Navigating Dining at Walt Disney World
We just returned from our annual week-long trip to Walt Disney World. It is a VERY snowy New England day so I decided to put “pen to paper” and get a blog out to you all. I settled on the topic of dining, because we had a couple new experiences on this trip that put it at the forefront of my mind.
My general advice, when it comes to dining:
Why order groceries?
No matter the quality, the food at Walt Disney World is not what you may be used to in your day-to-day life. It is so nice, especially for younger kids, to have some known comfort foods or snacks. I order things like peppers, cucumbers, nuts, bananas, strawberries, Goldfish and Uncrustables (we have a fridge at Fort Wilderness.) Sometimes, this saves me paying for a Quick Service lunch altogether. It also lets the kids snack on something healthy as we stroll across the park, which can be a much needed change of pace from a diet made up solely of Mickey Bars and popcorn.
Also, for reasons I do not understand, the Quick Service at your resort isn’t necessarily available before you want to get on transportation to the Parks. Food is not available from many Food Courts until 6:30 a.m. Hot breakfast wasn’t available until 7a.m. at the MARA at Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you are Rope Droppers (Park Open people) you don’t want to be wasting early Park Touring time hunting for breakfast. It’s nice to have something to grab and go, leaving you free to get a more substantive snack after a ride or two. Even if you like to start your day off slow, you might have a kid like mine. Maggie was up as early as 5:30am during our stay, without snacks/groceries we would have had no access to food for an hour.
Why only one sit-down?
Sit-down dining requires advance planning, which I know isn’t for everyone. It can be time consuming; taking an hour to an hour and half to order, be served and eat. If it is a Park Day, that is an hour to an hour and half out of your Park time. It might not be in the budget, as it is definitely more expensive than a Quick Service meal.
Another consideration for sit-down meals is how it may impact your Park Touring Strategy. If you plan to book Lightning Lanes or Enchanting Extras, be aware that those plans can’t overlap your dining. Disney does everything in 1 hour windows. If you have, say, a Crystal Palace reservation at 8:30 a.m. to see Pooh and Friends and get your hands on some Churro waffles, the system won’t let you book your first Lightning Lane of the day until 9:30 or 10am. This might not seem like a big deal but the more reservations you have, the more restrictive the system will be when you go to book your advanced selections for Lighting Lane and other Enchanting Extras (i.e. the popular Bibbidi, Bobbidi Boutique.)
Lastly, while I have historically loved using a sit-down Restaurant in lieu of a mid-day break…maybe members of your travel party don’t have the patience for the pace of that kind of meal. In fact, after our most recent trip, I don’t plan to book any sit-downs on Park Days because my kids’ Park Touring style is evolving. You really and truly never bring the same kid twice.
✨Whatever you choose to do about dining, be sure to make some plans around eating. It’s easy to get swept up on a Park Day, getting to the next ride, the next attraction, the next show. Time can slip away from you. Factor some breaks in there for calorie consumption. Don’t let hidden (or obvious) hunger ruin moods on your magical day.
I hope something here speaks to your family’s style and is helpful. Reach out with any questions, any time.
Happy Planning,
Jody
