Your Mt Rushmore of Unique WDW Dining

[Psymonds]

So we're west coast folks, do DL frequently but are looking to come out for a once every 10-15 year trip.

looking probably post pandemic so hoping most of the restaurant changes are shaken out and back to normal so I'm hoping to book 3-4 unique dining experiences for the family:

That is:

1. Restaurants that are great as a family experience
2. Restaurants that can only be experienced at WDW

For example, CRT might make the list for some because there's no other "in castle" dining experience but a lunch at California Grill (or for us near DL Napa Rose) probably would not, even if the food is great, because the meal experience is something we can get regularly somewhere else.

so for discussion, I ask for your Mt Rushmore, an unordered top 4 dining experiences, unique to WDW.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Victoria and Alberts
Be Our Guest
Sci-Fi Diner
Chef Mickey

 

[Psymonds]

Victoria and Alberts
Be Our Guest
Sci-Fi Diner
Chef Mickey

I read great things about Victoria and Albert's but I'm curious what makes it unique to WDW?

(given my experince with the wife at the French Laundry I think I may be the only one in the family who would appreciate V&A's, but it would be on my "to do" list otherwise)

 

[OKW Lover]

V&A
Sci-fi Dine-in
Sanaa
Toledo

 

[Psymonds]

I'm enjoying reading the lists so far, and looking up the restaurants people have put on their lists.

I'm realizing that it would probably be helpful to ask not just for the list but for a short reason why you enjoy the restaurants.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm realizing that it would probably be helpful to ask not just for the list but for a short reason why you enjoy the restaurants.

V&A because there is simply no other experience that comes close to this.
Sci-Fi dine-in. The food is just OK, its the atmosphere that sets this apart.
Sanaa: different foods and a wonderful view of the animals, as long as you are there before dark.
Toledo - Real good food. Things that are not found at other WDW restaurants. And a great view out over the whole WDW property - and beyond.

 

[Skywalker3]

Boma (delicious unique food, but also kid friendly options. we all love Boma, and glad it's back,)
Tusker House (more unique, delicious food, plus character meal w Mickey and friends,)
Skipper Canteen (not the best food, but pretty good, and a fun experience, lots of goofy Jungle cruise type jokes from the servers, and priced not much more than QS in MK,)
Akershus (IF IT opens/comes back,, been closed awhile now, and don't seem to have any opening dates, or what it might be, but it was a character/princess meal, and we are weirdos who actually liked the food on the buffet.)

We approach Disney dining as trying to seek out places we can't get at home. It's not table service, but we LOVE, love Satuli Canteen, and go every time for QS in AK. I enjoy Docking bay 7 and/or Ronto's Roaster, but maybe you have that in DL too?? Woody's lunchbox is ok. We travel during festivals, so if there are ANY festivals going on, food booths are where we eat in Epcot, and often we park hop to Epcot for supper from food booths.
I'd choose a character meal somewhere, and we love Tusker house food, so it wins for both. Chef Mickey is unique and fun, but food not good. We did Sci Fi many years ago . Sci Fi is fun and unique, good for a family, but basic food. Same for BOG, neat setting.
Happy planning!! lots of good resort/non park options out there too!

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Just one---Boma

 

[tinkerhon]

Boma, Kona, Sanaa, Ge Our Guest

Honorable mention to Spice Road and Via Napoli

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Boma, Kona, Sanaa, Ge Our Guest

Honorable mention to Spice Road and Via Napoli

AKL much?!! Us, too!

 

[tinkerhon]

AKL much?!! Us, too!

Love !

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Boma
Sanaa
'OHana (although it was better 10 years ago, but we had some awesome family memories/dinners there)
Teppan Edo

 

[JZCubed]

So we're west coast folks, do DL frequently but are looking to come out for a once every 10-15 year trip.

looking probably post pandemic so hoping most of the restaurant changes are shaken out and back to normal so I'm hoping to book 3-4 unique dining experiences for the family:

That is:

1. Restaurants that are great as a family experience
2. Restaurants that can only be experienced at WDW

For example, CRT might make the list for some because there's no other "in castle" dining experience but a lunch at California Grill (or for us near DL Napa Rose) probably would not, even if the food is great, because the meal experience is something we can get regularly somewhere else.

so for discussion, I ask for your Mt Rushmore, an unordered top 4 dining experiences, unique to WDW.

