Are you feeling hungry right now? I should warn you that before this article is over, you might feel a bit peckish. Grab a snack before you start just to be safe. We’re about to talk about all the exquisite food options at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Walt Disney World contains four distinct theme parks, each of which has its own plusses and minuses. Sure, the pros dramatically outweigh the cons at all of these places, but no theme park, not even a Disney one, is perfect. Today, I want to discuss a particular strength of each park to decide which Disney gate is the best. And to keep things interesting, I’m going to add Disney Springs into the mix. Here are my rankings of the best places to get food at Walt Disney World.
5. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Image: DisneyThe first thing I should do is establish the rules for this exercise. Quantity and quality are both factors here. Hollywood Studios finishes in last place due to the former, not the latter. I’m a huge fan of 50’s Prime Time Café, and The Hollywood Brown Derby is one of the most impressive Signature Dining experiences at Walt Disney World.
I also love the Minnie’s Seasonal Dine character meal at Hollywood & Vine even though the food is thoroughly mediocre. And the truth-in-advertising part of this evaluation is that I’ve spent multiple birthday dinners at Sci-Fi Dine-In, possibly my favorite overall meal experience anywhere on the planet. Clearly, I have a bias toward some of the restaurants here. Why do I rank it last?
Image: DisneyName the best Quick Service meal at Hollywood Studios. I think it’s ABC Commissary, but the competition is like a children’s baseball game. Everyone’s happy if most of the kids hit the ball and then run to the right base. When Star Wars Land opens, the dining issue will become a discussion point.
This gate has two great Table Service restaurants, an overpriced but entertaining character meal, and an extremely expensive Signature Dining option. Also, it has the worst Italian restaurant at Disney, possibly even the entirety of Orlando. While some of the options are phenomenal, other theme parks on the campus are undeniably better.
4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Image: DisneyNow things start to get interesting. I engaged in a lot of debate before deciding on third and fourth place. The positives for Animal Kingdom are readily apparent. While Rainforest Café is a middling chain restaurant placed at the park entrance, the other three Table Service establishments here range from good to exceptional.
Tiffin’s Restaurant is pricey, but you get what you pay for thanks to the exotic flavors on the menu. Tusker House is a delightful character meal in a marvelous themed setting. And Yak & Yeti Café is my favorite third party-operated restaurant at Walt Disney World. The one caveat here is that I’ve made the determination that adjacent resort restaurants shouldn’t count. We’re only discussing food at the applicable locations today, which takes Boma and Jiko off the table. So, the sit-down meals at Animal Kingdom are good but not the best.
Image: DisneyThe counter service options have improved a lot recently. While Harambe Market and Flame Tree BBQ were already popular, Disney added a game-changer at Pandora – The World of Avatar. The food at Satu’li Canteen is novel, with meal presentations like no one has ever seen before at a theme park restaurant. Its addition has strengthened the Quick Service lineup at the park.
Overall, I have only minor gripes about the quality and quantity of options at Animal Kingdom. Its placement in fourth speaks to the overall strength of food services at Walt Disney World.
3. Magic Kingdom
Image: DisneyWhen we talk about quantity as a factor, Magic Kingdom is the king of Disney gates. They’ve got several counter service restaurants that deliver consistently satisfying meals. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café is a treat to visit due to its hilariously over-the-top Tomorrowland theme. Casey’s Corner provides savory corn dog nuggets that are to die for, AND you’ll find yourself humming Take Me Out to the Ballgame while you’re there.
Pinocchio’s Village Haus has adequate food and an inimitable view of It’s a Small World. And Columbia Harbour House kicks a Long John Silver’s meal in the skull-and-crossbones. That’s five great places to eat, and I haven’t even discussed the sit-down options yet!
