It’s all about the food. And when we plan our Disney themed vacations, we have so many food decisions to make! Buffets, sit-down restaurants, character meals, walk-up restaurants, meals with shows, restaurants in parks, restaurants in resort hotels, fancy restaurants with lots of star ratings—Disney offers so many different choices that this week’s panel topic almost seems a bit unfair. But that didn’t stop us! This week we asked the Parenting Panel: What is your favorite restaurant or dining experience for your family? Panelists who have visited Walt Disney World and Disneyland could pick one at each.
Parenting in the Parks columnist Adrienne Krock’s three boys are now 12, 10, and 7. They’ve been visiting Disneyland since they were each just weeks old and Annual Passholders since their 3rd birthdays. Adrienne writes:
Believe it or not, even though Walt Disney World has far more choices between their multiple resorts and individual parks, it is easier for me to choose my family favorite at the Florida resort than it is to pick one from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim!
At Walt Disney World, our family loved Whispering Canyon Cafe, located inside Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This was slightly tough because we loved, loved, loved the Boma buffet at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, too. But the restaurant my children still talk about, more than year later, is Whispering Canyon.
One of the Krock kids poses with the giant fork at Whispering Canyon.Whispering Canyon seems simple enough: The restaurant serves table-service barbecue-style food, including an “all-you-care-to-eat” option with bottomless salad and an assortment of barbecued meats and side dishes. But the servers make the experience something else. They serve with attitude. When our server came to take our order, he told my son to stand up—and promptly took his seat. When that same son dropped his fork, our server brought him a fork approximately four feet tall. When one of the adults finished her Diet Coke quickly and needed a refill, he brought her a very, very large bell jar of Diet Coke. And then there was the time the kids needed ketchup for their fries (I can’t spoil too much). In addition to all of this, the restaurant invites the children to ride hobby horses around the restaurant. The children (and the parents!) loved the interaction with our server and with the other tables in the restaurant. The parents and the children enjoyed the food, as well. While we enjoyed many wonderful restaurants during our 11-day trip, by far the overall family favorite was Whispering Canyon.
The Krock family and friends asked for ketchup at Whispering Canyon.Perhaps our familiarity with Disneyland makes it too hard to pick just one favorite restaurant for our family. If I have to choose one, I would pick Carnation Cafe on Main Street. My children might pick Goofy’s Kitchen. They love buffets and they enjoy the characters. But because mom and dad are members of the family, too, I vote for Carnation Cafe because I like the food better there.
Because of its location, Carnation Cafe offers the charming Main Street atmosphere. The cozy patio offers a lovely respite to the busy theme park beyond Main Street. I heard that the Cafe’s famous head chef, Oscar, retired, but I think someone forgot to tell Oscar because he always seems to be there when I walk by or visit! Several of the servers here have worked at Carnation Cafe for years and at least one of them recognizes my family even though we actually visit infrequently! While the adult food tastes good, not only do the children like the kid menus, but the Cafe offers a very charming “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Palette that my boys love. Served on a plastic artists palette, the dish comes with little cups on the palette with unique options for the children to use to build their own PB&Js: marshmallows, raisins, banana and Smucker’s grape jelly. I thought I remembered seeing chocolate chips on the palette at one time, too. Somehow the marshmallows do not make it onto the sandwiches before they end up in my boys’ mouths. It might not be an obvious answer for everyone but Disneyland’s Carnation Cafe is my personal favorite and a treat for my family.
MousePlanet columnist Chris Barry his wife Diane, 11-year-old Samantha, and twin 8-year-olds, Casey and Alex, live on Long Island and are all major Disney and Walt Disney World fans. Chris writes:
There are so many choices at the Walt Disney World Resort when it comes to dining. It’s part of the experience, for sure. You could break things down into categories. There’s resort dining, theme park dining, character dining, quick service dining, high-end dining, even exclusive jacket and tie dining. We have gone so many times and yet there are still so many restaurants that we have not been to. Places like California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Citricos at the Disney’s Grand Floridian and Spa and Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are all on my list of favorite restaurants anywhere.
When it comes to the whole family though, the one place that is a guaranteed stop on every trip, and has been since our first family trip together, is the San Angel Inn in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot. It’s our favorite choice for the whole family by far. I actually wrote an article, “Top 5 Reasons That I Love Dining at the San Angel Inn” here on MousePlanet a while back. I received many emails both for and against the San Angel after writing that article, but I consider myself a San Angel veteran and I stand by my opinion. It’s never disappointed me.
