Disney World Dining Guide: Every Reservation Worth Making (And What to Skip)

Dining at Walt Disney World is an experience in itself, and it's one of the most overwhelming parts of trip planning. There are over 200 restaurants across the resort. Some require reservations made 60 days in advance. Some cost $150/person for dinner. And some of the most hyped restaurants are genuinely not worth the time, the money, or the stress of securing a reservation. Here's what I actually tell families.

How Disney World Dining Reservations Work

Table-service (sit-down) restaurants at Disney World open reservations 60 days before your arrival date for on-site resort guests. If you're staying off-site, it's 60 days before each individual day of your trip. The most popular restaurants, Cinderella's Royal Table, Be Our Guest, California Grill, book up within minutes of that window opening. I'm not exaggerating. If you want these, set an alarm for 6:00 AM Eastern on your booking day and be on the My Disney Experience app immediately.

The Restaurants Actually Worth Booking

Cinderella's Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner inside Cinderella Castle. This is the most-requested reservation on property, and the hardest to get. The food is good but not exceptional, you're paying for the location and the princess meet-and-greet experience. Worth it for families with young kids who dream about eating in the castle. A genuinely magical meal.

California Grill (Contemporary Resort)

The best dinner experience in Walt Disney World. Contemporary American cuisine, an extraordinary wine list, and a rooftop view of Magic Kingdom fireworks that will genuinely take your breath away. My top recommendation for adults and families celebrating a special occasion. Not cheap, expect $60–$90/person without alcohol, but completely worth it.

Space 220 (EPCOT)

A simulated "space station" dining experience with a view of Earth from 220 miles up. The theming is extraordinary. The food is good. The experience is genuinely unlike anything else at Disney World. One of the harder reservations to get and worth trying.

Topolino's Terrace (Riviera Resort)

Character breakfast with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy in Parisian artist costumes. The food is actually excellent, one of the best breakfasts on property. The rooftop terrace setting is beautiful. Slightly under the radar compared to the Castle, which means it's slightly easier to book.

'Ohana (Polynesian Village Resort)

Family-style dinner with unlimited skewers, noodles, dumplings, and bread pudding. Loud, fun, communal, and delicious. Character breakfast is also popular. The dinner here is one of the best values among table-service restaurants and a genuinely fun family experience.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Hollywood Studios)

You eat in cars in a fake drive-in movie theater watching classic sci-fi B-movies. The food is standard American fare, nothing special. But the experience is so uniquely Disney that it makes the list. Kids love it.

The Overrated Ones (My Honest Take)

Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom)

I know this will upset some people. Be Our Guest is beautiful, eating in the Beast's castle with ballroom theming is legitimately stunning. But the food quality has declined, waits for reservations are extreme, and for the price and effort, there are better options. If you can get a reservation easily, go. But I wouldn't sacrifice sleep to book it.

Biergarten (EPCOT)

The oompah band is fun, but the buffet is mediocre and overpriced for what you get. Germany in EPCOT has better food options at the counter-service windows outside.

Counter-Service Spots That Rival Table-Service

Not everything worth eating at Disney requires a reservation. Some of my favorite meals on property are counter-service:

• Satu'li Canteen (Animal Kingdom): The best counter-service at Disney World. Bowls with incredible proteins and sauces. The tofu and chili garlic sauce bowl is genuinely extraordinary.
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn (Magic Kingdom): Reliable, good portions, and a hidden gem compared to the more crowded options nearby.
• Regal Eagle Smokehouse (EPCOT): American barbecue in the American Adventure pavilion. Better than it has any right to be.
• The Friar's Nook (Magic Kingdom): The loaded tater tots here are legendary. Get the ones with the buffalo chicken. You're welcome.

Disney Snacks Worth the Hype

• Mickey-shaped rice crispy treat (everywhere)
• Dole Whip (Adventureland, Magic Kingdom), you already know
• Grey Stuff petit fours at Be Our Guest or the Main Street Bakery
• School Bread at Norway in EPCOT, cardamom cream-filled pastry topped with coconut
• The Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream, an ice cream sundae in a kitchen sink, for families who want to attempt it

Should You Get the Disney Dining Plan?

The Disney Dining Plan is a prepaid meal package that covers a set number of table-service and quick-service meals per day. When it was first introduced years ago, it was excellent value. Today, I recommend against it for most families. The math usually doesn't work out: the plan's cost per meal is often higher than what you'd actually spend if you mixed counter-service with a few table-service meals, and it can push families to eat more than they want just to "use their credits." Save the money and pay as you go.