Table Service Meals at the Walt Disney World Theme Parks Ranked in Order
OVERVIEW: TABLE SERVICE MEALS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
This site’s recommended dining venues are in the basic itinerary and are listed at the bottom of this page.
They were selected based on how well-loved they are by families, kid-pleasing menus, how effectively they achieve their show intent, value for money, and convenience.
If you cannot follow these recommendations, use one of two tools.
The thumbnail (click to open; when open, click again once or twice to enlarge) ranks the table service meals at the theme parks on the basis of both kid appeal and adult appeal. Use this to balance kid vs. adult desires.
Or, for options ranked in order, see the list that comes next. These restaurants are ranked based on comparison of guest reviews from a number of printed and online sources. The sources do not generally agree, but they often do agree on a relative order—e.g. The Plaza at the Magic Kingdom is almost always rated lower than the Liberty Tree Tavern is. Any remaining lack of agreement is resolved based on my own family’s experience.
Additionally the table service restaurants are coded as follows:
- Bold means especially delightful atmosphere/visual appeal for kids
- Italic means relatively dull for kids
- Strike-thru means new or recently renovated/re-conceived, with slender data so far
- (C) means character meals available
DISNEY WORLD THEME PARK DINING RANKED IN ORDER
MAGIC KINGDOM
- Be Our Guest
- Cinderella’s Royal Table (C), Menu changes often
The Crystal Palace (C), Buffet- Liberty Tree Tavern
- The Plaza, Diner-style food
- Tony’s Town Square, Italian
ANIMAL KINGDOM
- Yak and Yeti
- Tusker House (C)
- Rainforest Cafe
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
- Hollywood Brown Derby, American
- 50s Prime Time Café, American
- Mama Melrose, Italian
- Sci-Fi Dine in Theater, American
- Hollywood and Vine (C), American Buffet
EPCOT
- Tokyo Dining Japanese
- Biergarten German
- Le Cellier Steakhouse
- Akershus (C) Norwegian and American
- Teppan Edo Japanese, Chefs artfully chop at table
- Monsieur Paul’s French
- Les Chefs de France French
- Garden Grill (C) American
- Restaurant Marrakesh Moroccan
- Rose & Crown British
- Via Napoli Pizza/Italian
- Tutto Italiano Italian
- San Angel Inn Mexican
- La Hacienda de San AngelMexican
- Coral Reef Seafood
- The Nine Dragons Chinese
COMPLETE LIST OF DISNEY WORLD DINING SITES IN THE BASIC ITINERARY
Magic Kingdom:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table (Character Meal)
- Pecos Bill Café
- Crystal Palace (Character Meal)
- Dole Whip at Aloha Isle (Snack)
Hollywood Studios:
- Backlot Express
- Sci-Fi Diner (Snack)
Epcot:
- Akershus Banquet (Character Meal)
- Sunshine Season Food Fair
- San Angel Inn
- Boulangerie Patisserie (Snack)
Animal Kingdom:
- Flame Tree Barbecue
Resorts:
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (Fort Wilderness, Dinner Show)
Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary, Character Meal)- Beaches and Cream (Beach Club, Snack)
- Dole Whip at Captain Cook’s (Polynesian, Snack)
- Plus your hotel’s counter service and your hotel room!
Downtown Disney:
- House of Blues Gospel Brunch
- Rainforest Café
MORE ON WALT DISNEY WORLD DINING
- How to Eat
- The Disney Dining Plan
- What if You Can’t do the Dining Plan?
- Where to Eat
- Dining Alternatives
- The Comprehensive Guide to Walt Disney World Dining
- Character Meals and Dinner Shows Ranked in Order
- Table Service Meals at the Parks Ranked in Order
- Table Service Meals at the Resorts Ranked in Order
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10 comments
Do you need dinner reservation for all of the dinning in restaurants at Disney World or just for character dinners?
Hi Alicia! Yes you really do, for all the table service restaurants, if you want to be assured that you get a table. Walk-ups are possible at less busy times of the year, but it’s rare that you ccan get a walk-up table without hours of waiting at any of the better-liked options.
Both restaurants with a strike though it were wonderful! We visited both restaurants in mid Septmeber with the dining plan for 2011. Via Napoli was wonderful. If you like Italian food and Sangria (LOL) this is the place to go. 12 of us enjoyed our dinner and dessert was great! La Hacienda was great but be sure to like Maxican food. The desserts are wonderful! For the kids inform them there are no hard tacos here…only soft….my kids found they like the soft better!
Thanks Christine!
So I’m a little confused! We are going December 7th to the 16th and on the 10th we are going to sea world. I guess what I’m wondering is we only have a 5 day pass for wdw? Is that going to be enough and can we still get in the parks to eat on the off days or are we then stuck eating at our hotel?
I love your site thanks for all the work you have put into it!!!
Hi Sarah, I may nit understand what you are asking…but you can’t eat in a park unless you have a valid ticket to enter the park.
You totally understood
thank you! So for the days we don’t go to the parks what are our eating options? Is downtown Disney open without a valid ticket? I ask because we are staying in the art of animation hotel but only have a 5 day pass because we are also doing sea world.
Again thanks so much for your help
Sarah
Sarah, AofA has a great food court, and you can also go to restaurants at other WDW hotels–expensive, but more fun than DTD. E.g. you can take the bus to MK, not enter the park, and from the entry area to MK take a monorail to 3 hotels or a boat to tow more. See this for where I recommend eating: http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/where-to-eat/ and also see this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/where-to-eat/dining-alternatives/table-service-meals-at-the-resorts-ranked-in-order/
Can we go to SciFi at Hollywood for snack or dessert only? Or can we split meals? No dining plan. One will be in power chair…would it be worth it to eat at table? We have five in our party. Thanks.
Cathy, you can, if it is not too busy…and yes, you can split meals!
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