As far as a family option goes, the San Angel is hard to beat. We think the food is great. The kids love the bowls of chips and salsa on the tables. It’s hard to go wrong with the quesadillas on the kid’s menu, especially since they are served with rice which is a welcome break from french fries. My daughter has ventured safely into the Mexican cuisine with great success. The atmosphere is amazing; hands down the best in World Showcase and possibly all of Walt Disney World. I think that sitting alongside the river in the Mexican plaza—where it’s perpetually nighttime, waiting for the next boat to pass by from The Gran Fiesta Tour, and watching for the Hidden Mickey in the volcano smoke—is one of the great experiences one should have while at Walt Disney World.
There’s great shopping adjacent to the dining area. It’s plenty to occupy the kids with while waiting for your table. Plus, when they inevitably finish their meal before yours, there’s a ride adjacent to the dining area, as well. We let the 11-year-old take her twin 7-year-old brothers on The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros while we finished dinner and paid the bill. There’s never a line, so I believe they rode it twice and then again with us when we were finished.
Request a table by the river, try the Tacos De Pato (flour tortillas filled with duck meat marinated with tamarind sauce garnished with avocado, pineapple, and chives), and order a mango margarita. With any luck the mariachi band will be playing while you’re there. When all those pieces fall together, I challenge you to be more satisfied with a family dining experience in Walt Disney World. It’s a complete package and one my family and those we travel with never miss.
Laura Troescher is a website/graphics designer, mother of one, and wannabe Annual Passholder living in the high desert of Reno, Nevada. Disneyland has been her second home all her life. Laura writes:
My first choice is likely the most obvious: The Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. This was a favorite dining location even before we had children. From the gorgeous aquarium sprawling the bottom floor to waterfalls, rising mists of steam, and “rain storms,” the beautiful theming throughout is what makes this a winner. It’s worth noting that we have been to other locations of Rainforest Cafe and this version remains my favorite. The rooftop seating is perfect for cooler summer evenings, and as the sun sets over the Southern California horizon and the surrounding tiki torches illuminate the night while the music of Downtown Disney street musicians kicks up, one certainly feels like they are still squarely within the magic of a Disney park.
As for the “family” aspect of this restaurant, it’s a no-brainer. The menu is large and varied, the unique desserts become an interactive experience, and every square inch is a treasure to curious little eyes. My son, a normally squirmy toddler at sit-down restaurants, is always captivated throughout our meal.
If perhaps it’s cheating to declare our favorite Disneyland family dining location a restaurant located outside the parks, I would dare to select a Disney California Adventure choice for our in-park favorite. Taste Pilots’ Grill is another well-themed establishment, and it doesn’t hurt that we are big aviation geeks, that we enjoy at least once during every visit. For the very basic taste palate, like that of my three-generation, Disneyland-family group, the burgers, salads, and chicken are perfect—and delicious. We are partial to walk-up dining, and this particular restaurant includes a self-serve burger condiment bar that is even more appealing. Whether dining inside or out, there is plenty to see and hear, as the themed “soundtrack” that plays inside the restaurant is the only “real world” music in the park that keeps us smiling.
This dining location just works when it comes to feeding the family. For my son, who often still eats carried-in food from his lunchbox, the Kids Power Pack is a favorite pick-up. Fries are easily shared (even though we were slightly disappointed at the recent discontinuation of the cross-cut fries), the condiments are free-flowing, and the seating is navigable. The only downsides to this restaurant are the long lines and slow wait times (which we generally avoid, as we most often stop by for lunch right after opening). Sometimes guests find the self-service computer screen menus confusing, which adds to the lengthy wait. And the space in the lines, at the ordering screens, and at the food counter can be tight. Aside from these minor complaints, Taste Pilots’ Grill is a winner. We love some of the upscale and modern dining choices at Disneyland, but for my family, there is nothing like a darn good burger.
Mary Kraemer is an avid Disney fan and travel consultant with CruisingCo/MouseEarVacations who loves to travel with her husband and children to Disney destinations as often as possible. Mary writes:
Hmm…this is one of those questions that seems so simple until it’s time to sit down and write about because our favorites have changed over the years.
When our kids were very young, Disneyland Park’s Rancho De Zocalo was our hands-down favorite. It provided an excellent viewing area for the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad trains (food was quite secondary and nearly irrelevant, even though the Mexican and barbeque offerings are pretty good).
