Showing posts with label Restaurant. Show all posts
Top 10 Disney Dining Plan Restaurants
The Disney Dining Plan is the extremely popular pre-paid meal plan that can be added as an option to a Disney World Vacation Package. Once you have decided to get the Disney Dining Plan option your next big decision is where to dine.
Top 10 Disney Dining Plan Restaurants
Currently there are 50 different Table Service Restaurants on the Disney World Property that participate in the Disney Dining Plan and only require 1 Table Service Credit. There are several additional Dining Experiences called Signature Dining Experiences that accept Disney Dining Plan credits, but require 2 Table Service credits per person. For the purpose of our Top 10 we only look at restaurants that require 1 TS credit. Note: Although Le Cellier will only require 1 credit for lunch, it will require 2 TS credits for dinner after 2/28/11 so it will not be included.
Here are the 2010 Top 10 Disney Dining Plan Table Service Restaurants (in reverse order):
9. Biergarten – If you have a large group dining in Epcot this is the place for you. It is a festive atmosphere with live entertainment. The food is buffet style with German offerings as well as some American favorites for those less adventurous types. The music and entertainment make this a family favorite. The best word to sum up the experience is "fun." If you enjoy German cuissine then you are in for a real treat. You can also order German beer served in large mugs (extra charge) to fully partake in the Oktoberfest.
8. Chef Mickey's – Every family with young children should visit Chef Mickey’s at least once. Housed in the Contemporary Resort this is your chance to get to see Mickey Mouse himself while dining! The Character Dining Experiences are a great way to get pictures and personal interaction with your favorite characters. Chef Mickey’s is a buffet with American style offerings. Even adults will find themselves twirling their napkins along with the Disney Characters during this fun dining experience. Kids really like the make your own sundae bar along with all of the other desserts.
7. 1900 Park Fare – Here is the most economical way to dine with Cinderella! Located at the Grand Floridian Resort, 1900 Park Fare is a buffet where Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, and the step-sisters are all present. The buffet food is very good, plus you have Cinderella and the location in the Grand Floridian making this a great way to treat “your princess.” You will get more individual time with Cinderella here than if you wait in lines in the parks to see her.
6. San Angel Inn – The inside of the Mexican Pavilion at Epcot provides the beautiful setting for the San Angel Inn alongside the River of Time. This may be one of the most romantic settings for any of the Disney World Restaurants. The lighting is low and the authentic Mexican food is very good. This is one of the best Disney Dining Plan values and is a suitable for families or couples looking for a special dinner. See: San Angel Inn Review with Pictures.
5. Princess Storybook Dinner -at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – When one princess is not enough, you can dine with several in the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall located in Epcot’s Norway. This is the only character meal that is not a buffet and a photo package is also included, making it a great Disney Dining Plan Value. You may see Belle, Jasmine, Ariel in ball gown, Snow White, Princess Aurora, Mulan, and/or Mary Poppins. Cinderella also makes occasional appearances, but not guaranteed. You will also get a chance to taste authentic Norwegian cuisine. The menu choices include a variety including beef, chicken, seafood, pasta, and more.
4. Tutto Italia – This is currently the best Italian Meal available for 1 Table Service Credit on the Disney Dining plan. Located in the Italy Pavilion of Epcot, this restaurant features a wide selection of authentic Italian entrees and desserts. The inside of the Tutto Italia is busy, but the atmosphere is family friendly. The menu choices are delicious including Pastas, Seafood, and more. The decorations and furnishings inside make you believe that you have been transported to Italy for the evening. Most of the servers are from Italy furthering the experience.
2. Coral Reef – If you are looking for a unique dining experience then Coral Reef may be the place for you. It shares a glass wall with the main tank of the Living Seas attraction providing a continuous stream of aquatic life swimming by while you dine. The atmosphere is quiet and suits either a family or a couple looking for a romantic night out. They have excellent seafood and steak on the menu and tasty desserts to choose from. The Chocolate Wave may be the best Disney dessert for chocolate lovers. See: Coral Reef Review with pictures.
