Eating in a restaurant without theme park ticket?

[rico567]

The restaurants at WDW are, to my knowledge, inside the various theme parks. Must one purchase a ticket to the theme park to eat in a restaurant? For example, if the only park we plan to visit is Epcot, can we get into Boma without buying a ticket to AK?

 

[Hmbldr]

Yes and no. Boma is in Animal Kingdom Lodge, so anyone is welcome to dine there or at any resort or DTD restaurant. You will need Park entrance ticket to get into and dine at a Park restaurant inside. Rainforest Cafe at AK is technically outside park admission so that is an exception.

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

Boma is at AKL resort so you wouldn't need a ticket, all in park restaurants require park entrance.

 

[Tissa]

For any restaurants inside of the parks a park ticket is required and you are told that when making an ADR.
Boma is not inside of AK though, it's at the Animal Kindgom Lodge so no park ticket is needed to dine there.

 

[oybolshoi]

Boma is not in the Animal Kingdom - it is in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and you don't need a park ticket to enter a hotel.

However, if there is a restaurant located within a park, for example Yak and Yeti is inside the Animal Kingdom, then you do need a theme park ticket to gain entrance in order to have a meal there.

 

[rico567]

Thanks very much for all the prompt and helpful responses. We're kind of operating more in the dark, because we've never been to WDW, and our reservations are of the corporate/convention type, which are done on the corporate page (Cisco Systems, for Networkers Orlando this June), and when we reserved at POR (following advice that it was a great resort), what we got was a reservation number, and.....nada. So I'm trying to play catch-up on this forum. Fortunately, the pieces are starting to fall into place rather quickly. The convention's at the Orlando Civic Center, and breakfast and lunch is provided, so we're only talking dinner Sun-Wed anyhow.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

Also if you won't be renting a car, remember that there is no direct bus route from POR to any of the other resorts. You'll have to take the bus to the Transportation and Ticket Center (monorail) if dining at any of the monotrail hotels (Polynesian, Contemporary or Grand Floridian) or one of the water parks or Downtown Disney to catch a bus to, say, the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Near the top of this page are two rows of links. The 4th link on the second line is "Dining". When you click on that just below the yellow area will be a link to a complete list of WDW eataries sort by which Park or Resort they are located in. The list is also links to the menus of the restaurants.

 

[jedi jen]

I recommend the Cali Grill for dinner during Wishes (fireworks show at Magic Kingdom). It is in the Contemporary Resort next to the Magic Kingdom. It is on the 15th floor. It has a great view. I love the food; a little expensive, but I have found I can economize by eating appies such as flatbreads and/or suishi. It has an observation deck for the fireworks show, although the restaurant is windows so you can see it from inside too. They pipe in the music and turn down the lights during the fireworks. It is not in a park, so you don't need a ticket. Yet, you get to experience a little of the magic. It is one of my favorite places to go.

I also suggest eating in Downtown Disney, at perhaps Wolfgang Puck's. You can stoll and checkout the area, without needing a park ticket.

Enjoy.

Jennifer

 

[wdw4us2]

Also if you won't be renting a car, remember that there is no direct bus route from POR to any of the other resorts. You'll have to take the bus to the Transportation and Ticket Center (monorail) if dining at any of the monotrail hotels (Polynesian, Contemporary or Grand Floridian) or one of the water parks or Downtown Disney to catch a bus to, say, the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner.

This isn't the best way to get to other resorts. You're much better off taking a bus from your resort to the closest theme park (Epcot or Studios are closest the POR). Get off the bus at the park and get on the bus for the resort you are wanting to go to. Buses to DTD take a long time because of the two DTD stops and the Typhoon Lagoon stop.

If the parks are closed when your meal is complete, then you would take a bus to DTD to catch a bus or boat back to POR.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

This isn't the best way to get to other resorts. You're much better off taking a bus from your resort to the closest theme park (Epcot or Studios are closest the POR). Get off the bus at the park and get on the bus for the resort you are wanting to go to. Buses to DTD take a long time because of the two DTD stops and the Typhoon Lagoon stop.

If the parks are closed when your meal is complete, then you would take a bus to DTD to catch a bus or boat back to POR.

Ah!! Good call!!