After the “train phase” passed, we developed a fondness for the Blue Bayou and the kids were old enough that the table service pace of the meal didn’t make them fidget. They loved the atmosphere, the boats passing by toward The Pirates of the Caribbean, the menus shaped like pirate hats… it’s a nice choice for a respite of the busy park, particularly when it’s hot!
In recent years, we end up at the French Market fairly often, enjoying the atmosphere and food that’s very similar to the Blue Bayou at more reasonable prices. We almost always visit the Pizza Port because of its good variety of food choices, from the salads to the fusili, and the relative ease of getting something that pleases everyone. And now that everyone in the family can handle a little bit of spicy heat, the Bengal BBQ never fails to deliver great skewers.
Bridging restaurant choices in Disney resorts coast to coast, there’s the Rainforest Cafe, an excellent choice for families with kids of all ages. The Audio-Animatronic animals are so realistic, along with the abundant jungle theme, and reasonable food, makes a winning dining experience.
When we’re at the Walt Disney World Resort, choices for family dining are so varied! Above all, my favorite is Sanaa, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani Village. The delectable food has great presentation, wonderful flavors, and good choices. The view outside Sanaa is wonderful.
In a less-serious mode, we love the atmosphere and attitude of both the Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the ’50s Prime Time Cafe at Disney Hollywood Studios. The luau show at Disney’s Polynesian Resort is one of our favorites, and has been a favorite since the kids were small and barely old enough to toddle around as they learned the hula; this show brings back great memories for them.
When we’re sailing onboard the Disney Cruise Line, the unanimous favorite in the family is Animator’s Palette, with its artistic theme and magical transformation from black and white to color. Although, if snacks could count, I’d have to say that my kids have a very strong love for the soft freeze ice cream on the Disney Magic because it’s free and they can have some just for the asking!
Chris, also known as GusMan, is always planning his next family trip to WDW and loves to help others plan their trips as well through sharing his experiences. Chris writes:
My family and I consider dining to be a big part of our vacation plans. We don’t eat out at many different places while at home, so we take advantage of the different options that Disney has during our stays. I know that everyone has their favorite eatery and our family is no different. But I have to say that it is hard to choose just one favorite dining venue.
When I asked my family about their favorites at the Walt Disney World Resort, three out of the four of us did not hesitate with the same answer: Chef Mickey’s. There may be several different reasons for this choice, the first being Chef Mickey’s was our very first character meal at the resort during our first trip. To sit in the middle of the famous Disney’s Contemporary Resort among modern Mickey-influenced art, watching the Monorail glide by was just a fabulous experience. Even today, the kids don’t hesitate to call out “Monorail!!” every time one goes by.
The food at Chef Mickey’s is also something that draws us. I know that most character meals have similar menus and some might even say it is “typical” breakfast fare. However, we have never walked out hungry and even at times craved one more Mickey waffle. At the same time, I think the dinner menu is one that is worthy of a look. The adult offerings are very savory, flavorful, and always fresh. The kids are not left out, as their are items just for them. And, if you happen to save room for dessert, you are in for a real treat. Between the ice cream and chocolate-based choices, you might not want to leave.
I know that a poor server can really impact ones impression of a restaurant. In some ways, this is even more so the case at Disney. You expect top-notch servers who are attentive and show that they want you to have a good experience. Out of the number of times that we were guests at Chef Mickey’s, I can’t recall one time where we were not treated very well, with most times being excellent. Even when we were seated in one of the more remote sections of the venue, service was consistently good.
Let’s face it, though: You go to a character meal to see characters. Chef Mickey’s is a one-stop shop to see Mickey and his friends, grab an autograph, and snap a picture. They do a great job making sure that every table gets ample time to do what they would like and still enjoy the meal itself. In some cases, if you want to start your day seeing characters, and bypass seeing them at the parks, this is a great way to do so.
Keep in mind, I did have one hold-out within my family. After getting some extra feedback, I was asked to provide two other honorable mentions. They are the Garden Grill at Epcot’s The Land pavilion and Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland at The Magic Kingdom. My daughter raved about the food at the Garden Grill and I think we all liked Cosmic Ray’s as one of our favorite counter service eateries because of their variety.
It’s your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting in the Parks forum on our MousePad discussion board, and share your opinions about this topic or many others, or send your suggestions via e-mail. Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