1. Chefs de France – Located in the France Pavilion of Epcot, Chefs de France takes the 2010 title as "Best Disney Dining Plan Restaurant." It receives this title by having incredible service, great food, wonderful ambiance, and a great Disney Dining Plan Value for only 1 Table service Credit. There are menu choices to fit the seafood lover and those that prefer beef, chicken, or even duck. They even have vegetarian choices. The service here is top notch and certainly rates amongst the highest in Disney World. The restaurant was started by a trio of renowned French Chefs and they keep the quality of food and the dining experience at a high level. Even if you do not think you like French Cuisine there is something here that will appeal to you. See: Chefs de France Review with Pictures.
Sidenote: There are many other wonderful restaurants at Disney World in addition to those in the Top 10. One driving factor in the selection of the above Restaurants is that they must be a good value for your Disney Dining Plan Table Service Credit. With the Disney Dining Plan you are paying approximately $30 for each table service credit. That being said, you want to make sure that you are getting good value with the use of that credit or you are better off just paying cash for that meal.
Disney World Dining: San Angel Inn
San Angel Inn provides authentic Mexican Cuisine in a romantic setting. Although it is perfectly acceptable for families to eat here, the low lighting levels lend themselves well to special dinners for couples.
Housed within a giant Aztec Pyramid, the San Angel Inn resides in a perpetual state of night. The inside of the pyramid is set up to look like a Mexican marketplace under the lights in the evening. You can see what the marketplace looks like in the picture below. The flash from the camera makes it look brighter than it actually is. The lower lighting levels only causes a problem for taking good pictures. Otherwise it really adds to the festive ambiance.
The picture below shows the San Angel Inn looking up from the river below on the Grand Fiesta Tour Boat Ride. The simulated outdoor setting really adds to the charm of the restaurant.
San Angel Inn Review
The San Angel Inn has gotten mixed reviews over the years and frankly this has scared me away from dining here previously. With all of the great Disney World Restaurants to choose from, I purposely stayed away from the San Angel Inn due to some poor reviews. It was the fact that fellow High Point , NC resident Chip from Chip and Co Blog strongly endorsed San Angel Inn that I decided it was time to give it a try. I am really glad that I did!
Once you are seated at the colorful tables equipped with the candle lit lanterns the waiter will bring out a paper cone of chips and salsa for you to enjoy.
My wife decided to try the house salad - "Ensalada De La Casa" $7 that included: Mixed greens with jicama, spicy pumpkin seeds, orange wedges, cilantro, mint, and homemade honey-mustard dressing. She enjoyed the salad, but didn't consider it to be anything special.
For an entree my wife tried the "Mahi-Mahi A La Veracruzana." $23 This dish has Mahi-Mahi served over poblano rice, prepared with capers, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions, seasoned with white wine. She really enjoyed this dish and would definitely try it again in the future.
For my entree I tried the "Tacos De Ribeye" $24. This ended up being 3 mini-tacos made of grilled ribeye served over flour tortillas topped with chipotle pepper sauce garnished with scallions and avocados. This certainly was a dish that I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend.
Other entree choices included:
Camerones Al Guajillo - Crispy shrimp with gaurjillo sauce served over potato relish.
Pollo A Las Rajas - Grilled chicken breast on a bed of poblano rice, served with a cream sauce of red peppers, onion strips and queso fresco. $24
Sirloin Con Chile Relleno - Grilled beef sirloin with chile ancho sauce served with a beans annd cheese stuffed pepper, poblano rive and fried plantains
Mole Poblano - Grilled Chicken Breast served over a bed of poblano rice with a classic mole sauce made of spices and a hint of chocolate, sprinkled with mixed nuts.
Great Dining Experience
My wife and I had a great dining experience at San Angel Inn. We loved the ambiance and the food was better than we expected with the mixed reviews that we had read. We would not hesitate to return in the future.
The San Angel Inn does participate on the Disney Dining Plan as a One Credit Table Service Restaurant and it also accepts the Tables In Wonderland discount.
If you enjoy real Mexican food then you should strongly consider dining at the San Angel Inn during your next Disney World Vacation.
Disney World Dining - Rose & Crown Pub
The Rose & Crown Pub is adjacent to the Rose & Crown Dining Room in the Great Britain Pavilion of Epcot's World Showcase, but there are no reservations required in the Pub. It is first come first serve, and tables can be difficult to come by during busy times.
