Help! Restaurant with view (outside "parks")

[disney dumbo]

Needing a special place for some meals with my senior MIL on days we are not going in to park. Want it to have a beautiful view!!

I know about California Grill… and Whispering Canyon would qualify…
what else do you think?
Can be any type… from counter service to deluxe restaurant.

i may have to consider those with unique or special interiors… like Rainforest… but really would rather have something special outside the windows!

Thanks for your help!

 

[disneydreamer98]

What about Narcoossee's? Request a window side table. It is so pretty from there! Beautiful view of Bay Lake and of course the Magic Kingdom! I love that restaurant!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Narcoossee's has a good view. Ohana's is ok, Boma and I think Jiko overlook savannahs with roaming animals.

 

[vicki_c]

Whispering Canyon doesn't have a view. And you can't see the savannah from Boma, not sure about Jiko. I think someone said you can view the savannah at Kidani from Sanaa.

 

[txo1474]

My 2 favorite "outside" restaurants with a view would be Paradiso 37 at DTD and Big River Brewery on the Boardwalk. During the hot weather months I'd wait til the sun goes down

 

[crewmatt]

Sanaa at AKV (Kidani) has you at ground level with the Savannahs. I went to Jiko rather late at night, so I dont really know how the view was, but Jambo house is a wonder all to itself. Cali Grill has a nice view but can be crowded. The restaurants at the Floridian are quite nice. The Brewery at the Boardwalk was right on the actual boardwalk so that was pretty cool.

 

[jjwampler]

Citrico's at GF?

 

[danielle782001]

WCC has a view of the lobby....That is thinking outside the box...We love the atmosphere of the WL, so I would put that I my list too....

Sanaa has a view of the savanna which is nice but can be a let down if no animals come by...

We love getting a CS meal at the Poly and sitting at the tables out by the beach...Beautiful view of the water and the castle in the distance.

 

[irishtigger]

Fulton's at downtown Disney ask for a table by the windows or if its not to hot a table outside. Big River a table outside is best. Narcoossee's is great if you go late enough you can see the fireworks from MK and the electrical water parade.

 

[Smithkids]

Needing a special place for some meals with my senior MIL on days we are not going in to park. Want it to have a beautiful view!!

I know about California Grill… and Whispering Canyon would qualify…
what else do you think?
Can be any type… from counter service to deluxe restaurant.

i may have to consider those with unique or special interiors… like Rainforest… but really would rather have something special outside the windows!

Thanks for your help!

WCC will let you look into lobby of WL- while the lobby is quite beautiful I am not sure if that is the view you were going for. I would recommend Artists Point instead- if you ask to be seated by the window you will have a very pretty view of the grounds of WL- the pretty waterfall area.

Do you think she would like a show- like Spirit of Aloha dinner at Poly?
Have fun!!!

 

[Golf4food]

The Grand Floridian Cafe is all windows looking out into the main courtyard/pool area of the GF and all of the trees, flowers, fountain, landscaping, etc. It is nice for a non-park view.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I've never been there, but I remember seeing pictures from the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs that look as though some portions of the restaurant have a good view of Downtown Disney.

 

[Warbluzki]

You can get a table by the window at Cap'n Jacks in DTD which overlooks the lake.

The Riverside Mill Foodcourt (POR) has window tables that overlook the river.

 

[crewmatt]

POR is quite pretty, and they also have a table service that doesnt necessarily have a view, but you can eat there, then admire the area.

 

[ncc1701]

The 2nd floor at Emeril's in Citywalk had a cool view of the Citywalk area.Even more importantly the food was wonderful.
If you have a car I would strongly recommend it. I just wish Disney had nabbed it for DTD.
The food at Capt. Jacks in DTD no longer does justice to the view.
If you can get a water view table at the Puck Cafe that would be a good
option.We have eaten there everytime and have enjoyed the food no matter what the view.

 

[disney dumbo]

Thanks for all the awesome ideas!!!

 

[disney dumbo]

It looks like the Boardwalk Brewery doesn't take reservations… at least from the disney site… or am I missing something?
I love the thought of enjoying Boardwalk entertainment!

The Grand Floridian Cafe is a winner for us… nice view… reasonable menu… beautiful restaurant!

I'm thinking she would rather not have buffet… so that eliminates some…

I'm going to keep working through this…

if you have any more ideas or thoughts… keep them coming!

 

[iloveeeyore]

'Ohana (at the Poly) has a beautiful view from many of the tables. Request a window table, castle view. You may have to wait a little longer, but the Tambu Lounge sells wonderful tropical drinks so maybe you wouldn't mind waiting? You can even see EWP and fireworks from some tables (or from the beach before or after dinner, depending on your ADR time). Also, the Torch-Lighting ceremony Tues-Sat at the Poly is fun to watch, and only a few minutes long. (To clarify, you cannot see the torch ceremony from the restaurant. It is outside in front of the main lobby entrance.)

We couldn't see any of the lobby, or any of anything at all, from our table at WCC. We didn't ask for a seat at the railing, but maybe that would work? Sorry, we didn't have a good experience there.

 

[catne]

if you're looking for a quieter, more relaxing & more peaceful meal with a nice view, I would say the Grand Floridian Cafe fits the bill.

Many of the mentioned restaurants are either exceptionally expensive, or extremely noisy/hectic (just so you know) Those would include the Cali Grill (expensive & noisy), 'Ohana, Turf Club (both noisy) and even Wolfgang Puck Cafe qualifies as both expensive & noisy. WP Cafe does have inside tables with water view, but it is very noisy in there, even when the place is half empty (we were just there Sunday afternoon and were amazed how noisy it was.)

Sanaa at AKL has awesome views of the animals -- if you are there when they are feeding. Otherwise the view is a bit boring. The food is fairly exotic, though, with no "American" choices so I suggest you review the menus to be sure there's something you'd like. We went last May - right around 5:30 opening time for dinner and the animals were out around 5:45, but gone by the time we left an hour later. They get very close to the windows - within 20 or 30 feet. There is no view to speak of from Boma (and it's a buffet & very noisy, too.)

A totally awesome restaurant to visit is the Maya Grill at Coronado Springs...the view is not of the outside, but the decor inside is wonderfully done (Mayan "temple" in the middle of the restaurant, torches, a strolling Mexican guitarist. And good food...some spicy, but enough "bland" choices for those with wimpy appetites like me, lol.) It also was the quietest, most "adult" restaurant we've seen at Disney...so very relaxing.

 

[vicki_c]

It looks like the Boardwalk Brewery doesn't take reservations… at least from the disney site… or am I missing something?
I love the thought of enjoying Boardwalk entertainment!!

They do take reservations, but you have to call there directly (I don't know the #) and they don't take them 180 days out but a lot closer. Someone said they called there 180 days out and the person who answered the phone was laughing at them and said to call back a lot closer to the date! We went there without an ADR even during Christmas/New Year's week and were seated right away (although this was around 5:30 PM, so a little on the early side).

And just to respond to catne - we thought Turf Club was dead quiet when we were there - we ate outside.