9 Of The Hottest Dining Experiences At Disney World Resort

Like everything else about Walt Disney World Resort, mealtimes here are absolutely magical. And as a visitor, you are in the loop for some of the hottest dining experiences imaginable, from elegant and elite distinctions to fun-themed more casual approaches. All are one-of-a-kind offerings that set any form of dining within the boundaries of Walt Disney World Resort apart from any other undertaking anywhere else. And while delightful Disney developments and featured new establishments are forever in the works, and the list of famed food greats spans far and wide, we’re listing what’s currently trending as nine of the hottest dining experiences at Walt Disney World Resort.

9. Character dining

Character dining is one of the most sought-after mealtime memory-making experiences one can have at Walt Disney World Resort. Who doesn’t love sharing good food with great friends? And when these friends are from iconic Disney movies and shows, they’re the best kind yet. Many locations throughout the parks and at various resorts offer up such opportunities. These venues range in a host of cuisine variations, time-of-day offerings, and different dining styles. Many are dished out in all-you-can-eat buffet fashion, like Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary, 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian, Crystal Palace within the Magic Kingdom, Tusker House at Animal Kingdom Park, Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Cape May Café at Disney’s Beach Club Resort in the form of Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast.

Some are served up in family style, like Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at Epcot’s Garden Grill Restaurant, the Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo & Stitch at the Polynesian Village Resort’s ’Ohana Restaurant, and the Bon Voyage Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno at the BoardWalk. Other great character dining options can be found at various other venues, including time-tested favorites like dining with princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot and newer yet already popular picks like Storybook Dining at Artist Point with Snow White. There’s also Breakfast à la Art with Mickey & Friends at Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s new Riviera Resort (pictured above).

8. Dinner shows

Another exciting interactive mealtime experience popular at Disney World is taking in one of two existing dinner shows offered at two Magic Kingdom Area Resorts—Disney’s Spirit of Aloha and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.

The first is an all-out all-you-can-eat luau celebration held most nights at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, within the resort’s open-air Luau Cove dinner theater. For this show the fourth wall is removed, and you get to be in on the celebration the show is centered around—a college-bound local island girl preparing to leave for the main land, and the village coming together to present a most grand finale sendoff with all the works. From authentic music and dance to stunning, depth-defying stunts, including fire and knife feats and acrobatics, you’re in for a phenomenal, breathtaking experience like no other. And when paired with all the lush traditional island-infused entrée selections from a bountiful buffet spread, it’s an absolute paradise in so many ways.

The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue takes place at the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort’s Pioneer Hall and brings together country camaraderie and vaudeville entertainment in its finest display of wild west-themed fun and food. Presented nightly, these two-hour dinner shows encompass bountiful all-you-can-eat fried chicken and other hearty countrified selections and American classic sides that pair perfectly with all-you-can-enjoy amusing stage acts and performances. Character actors stay authentic to their roles in everything they do, from song, dance, and lighthearted banter to even their arrival to the hall by “stage coach,” it's a western experience like no other.