Those of you who thought this first rate pub only served beers and drinks have been missing out, they also serve food.
Rose & Crown Pub Menu
The food menu is limited, but you can certainly have lunch or a light meal. There are only four choices of entrees: Corned Beef Sandwich, Fish & Chips, Scotch Egg, and English Bulldog.
The corned beef sandwich (pictured above) comes with homemade potato chips. It was very good. The sandwich comes hot, grilled on rye bread.
What would an English Pub without Fish & Chips? This fish & chips (pictured above) came steaming hot with housemade catsup and tartar sauce. It goes along great with the English Beers that they have on tap.
The Scotch Egg is a golden-fried hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat with mustard sauce, and the English Bulldog is a split banger stuffed with mashed potatoes, chopped bacon, irish cheddar, and a spiced mustard sauce.
Cheers!
If you are looking for a different place to grab a quick bite and a drink in air conditioning, then consider trying the Rose & Crown Pub. The food we tried was great and made a nice lunch. This is a great place for adults to relax and enjoy Epcot. You cannot match the pub atmosphere when you buy a beer from one of the Epcot kiosks. This is also where you can get a Black & Tan (pictured above). Cheers!
Disney World Dining - Columbia Harbour House
The Columbia Harbour House can be found tucked away in the Magic Kingdom between Fantasyland and Liberty Square.
It's unique location boardering two lands within the Magic Kingdom has led to a very unique Disney World Imagineering architectural solution as to making it fit into both lands.
If you approach Columbia Harbour House from the Liberty Square side you definitely see an American Colonial style building representative of the period and you can easily imagine seeing this building along the eastern seaboard during his time period.
The Fantasyland side of Columbia Harbor House paints a totally different image. Even the signage has been changed to make it agree with the architecture that you see in the rest of Fantasyland.
Most people may not even notice the transition, but this is one restaurant that got caught in the middle and decide to show both its Fantasyland side and its Liberty Square Side.
Columbia Harbour House Menu
The inside of the Columbia Harbour House more closely follows its Liberty Square side and takes a nautical theme.
The menu includes the following entrees:
- Lighthouse Sandwich - Hummus, Tomato, & Brocolli Slaw
- Anchors Aweigh Sandwich - White Tuna with Lettuce and Tomato
- Chicken Breast Nuggets & Fish - served with French Fries
- Fried Shrimp - With Cole Slaw and French Fries
- Fried Fish Basket - Served with French Fries
- Chicken Breast Nuggets - served with french fries
- BLT Salad - Mixed greens with crispy chicken, bacon, egg, and tomato
- Garden Harvest Salad - Mixed Greens, Chicken, Garden Vegetables, Cheese, Sunflower seeds
They also offer Vegetarian Chili and New Envgland Clam Chowder.
The picture above shows the Fried Shrimp Platter which was very tasty, along with the Apple Crisp dessert. This is a very filling Disney Dining Plan Quick Service Option.
Unexpected Disney World Magic
During a recent visit to the Columbia Harbour House with my family, we were approached by a Cast Member as we made our way to the ordering station, and asked if we would like to eat in the Captain's area on the 2nd floor. We agreed, not knowing the special treatment we were about to receive.
As soon as we ordered, the Cast Member said that she would handle picking up our food for us and asked us to follow her upstairs. She took us to a roped off area and had us sit down at a table. Soon she brought the food to us and made sure that we had everything we needed.
Later she brought each of my children a sugar cookie and frosting to decorate it with (pictured above.) They both had fun decorating and then eating their cookies.
At the end of the meal our Cast Member said that she would take care of emptying the table for us. We enthusiastically thanked her for making our meal so special.
This is the unexpected Magic that Disney World and its Cast Members continues to bring to its guests without fanfare. These little unexpected treats have lasting effects and certainly create a special experience for those on the receiving end. Here we were just looking to have a meal at a favorite location and it turned into a memorable event.
