movie screen. The menu includes all-American favorites like burgers, pasta, onion rings, and chicken wings with plenty of allergy-friendly items as well. And because it's not a fixed menu, you can customize your order to suit your preferences.

Menu prices are also reasonable, given the large portion sizes. The most expensive item on the menu is $30, and going for dessert is a good way to enjoy the ambiance without spending a fortune. A stop for a milkshake during your visit to Hollywood Studios is the perfect way to enjoy the restaurant because it's located roughly halfway through the park, a perfect place to cool off and enjoy a refreshing treat. It isn't as well-known as some of the nearby Star Wars-themed restaurants in Galaxy's Edge but still satisfies that sci-fi itch. You can sit in a car and watch clips of old sci-fi movies on the big screen to honor the history of the genre then head over to Galaxy's Edge to immerse yourself in some of the most epic sci-fi of all time.

While it is fun and plays up the jungle theme, the Rainforest Cafe is not a special Disney dining spot. This jungle-themed restaurant has 16 other locations around the U.S. and numerous international restaurants as well. There is an extensive menu, including gluten-free options, but none of them are unique to Disney. In general, they have broader jungle connections and aren't tied to a specific character, movie, or Disney heritage.

It's located in Disney Springs, near countless other dining options that provide fun themes and delicious food. The good news is that you can visit this restaurant without buying a ticket to the park, which is a good option if you want jungle-themed dining but can't make it to Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Adventureland. However, if you're just looking for great food in Disney Springs, skip this spot and check out one of the other offerings nearby.

Enjoying a tableside visit from some of your favorite Disney characters is part of the magic of a Disney World visit. Unfortunately, many of these restaurants fill up quickly and have expensive menus. For a fun character dining experience off the main path, try the Story Book dinner featuring characters from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Because it's located in Disney's Wilderness Lodge and not the main park, the crowds tend to be smaller and it can be easier to get a table. The Wilderness Lodge also offers special access to Club Level members.

The menu is on par with other character dining options at $65 per plate. It's only open for dinner, but that's a great time to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the main park. You can enjoy some time away from the crowds for dinner then return to the park for fireworks and evening festivities. If you're staying at the Wilderness Lodge, this makes it an even more accessible option.

This fine dining restaurant is amazing but reservations are hard to get and the prices are in line with what you would expect from a one-of-a-kind experience. Everything about the restaurant is the best of the best. Despite being the first theme park restaurant in the United States to earn a Michelin star (thanks to its impressive culinary team and knowledgeable sommeliers), it's hard for the majority of Disney patrons to justify the steep cost of dinner at Victoria & Albert's. A prix-fixe menu starts at $295 per plate. Unless you have an extremely sophisticated palette or an appreciation for culinary excellence, you'll be just as happy at one of the lesser-known upscale restaurants.

Furthermore, there is a dress code that requires semi-formal or formal dress, and diners must be at least 10 years old. If you're visiting Disney with younger kids in tow, this kind of formal dining just isn't an option. The beverage pairing, which is tailored to your party, adds to the cost, and special experiences like dining at the chef's table cost even more.

Todd English's Bluezoo, located at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, specializes in seafood with a modern twist. Its menu was created by acclaimed chef Todd English, who has several successful restaurants in his repertoire. Entrees range from $31.00 to $95.00 with plenty of options available, something that isn't always the case at Disney's many fixed-menu dining spots. There are also non-seafood options like vegetarian dishes, chicken breasts, and beef filet on the menu.

The interior is decorated with a nod to a nautical theme while still maintaining a sleek style. Bubble chandeliers overhead and blue lighting give clues to its undersea inspiration. It's not as over-the-top as other restaurants, which gives it a more sophisticated look, but it still has all of the attention to detail that you'd expect from Disney. If you're looking for something that is more upscale and less cartoon-inspired, Bluezoo is a good spot to go.

Unless you have a visitor in your group who absolutely must get a character photo with Mickey while they're eating, this is a restaurant you can skip. The menu at Chef Mickey's is buffet-style with a limited selection of items. The fixed price menu is $54 per plate for breakfast and $66 per plate for dinner. The food is standard buffet fare like waffles, eggs, and bacon for breakfast and roasted vegetables, noodles, and meat for dinner. Like with many character dining restaurants, it's more about the experience than the food.

Rather than stressing about a reservation at Chef Mickey's, try another spot for better food and save your character experiences to other opportunities in the park. Disney does a fantastic job of providing plenty of opportunities to interact with characters so there's no need to pay a lot of money for a dinner here. You'll likely wait in line to see Mickey anywhere you go but at least you won't pay high prices for the experience.

We relied on personal visits and experiences as well as expertise from Disney planners. When visiting the park, value and wait times were top priority since a Disney vacation can be costly and the long lines can dampen the experience. In general, character dining experiences were more expensive than traditional restaurants. Casual dining tends to have shorter wait times and doesn't require reservations months in advance to get in. When planning a Disney vacation, it can be helpful to identify a couple of restaurants worth splurging on and keeping the rest of your dining on the casual side to make the most of your vacation budget. You never know when you'll want to pop in for a quick snack or mid-day treat while exploring the park. 

Lastly, patron reviews rounded out our research process to come up with the must-visit and okay-to-skip restaurants at Disney World. Disney is constantly striving to improve and add magic to every corner of the park experience. Even well-known spots have new tricks and features to wow patrons at each new visit.