Eating at Epcot with a 3 year old

[DisneyMommy77]

Can anyone suggest any special or unique places to try in Epcot that would be fun for my 3 year old daughter?

Thanks.

 

[PictureJumpr]

Very yound children we've travelled with have really enjoyed the Biergarten (music, dancing) and the Garden Grill (Chip & Dale and Mickey!). One 2 1/2-yr-old loved the San Angel Inn too (he loved waving at the people in the boats that went past) but we are not fans.

Akershus is a hotspot for little girls, but yours may be a little too young to really appreciate it. Coral Reef gets a lot of hype, too, but I find it very dark in there, and if you're not seated right at the glass then you really don't get to see much of anything. That, and I'm not overly fond of the food there.

 

[crabbygal902]

Both my boys have been that age during visits to WDW. Their favorite as 3 year olds:

Teppan Edo---the chef is very entertaining and the food is very kid friendly but different from the standard chicken nuggets or burger. It was nice to have a meal where I didn't have to cut up anyone's meat (the chef did that) or keep anyone's attention (again--chef.)

 

[dadolan]

As long as she isn't scared of the characters when they come up close [as some kids are] then I would wholeheartedly recommend the Garden Grill every time and for the grown ups it's really good food and service

 

[3pletprincesses]

You could always try Akershus. I brought my girls there for their 1st b-day and had a lots of interact with the Princesses. I brought them back again last month (they are 4 now) and loved it.

 

[Princess Sleepy]

Another vote for Akershus. Best place to see all the princesses in one spot. You get a great picture with Belle "included" in the price.

We also love Garden Grill. We have always had really amazing character experiences there, especially Pluto.

 

[Mom-2-2Princesses]

We were there last month with our just-turned 4 year old, and had dinner at Restaurant Marakesh in Morrocco. My DD LOVED the belly dancer. The dancer was fantastic to watch and my daughter was so excited and happy to get to go up and dance with her. She enjoyed the food too. She got the pasta and meatballs, and I got the fish tangine, which was delicious. I'm told the couscous that my husband had was a bit bland and uninspired, but my daughter and I enjoyed our meals.

 

[doclegler]

We took our boys to Garden Grill last Sunday and they LOVED it! Character interaction was great, and it seemed much more private due to the revolving restaurant. My kids loved the food too. Lots of choices for "pickier" eaters.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

Another vote for Akershus. Best place to see all the princesses in one spot. You get a great picture with Belle "included" in the price.

We also love Garden Grill. We have always had really amazing character experiences there, especially Pluto.

I would highly recommend Norway and we are trying GG on our upcoming trip

 

[bigal'sdaughter]

One of the best things at WDW is how the castmembers at TS restaurants really do go out of their way to make things fun for little ones.
DD -2.5 at the time had a great time at both Nine Dragons and Chefs de France.
At Nine Dragons the wonderful waitress brought her a "big girl" bowl of rice and her own kids chopsticks and gave her a "lesson" on how to use them. This was the greatest toy EVER! We have great pics of this....
At Chefs she loved her kids burger meal and the CMs totally played with her, joked with her etc. It gave us a lovely relaxing dinner...
So my advice- first check the menus to make sure there will be something your LO will eat and then pick what sounds like fun! WDW allows youto do characters at one meal and then something a little slower for the next - or whatever you'd like!

 

[Katti Michele]

Another vote for the Akershus. We took my niece who had just turned 3 the week before and she loved it. We are going again on Tuesday and she can't wait!

I would recommend the breakfast though because it is American - eggs, potatoes, bacon, etc. served family-style. The lunch and dinner is Norwegian. Your family may be into that type of food, so it's really a personal preference.

If she's never been around characters before, the Princesses might be your best bet because they don't wear the suits/masks. At that age, she may be a little scared of a giant mouse coming towards her!

 

[JimmyV]

Personally, I can't think of a single place in Epcot that is not a good fit for a 3 year old. The ones that I find least attractive for a kid that age are (in no particular order):

CS at the American Pavillion--As an aside, I think this place is a complete embarassment given the effort and theming that the other countries bring to the table, pun intended. Even if you are wedded to the idea of serving burgers and fries, at least dress the place up like a 50's diner or give it some other Americana theming, like maybe Rte 66.

Le Cellier--A bit dark to catch the attention of a 3 year old.

Morroco--Might be menu issues for a 3 year old.

Rose and Crown--A bit loud and "pubby" for a kid.

Other than that, I think my kid enjoyed pretty much every single place we ate at Epcot when she was between 2 and 5, which includes pretty much every single Epcot restaurant. And she was never a "kid's menu" type of kid. Always wanted to try the adult food.

 

[DisneyMommy77]

Thanks everyone. That was very helpful!

 

[happymommy]

Don't forget about the counter service places - especially if you're shorter on time, or just want a lighter meal.

My kids always liked the chicken at Yakitori House, and we like the Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavillion, since we can all get different things. When I go without my husband, the kids and I only do counter service (the sit down meals are fun, but more for us, not the kids). My kids like to eat and go sometimes!

Just a thought. Didn't know if you're looking only for sit down places.

 

[iloveokw]

Another vote for Tepen Edo. Great food and a fun experience.