Great Magic Kingdom Quick Service Location
Columbia Harbor House doesn't get the attention or the crowds that Cosmic Ray's Pecos Bill's, or Pinocchio's gets. The food is good and the seafood based menu provides a change of pace from the other Quick Service Restaurants.
Years ago my family discovered the Columbia Harbour House. We enjoyed the food and the fact that it was not as crowded as some of the other Magic Kingdom Places. To this day it remains a place that we enjoy coming to for lunch at the Magic Kingdom.
Although you may not be the recipient of the special Magic that my family received on our most recent village, you still can enjoy eating at the Columbia Harbour House, enjoying the menu, theming, and air conditioned break on a hot day at the Magic Kingdom.
Via Napoli Brings Authentic Pizzeria To Epcot Starting September 2010
Opening in September 2010, prior to the start of the International Food & Wine Festival, will be a new addition to Epcot's list of great places to dine.
Via Napoli
The new 14,000 sqft restaurant will be called Via Napoli, providing an authentic Italian Pizzeria in the Italy Pavilion of Epcot's World Showcase. It will be located next door to the Tutto Italia Restaurant. The Patina Restaurant Group which currently operates Tutto Italia will also operate Via Napoli.
'Ohana Means Family At Disney's Polynesian Resort
'Ohana means family, literally, and that makes it a great name for the Hawaiian inspired restaurant at Disney's Polynesian Resort.
This is a great restaurant to bring your family and it handles large groups well if you are travelling with a larger family gathering. Here everyone eats family style from the fixed menu meal that is brought to your table.
The meal is considered "all-you-care-to-eat" so you can ask for more of any item that is brought to the table if you need more. Being family style, the dishes are brought to the table in a large bowl or serving platter and you need to pass the items around the table for each person to be served.
A mixed green salad with honey-lime dressing, Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings, & Pork Dumplings with Sweet and Sour Sauce are brought out to start you off.
Entertaining Meal
The main entrees are cooked on skewers over an 18 foot oak fire pit near the center of the restaurant.
On the skewers you will find:
•Asian Barbequed Pork Loin Skewers
•Oak Grilled Turkey Skewers•Marinated Sirloin Steak Skewer
•Marinated Shrimp
The servers bring the skewers tableside and ask each guest if they would like some of the meat from the skewer that they have. They continue to come to the table at intervals a few minutes apart. Again, you may have as much as you care to eat. This really makes for a fun dining experience.
The side dishes of Lo mein Noodles, tossed in a Teriyaki sauce with fresh vegetables, and Stir-fried Vegetables are brought to your table as the skewers are being served.
At different intervals throughout the evening there is live entertainment for the whole family. For the kids they may get to participate in the 'Ohana Coconut Race, where each child pushes a coconut with a broom in a loop around the restaurant. There is singing, ukelele playing, and storytelling to entertain and immerse you in the Hawaiian culture during your meal. Also each guest is presented with a lei to remember their visit.
Don't Forget The Dessert!
The dinner is capped off with the famous 'Ohana bread pudding served a la mode with Bananas and Caramel Sauce. Make sure you save room for this dessert because it is wonderful and a reason in itself to dine at 'Ohana.
If you time your dining time properly, the restaurant has a great view of the Magic Kingdom and you can see the Wishes fireworks show. During Wishes they dim the lights in the restaurant and pipe in the music for the show. The makes a wonderful finish to the dining experience.
Tip: Don't worry if you finish your dinner a little early before Wishes, you can go down to the Polynesian Resort Beach to catch Wishes, even if you are not staying at the Polynesian Resort.
Plan Ahead - Reservations Are Required
'Ohana is very popular and rightfully so. Expect to have to make reservations well in advance, and you may have a wait, so make sure that you show up a little prior to your reservation time to check in.
If you are spending your day in the Magic Kingdom, strongly consider 'Ohana to dine at ahead of the table service locations within the Magic Kingdom. The food and the dining experience are better and it is easily accessible by taking the resort monorail to and from the Magic Kingdom.
Summary
'Ohana is definitely considered one of the top restaurants on the Disney Dining Plan (that only requires one credit). The food is very good and the atmosphere is fun, family friendly, and accomodates large groups well.
We would highly recommend 'Ohana as a restaurant to experience during your next Disney World vacation.
