Non Disney Restaurants

[Drow]

We will be heading to Disney World and will be staying on site but we do not want to eat at their restaurants. Any recommendations on restaurants around the Disney area like an Outback or other chain/local place? Proximity to Disney? Thanks.

 

[dashofsunshine]

Two questions...

1) Will you have a car?
2) How close to Disney are you trying to stay with options?

I have several recommendations but most of them are at least in Downtown Orlando.

 

[RvingDude]

A few of our favorites are Steak n' Shake, Golden Corral, Waffle House, and TGIFridays.
All of these are just off Disney property...just take a look on Google Maps or the Maps app on your iPhone and it will give you step by step directions to each.
There are a whole slew of chain restaurants in the Apopka-Vinland Road area that is just beyond the Downtown Disney area.

 

[dashofsunshine]

Trevi Pasta and Pom Pom's Teahouse & Sandwicheria are both amazing, and both are about 25 mins from Disney. Hash House A Go Go is kind of a cult classic with HUGE portions, but the food has been good every time we've gone. Great for breakfast. It's about 17 mins from Disney. There is an incredible German restaurant in Sanford called Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe but probably further than you'd want to drive. We make a special trip because my husband is German Good luck!

 

[robinb]

We will be heading to Disney World and will be staying on site but we do not want to eat at their restaurants. Any recommendations on restaurants around the Disney area like an Outback or other chain/local place? Proximity to Disney? Thanks.

I'm confused over why you want to eat at chain restaurants over WDW restaurants. I don't think you'll save a lot of money eating at Outback instead and you'll spend time driving to the restaurants.

That being said, I would recommend the Kissimmee Ale House. It's a casual chain with daily specials. We particularly like Wednesday's Maine lobster special.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I'm confused over why you want to eat at chain restaurants over WDW restaurants.

My guess would be better food, lower prices, and the fact that you don't have to have an ADR made months in advance in order to get a table.

 

[100AcreWood]

So not far from downtown Disney you will find Chevy's, Red Lobsters, Uno Pizza, TGI Friday's and probably more. If you take Hotel Plaza Blvd away from DTD you'll run into them.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/hotel+plaza+blvd+restaurants/@28.3802124,-81.5054923,17z

 

[LuitaChris]

Brick House on IDrive

 

[starwart]

And after you tried Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe you'll wonder why you even ate at Biergarten ( a.k.a. Epcot's version of Costco's $1.50 hotdog soda combo) .
Also try Sweet Tomatoes.

 

[Jarmo]

We usually make a stop at Bahama Breeze, since we don't have one close to home.

 

[dashofsunshine]

Seriously, though. It is so worth the drive for us. Haha! My husband's mother grew up in a small town in Germany - he says it is just like the food she makes at home we also love their little German market down the street!

 

[DrivenByDisney]

Here are a few of our local haunts we visit often. All of these restaurants are within five miles of Disney and no more than a 15 minute drive (depending on traffic).

Yard House on International Drive
Ale House right near Disney Property off 535
Rocco's Tacos in Dr. Phillips on Sand Lake Rd.
Eddie V's in Dr. Phillips on Sand Lake Rd.

 

[robinb]

My guess would be better food, lower prices, and the fact that you don't have to have an ADR made months in advance in order to get a table.

I guess my point is that expensive chains like Outback don't always have lower prices and/or better food.

We do eat offsite fairly often. OP, one of my favorite chains is Sweet Tomatoes which is a ginormous salad bar plus a hot bar with pasta, baked potatoes, pizza and soup. Join their "Club Veg" for great discounts and you'll spend less than $10 per person for healthy, good tasting food.

I saw that Golden Corral was mentioned. While I love them here in Wisconsin, I can't recommend any of them in Orlando. Both times I was at an Orlando area Golden Corral it was understaffed and filthy.

dashofsunshine, I just bookmarked the German restaurant .

 

[staceyrhood]

We have some of the best restaurants in the area here in Celebration...about 8 minutes to the MK. Our favorites are Columbia, D'Antonios, and the Town Tavern.

 

[Drow]

We will not have a car and we will be staying at Disney Port Orleans. We plan on going to Downtown Disney one day but would like to go somewhere non-Disney to eat that is close. Will I need to get a taxi?

robinb- The food at Disney is expensive and not that great. I can get two adult meals and a kids meal at Outback for the price of one meal I can at one of Disney's restaurants. I'm not saying that I do not like the Disney restaurants. The food is just ok.

 

[robinb]

We will not have a car and we will be staying at Disney Port Orleans. We plan on going to Downtown Disney one day but would like to go somewhere non-Disney to eat that is close. Will I need to get a taxi?

robinb- The food at Disney is expensive and not that great. I can get two adult meals and a kids meal at Outback for the price of one meal I can at one of Disney's restaurants. I'm not saying that I do not like the Disney restaurants. The food is just ok.

I agree that the food is just OK, but Outback is not haute cuisine either. I double-dog dare you to price out two average adult Outback meals plus a kid's meal for less than an average Disney restaurant meal. In any case, any saving that you may experience will go into the pocket of the taxi driver. Eating offsite is impossible without a car.

 

[dashofsunshine]

Gonna have to agree with robinb. I was assuming you had a car. If you are sans car, you will run up a fortune in taxi charges. If you're going to local gems with incredible food that are worth it, that's different, but....well, I wouldn't pay a taxi to drive me to the Outback to eat a mediocre steak, when I could get a mediocre steak for almost the same price right on property.

Just my two cents though, obviously. Do whatever makes you happy!

 

[disneysteve]

I agree with the others. Eating offsite without a car is virtually impossible unless you don't mind spending a fortune in cab fare. It would be a lot cheaper to rent a car. We eat offsite all the time, but we also stay offsite and drive down so we have our own car.

 

[Drow]

I appreciate all the recommendations. it will work itself out.

 

[KEVD]

I don't think you'll save a lot of money eating at Outback instead and you'll spend time driving to the restaurants.

Although we do really enjoy dining at Disney, the WDW restaurants are extremely expensive. And I feel you could easily find meals that are just as good and at a lower cost offsite. You can get a decent sit down meal for four at Chilis for about the same price you'd pay for QS at Pecos Bills or Pinnochios Village Hause.