Image: DisneyThe two most famous eateries at Magic Kingdom are both in castles. Cinderella’s Royal Table is the dream meal for any self-respecting theme park tourist. It’s a position of power, a place where only the elite get to eat. Oddly, it’s not even the trendy restaurant, though. Be Our Guest is the hottest ticket at Walt Disney World and has held that title since its inception several years ago. Throwing in the exotic cuisine of Skipper Canteen, the Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant, the depth of quality offers at this gate is impeccable.
What’s great about it, though? I’m not saying that to be snide or controversial. I’m just being honest. Have you ever eaten one of the best meals of your life at any of these places? My honest answer is no, and that’s why I couldn’t rank it above the next two options.
2. Disney Springs
Image: DisneyOkay, the inclusion of Disney Springs is a cheat. I admit it. The only purpose in adding it to the list is to create some intrigue. The park with the best food out of the four Disney gates is undeniable. It’s the one we haven’t mentioned yet. Disney Springs is here to show that even when we factor in an entertainment district specifically designed to host countless dining options, the winner is still superior.
At Disney Springs, you can grab a slice at Blaze Pizza, one of the fastest growing restaurant chains in America. Alternately, you can head to D-Luxe Burger to order a, well, deluxe burger. You can even enjoy one of the greatest sandwiches in the world at Earl of Sandwich. And that’s just three of the wonderful counter service meals available. Plus, the facility has a series of food trucks that are otherworldly.
Image: DisneyWe haven’t even gotten to the strength of Disney Springs, the Table Service restaurants. You can eat dinner here every night for a week and think of each meal as one of the best you’ve ever had. The BOATHOUSE and T-REX are personal favorites, while Morimoto Asia and Raglan Road are also terrific. You’ll also have your choice of comfort food from Art Smith’s Homecoming or impeccable Signature Dining at Paddlefish. There’s even a trendy new nightclub, The Edison. The reality is that you’ll never go hungry at Disney Springs, and you’ll adore most of your meals there. Somehow, it’s still not the best place to eat at Walt Disney World. That honor (obviously and irrefutably) belongs to…
1. Epcot
Image: DisneyLook, you knew this was coming. A visit to Epcot has one irrevocable outcome. You’re going to eat somewhere here, and you’re going to relish every last bite. The park itself has a strange structure from a haute cuisine perspective. The front of the park is relatively thin in terms of quality meals. I’m a fan of Electric Umbrella for its second floor views, and I don’t share the consensus opinion on Coral Reef as average fare. I always love that dining experience for the ambience and the desserts.
Still, the reality of Epcot is that Sunshine Seasons is the only truly great restaurant at the front of the park. The back of the park, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. Picking the 15 (!) best restaurants at the World Showcase is an impossible exercise. I doubt that a poll of 1,000 voters would share any duplicate lists.
Image: DisneyPersonally, my counter service favorites are Tangierine Café, Yorkshire County Fish Shop, and the bakeries at the France and Norway Pavilions. I would understand if you preferred Lotus Blossom Café, La Cantina de San Angel, or Liberty Inn, though. None of these options is bad. To the contrary, lunch at any of these places would leave a smile on your face for hours afterward.
While the Quick Service restaurants are great, the Table Service meals are the sublime part of a World Showcase visit. Picking a favorite is a mood thing more than a finite decision. Sometimes, you want Mexican food in a breathtaking restaurant, and that’s when you head to San Angel Inn. On other day, you’re craving Chinese food, so you visit Nine Dragons. Or maybe you want schnitzel and beer. Biergarten will feel your belly while dizzying your brain.
Image: DisneyI could go on and on about my favorites (hello, Teppan Edo!), but I haven’t even gotten to the best part. On more than half the days on the annual calendar, the 11 pavilions of the World Showcase are home to special food kiosks. These temporary serving stations serve limited-time meals that will make your mouth water. This unprecedented third kind of dining elevates the already-spectacular food at Epcot to heights that no other Walt Disney World gate/entertainment district can reach. It’s THE best place to eat in all of Orlando.
