If you thought selecting a restaurant in your hometown was tough, you haven’t seen anything. The Walt Disney World Resort has more than 300 places to eat. But before you go running for the exit, take heart. We’ve been to virtually every restaurant on property at least twice (often much more) and we offer easily digestible descriptions and yummy ratings for you in this chapter. Better yet, we have a tried-and-true system for deciding where and when to eat.

First, decide how often you want to eat out. Many folks (including ourselves) bring or buy some food for in-room snacks or meals, with light breakfasts being the most practical choice. All Disney resorts now supply a refrigerator at no charge, some include a coffeemaker, and Disney’s Deluxe Villas resorts have kitchen facilities, too. You can, of course, eat out every meal. We like to eat a light breakfast in our room with food we’ve packed or purchased, such as peanut butter and jelly on English muffins. We then do one or two special breakfasts “out” (such as a character breakfast—see page 262). We often eat lunch and dinner at the parks, resorts, or Disney Springs. If you’re doing the Disney Dining Basic or Quick-Service Plan (see the next three pages), you’ll probably do about two meals a day. Some vacationers prefer to eat a big meal midmorning and another mid-afternoon to save time and money (it’s easy to fill up at many restaurants). More money-saving ideas are on page 229.

Once you have an idea of how often you want (and can afford) to eat out, your next task is to decide when and where. Revisit your Touring Worksheet (page 218 or your LIVE! Guide Tools) and check the parks you want to visit—it is much easier to choose a restaurant in or near your day’s destination. Every park offers table-service restaurants, counter-service eateries, and snack shops and carts. To help you choose from the overwhelming number of dining choices at Walt Disney World, this chapter offers descriptions of nearly all eateries. Descriptions are organized alphabetically within each park and resort to help you focus on your choices. Pick the eateries that fall within your budget, tastes, and needs—you may find it helpful to checkmark those eatery descriptions that interest you.

As you make decisions about your meals and the eateries you want to visit, note them in your Meal Worksheet at the end of the chapter or in the LIVE! Guide Tools. Make note of those table-service eateries for which advance reservations may be made. Continue on to page 226 to learn the what, when, and how of advance reservations at the Walt Disney World Resort.

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