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Planning: Special Occasion Meals/Dining Experiences at Disney World
By: Rebecca Farrell (@RMZFarrell)
It’s no secret that many people travel
to Walt Disney World to celebrate a special occasion – birthday, anniversary,
etc. Disney has even built entire advertising/marketing campaigns around this
obvious fact. But no matter what your
reason for being at the happiest place on earth, you should consider a special
dining experience at least once. It’s what Disney does best!
When I was planning our first trip to
Disney, my “celebration” was turning 30. For this special occasion, I knew that
I wanted to have breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table with the princesses. I
could think of little else while I planned our first trip to Disney (at least
for us as a couple) and I had to chuckle when the Disney reservationist asked
for the age of the child. “It’s me, and I’ll be 30,” I said at the time. She
laughed, too.
TIP:
Always make sure you tell the reservationist that you’re celebrating a special
occasion. Disney rolls out the red carpet in a lot of different and magical
ways!
Fast forward a few months…the meal was
a memorable one, and everyone wished me a happy birthday – and the celebration
even included cake – at breakfast (this happens ALL THE TIME at Disney – so
just roll with it).
During our 5th Wedding
Anniversary trip in November of 2011, we treated ourselves to a character
breakfast at Ohana on our actual anniversary, and it was a lot of fun. No
pressure, no fancy clothes, just a lot of great food and character
interactions.
So
what restaurant is right for your celebration? Take a few things into account:
1. What are your food preferences? Do
you like dinner or breakfast better?
2. Do you want characters or peace and
quiet?
3. What’s your budget? (Some signature
dining locations can put a strain on the wallet)
4. Do you want a dining room with a
view?
5. What’s your threshold for ‘dressing
fancy’ on vacation? (Note: I’ve seen people at California Grill in jeans, but I
don’t recommend it…its just disrespectful!)
Timing
All of the Disney signature dining
locations require reservations, and given the popularity of these locations as
well as many character meals, they will BOOK SOLID at the 180-day advance
dining reservation mark. So if you’ve got Cinderella’s Royal Table on your
agenda, mark it in your calendar and set your alarm because you’ll need to work
the phones fast (1-407-WDW-DINE) to get a table.
Meal
Credits
If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan,
make sure to take stock of how many credits are required for signature dining.
For example, Cinderella’s Royal Table and California Grill require two table
service credits per person, so you’ll need to factor that into your overall
plans. Some locations also require a credit card to hold the reservation – keep
that in mind and if you have to cancel, be sure to do so well ahead of the
24-hour mark or you’ll face a penalty.
In the chart below, I have outlined
some of the signature dining and character meals that my husband and I have
experienced during our Disney travels. For MUCH more information, you can visit
sites such as www.allears.net and https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/.
The “Worth It?” column represents my opinion and experiences only…be sure to do
your research and find out what’s best for you and your family!
Restaurant
Name
|
Location
|
Meals
Enjoyed
|
Worth
It?
|
Cinderella’s Royal Table
|
Cinderella Castle, Main Street USA,
Magic Kingdom
|
Breakfast and Dinner
(Princesses at both)
|
Yes, even without kids but for a
very special occasion only
|
Ohana
|
Great Ceremonial House, Polynesian
Resort
|
Breakfast (Characters)
|
Yes, one of the few Mickey meals
outside of the parks
|
California Grill
|
Contemporary Resort
|
Dinner
|
Yes, but it’s pricey so save it for
a milestone birthday or anniversary; consider a drink/appetizers at the bar
otherwise
|
Artist Point
|
Wilderness Lodge
|
Dinner
|
No. We had a view of nothing, and
the food was just so-so.
|
Le Cellier
|
Canada Pavilion, World Showcase,
Epcot
|
Lunch
|
No. There’s no view and the food is
too heavy.
|
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