After more than 100 visits to Walt Disney World I have eaten at the vast majority of its restaurants many times over. I have had extraordinary meals in stunning themed environments and I have had forgettable ones in places that trade on their reputation more than their food. I know which ones genuinely deliver and which ones are worth booking for families specifically.

This is not a comprehensive list of every restaurant at Walt Disney World. It is my honest personal selection, the restaurants I recommend most consistently to the UK families I plan holidays for, based on genuine experience of the food, the theming, the character experiences where applicable, and the overall value they represent.

I am Alex Perry, an independent Disney holiday specialist and the only travel agent in the UK to have graduated from Disney University. Every restaurant in this guide is one I have eaten at personally and would recommend unreservedly for UK families visiting Walt Disney World.

For the quick service options I recommend alongside these table service picks, read the Top 10 Quick Service Dining Locations guide on the Disney Planning Hub. For everything you need to know about how to book these restaurants at the 60-day window, read How to Organise Disney Dining Reservations.

All table service restaurants in this guide require advance reservations. Book at exactly 60 days before your dining date through the My Disney Experience app. The most popular sell out on the day the booking window opens.

Character dining — the must-book experiences

Cinderella's Royal Table

Best for families with young children who love the Disney Princesses.

Cinderella's Royal Table is inside Cinderella Castle itself. You ride a spiral staircase to a medieval banquet hall at the top of the castle. Cinderella meets every table personally at the entrance before a rotating cast of Princesses visits throughout the meal. The location alone makes it unlike any other restaurant at Walt Disney World. The food is good if not exceptional. The experience is extraordinary.

This is the hardest table in all of Walt Disney World to secure at the 60-day window and it sells out fastest. If Cinderella's Royal Table is on your family's list it is the reservation to prioritise above all others when your booking window opens.

Be Our Guest

Best for Beauty and the Beast fans and families who want the most themed restaurant at Disney World.

Be Our Guest is located in Fantasyland and is themed around the enchanted castle from Beauty and the Beast in extraordinary detail. The Ballroom dining room beneath a soaring ceiling with swirling snowflakes and portraits of the Beast is genuinely breathtaking. Dinner service includes a brief appearance from the Beast himself during the meal. Breakfast and lunch are quick service format.

The food quality at Be Our Guest is consistently good and the theming is the most elaborate of any Magic Kingdom restaurant. This is a must-book for any family with Beauty and the Beast connections in the party.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Best for families with young princess fans and for more affordable character dining.

Akershus is the Princess character dining experience at EPCOT, set inside a Norwegian castle in the World Showcase. A rotating group of Disney Princesses visits every table during the meal and the food is a Norwegian-inspired buffet which suits families with varied tastes.

Akershus is slightly easier to book than Cinderella's Royal Table and typically slightly less expensive. For families where the Princess experience is the priority and Cinderella's Royal Table proves unavailable, Akershus delivers the character dining experience beautifully.

Topolino's Terrace

Best for a special character breakfast and families who want a beautifully styled experience.

Topolino's Terrace offers a character breakfast with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy dressed in French Riviera-inspired outfits that are genuinely charming. The restaurant sits on the rooftop of the Riviera Resort with views across the resort and the breakfast menu is excellent.

This is not in a park. It is at a resort hotel, which means it is accessible regardless of which park you are visiting that day. It is slightly less well-known than the park-based character dining experiences and therefore slightly easier to book. I recommend it consistently and it delivers every time.

Chef Mickey's

Best for very young children and families who want Mickey and friends in a lively atmosphere.

Chef Mickey's is the classic Mickey and friends character dining experience at Walt Disney World. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto all visit throughout the meal in a lively, upbeat atmosphere that young children adore. The food is buffet-style and reliable rather than exceptional. The experience is joyful and chaotic in the best possible way.

For families with very young children who simply want to see Mickey and friends, Chef Mickey's delivers. The monorail running through the Contemporary Resort building above the restaurant is a fun bonus for children who notice it.

Themed restaurants — dining as an experience

Space 220 — EPCOT

Best for older children and adults and the most unique dining concept at Disney World.

