You can’t have a good vacation without a good meal (or two), and your Disney vacation is no exception. Disney knows how to make your mealtimes as entertaining, adventuresome, and satisfying as the rest of your vacation experience. Disney eateries go out of their way to give everyone a unique and delicious dining experience, so you’ll find that even the most exotic restaurant can please any taste, including the finicky eaters in your family. From the atmosphere to the service to the food itself, it has all been created to fill your imagination as well as your belly.

The choices can be awesome, ranging from basic hot dogs and burgers to once-in-a-lifetime elegance, from ultra-romantic dinners for two to foot-stompin’ family hoedowns, and from exotic samplings of far-off places to the magic of a breakfast hug from Winnie the Pooh himself.

For us, meal planning is more important than choosing which attractions to visit. It’s easier to jump in an unexpectedly short line for a show than it is to get a table at the better eateries.

The six basic types of Walt Disney World Resort meals are table-service restaurants, counter-service cafes, quick-service snack shops, “special experiences” (such as dinner shows and character meals), room service, and meals you fix yourself. We devote most of the space here to table-service and special dining experiences, which are more costly and require the most planning. We also include details on the counter service and snacks in the parks. Resort counter service and room service is discussed in the “Staying in Style” chapter. We can’t say much about your home cooking until we’re invited to your villa or campsite, though.

The chapter begins with a meal planning guide, then moves to mealtime tips, park-by-park and resort-by-resort eatery reviews, and the low-down on the big shindigs, and ends with worksheets to plan your meals.