Gonna’ give a list:
- Magic Kingdom Dessert Parties.
- Magic Kingdom (pick one) - Cinderella’s if you enjoy princesses, Be Our Guest (when the Beast returns for meet-n-greet), Skipper Canteen if you like mediocre ‘exotic’ food & bad jokes.
- No matter how much I dislike the food at Sc-Fi Dine-in in HStudios, I always try going and/or recommending.
- CA Grill has the best theme park view, and you can walk to/from MKingdom.
- Sanaa in AKLodge for daylight meal (to see animals on Savannah). Resort offers vista points to further enjoy additional animals.
- Character meals. These have been disrupted by pandemic. When functioning, go closest to your resort or travel for your favorite character mix.
-Cirque du Soleil show in Disney Springs. Pick your favored food from the countless very good restaurants (Jaleo is our favorite, but ‘exotic’ by most U.S. standards).

Keep in mind, there is better food at Disney than these unique places. But your request was for uniquely Disney.

Also keep in mind, traveling inside Disney can come with logistical challenges (I.e., going resort-to-resort) that should be reviewed (and likely cured with taxi expenses).

 

[jjb1974]

Topolino's is the best breakfast on property, with or without a character meal. Taking the skyline over there makes it even more fun, as long as it doesn't stop mid-trip, I suppose.

You cannot get bad food at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

[Psymonds]

Magic Kingdom (pick one) - Cinderella’s if you enjoy princesses, Be Our Guest (when the Beast returns for meet-n-greet), Skipper Canteen if you like mediocre ‘exotic’ food & bad jokes.

It appears that I will have a blast at skipper Canteen and that I will dine alone if my wife finds out about the jokes.

 

[Psymonds]

Keep in mind, there is better food at Disney than these unique places. But your request was for uniquely Disney.

Yes, I think for us, we can get great food most days of the week in SF or Napa, we have limited dining opportunities on the trip so we need to stick to WDW unique experiences. For example I see people here raving about V&A but I'm not inspired by it's uniqueness compared to what I can get at home, even if it's the best restaurant on property. (similarly teppanyaki restaurants).

 

[elsbit]

If you're looking at unique due to Disney these would be my suggestions:

1. Be our Guest, especially the room with the rose
2. Topolinos Character Breakfast- Great food with cute themed artistic Disney characters
3. Storybook Dining at Artist Point
4. Sci Fi Diner
5. A tour like Keys to the Kingdom or at AK. A meal comes with it

 

[elsbit]

Also forgot Hoop Dee Doo Revue

 

[CynBeth]

Boma at AKL, Be Our Guest at MK, 50’s Prime Time Cafe at DHS, and Whispering Canyon Cafe at WL. Also Liberty Tree Tavern at MK plus Coral Reef and Chefs de France at Epcot.

 

[VandVsmama]

So we're west coast folks, do DL frequently but are looking to come out for a once every 10-15 year trip.

looking probably post pandemic so hoping most of the restaurant changes are shaken out and back to normal so I'm hoping to book 3-4 unique dining experiences for the family:

That is:

1. Restaurants that are great as a family experience
2. Restaurants that can only be experienced at WDW

For example, CRT might make the list for some because there's no other "in castle" dining experience but a lunch at California Grill (or for us near DL Napa Rose) probably would not, even if the food is great, because the meal experience is something we can get regularly somewhere else.

so for discussion, I ask for your Mt Rushmore, an unordered top 4 dining experiences, unique to WDW.

We are Disneyland-ers, too. We went to WDW in early June of this year. At HS, we really had fun at Prime Time Cafe. The server was really funny and the food was great. Our kids loved it.

We also ate at the Brown Derby at HS, but if you're from southern CA, I'd skip it because you can find a bunch of great steakhouses in the southern CA area instead.

We haven't been yet, but on our next trip, we'd really like to try CA Grill.

Everybody should experience Hoop Dee Doo Revue at least once in their lifetime. that's a truly WDW thing and it's definitely a family all-ages experience.

At MK, we thoroughly enjoyed Skipper Canteen...YDD especially because she loves Jungle Cruise so much.

I second the votes for any of the AKL restaurants since the location is so unique, AKL is beautiful and amazing, etc.

We've been twice now to Biergarten in the Germany pavilion at Epcot and really enjoyed ourselves...we won't be going to an Oktoberfest in Germany itself any time soon, so that was a really fun alternative. The band was great and it feels like you're dining outside even though it's all indoors.