Space 220 places you in a space station 220 miles above Earth. You board a simulated space elevator to reach the restaurant and dine with a view of Earth from orbit projected around the entire room. It is stunning and genuinely immersive. The food is contemporary American and genuinely good.

Space 220 is most appreciated by older children and adults who engage with the theming. For very young children it is a beautiful restaurant but the concept may not land as fully as the character dining options.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater — Hollywood Studios

Best for families who love the novelty concept and for Hollywood Studios park days.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is one of the most original restaurant concepts at Walt Disney World. You sit in replica 1950s cars at a drive-in movie theatre, eating while watching a loop of vintage science fiction film clips. The atmosphere is unique and the concept delights most children and adults alike. The food is American diner fare, solid and enjoyable. For a fun, memorable family dining experience at Hollywood Studios, Sci-Fi Dine-In is consistently one of my recommendations.

Tiffins Restaurant — Animal Kingdom

Best for adults and older children, the best food quality in the park, and special occasions.

Tiffins is the finest dining restaurant in Animal Kingdom and one of the best restaurants on Walt Disney World property in terms of food quality. The menu is globally inspired, the art throughout the restaurant celebrates Disney's global expeditions and the Imagineering process, and the service is excellent. For families where the adults want a genuinely excellent meal alongside the park experience, Tiffins is the right choice at Animal Kingdom.

Resort hotel dining worth making the journey for

Jiko — The Cooking Place (Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge)

Best for adults and older children, an extraordinary food experience, and special occasions.

Jiko is consistently rated among the finest restaurants at Walt Disney World for food quality. The menu is African-inspired with outstanding dishes across the board. The restaurant is beautiful with an open kitchen visible from the dining room and warm earthy tones throughout. This is the restaurant I recommend most often to adults who want a genuinely exceptional meal during their Walt Disney World holiday.

Boma — Flavors of Africa (Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge)

Best for families, a genuine African buffet, and parties with varied tastes.

Boma is one of the most generously stocked and genuinely interesting buffets at Walt Disney World. The food is African-inspired and varied enough to suit adults and children with different tastes. For families who want the Animal Kingdom Lodge atmosphere and a meal that suits everyone in the party, Boma is consistently excellent.

How to book these restaurants

All table service restaurants at Walt Disney World open for reservations at 7am exactly 60 days before your dining date. Disney resort hotel guests can book for their entire stay at 60 days out. The most popular restaurants in this guide, Cinderella's Royal Table in particular, can be fully booked within minutes of the window opening on popular travel dates.

Read the full guide on how to organise Disney dining reservations for the step-by-step approach. Or let me manage it for you. Dining reservation management at the 60-day mark is part of the Disney holiday planning service I provide for every client at no extra cost.

If you would like to start planning your Walt Disney World holiday, contact me directly and I will come back to you personally, usually within a few hours.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What are the best restaurants at Disney World for families?

For character dining, Cinderella's Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall are the top Princess experiences. Chef Mickey's and Topolino's Terrace are excellent for Mickey and friends. For themed dining, Be Our Guest and Space 220 are the most immersive. For food quality, Tiffins and Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge are the finest on property.

Q: Which Disney World restaurants offer character dining?

The main character dining options include Cinderella's Royal Table with Princess characters inside the castle at Magic Kingdom, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall with Princesses at EPCOT, Chef Mickey's with Mickey and friends at the Contemporary Resort, and Topolino's Terrace with Mickey and friends at the Riviera Resort.

Q: How far in advance should I book Disney World restaurants?

Table service restaurants open for reservations at 7am exactly 60 days before your dining date. The most popular restaurants sell out within hours of the window opening on busy travel dates. Book at exactly 60 days out through the My Disney Experience app.

Q: Is Disney World dining included in the holiday package?

Standard Disney World packages do not include dining unless a Dining Plan is added or the Free Dining promotional offer applies to your booking. The 2027 Free Dining offer is currently available for eligible travel dates and resort categories and includes table service, quick service, and snack credits for the duration of your stay at no additional cost.

Q: Do I need to book Disney World restaurants in advance?


For table service and character dining restaurants, advance reservations are essential. Walk-up availability exists for some restaurants on some days but is unreliable and the most popular restaurants have virtually no walk-up availability on busy dates. Quick service restaurants require no reservation.