Chef Mickey’s

Image: DisneySome of the restaurants listed here are more about atmosphere than flavors. I’d slot the next two entrants in this grouping. Chef Mickey’s is an All-You-Care-to-Enjoy (AYCE) restaurant that serves relatively bland, generic food. What’s the selling point? Chef Mickey Mouse hosts the proceedings; he’s brought friends, too! Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, and Goofy join Mickey in wandering from table to table, interacting with guests. In my entire life, I have never heard children laugh louder or more emphatically than during this character meal. The experience is inimitable.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Image: DisneyI’m not a huge proponent of the food at Cinderella’s Royal Table, and I’m not alone on this. It’s a Signature Dining experience that operates like a mess hall. Disney wants to get guests in and out as quickly as possible. They act this way because the restaurant is a license to print money. No matter how much Disney charges, people will happily pay it. They have no choice.

Where else in the world could you eat inside an actual castle while receiving royal visits from beautiful Disney Princesses? The rotation changes, but Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, and Snow White are the most likely characters to join Cinderella in plussing your dining experience. To me, Cinderella’s Royal Table is somehow overrated AND a must-do Disney meal.

‘Ohana

Image: DisneyDo you like chicken wings? Or pork dumplings? Or sweetbread? Or Szechuan Sirloin Steak? How about Sweet –n-Sour Chicken and Spicy Grilled Peel-n-Eat Shrimp. I’ve just listed a staggering amount of food. When you dine at ‘Ohana, you get to sample as much of it as you want. Like Chef Mickey’s, the food here is AYCE. The chief difference is that you’ll care to enjoy it so much more since the Polynesian flavors are mouth-wateringly delicious.

‘Ohana is one of the Walt Disney World restaurants that sells out the quickest. The reason why is 100 percent the food. It’s a thoroughly satisfying and filling meal. As a pro tip, if you can’t book a meal here, try dinner and a show at Spirit of Aloha instead. They serve the food during the event, plus you get singing and dancing!

Rose & Crown Dining Room

Image: DisneyI’ve narrowed down all of the potential selections at World Showcase to two restaurants. I expect these choices to be controversial, too. Theme park tourists are passionate about the food at Epcot, and everyone has their favorites. I’m not picking mine here, which explains the absence of Teppan Edo. Instead, I’m listing the ones that I believe offer the greatest possible experiences for first-time guests.

At Rose & Crown, the Fish and Chips and Bangers and Mash dishes have kept England fed for generations now, and the Sticky Toffee Pudding here will blow your mind. The star of this meal, however, is the view. Presuming that you time your dinner right, you can eat a three-course meal of appetizers, entrees, and desserts and receive your Sticky Toffee Pudding moments before IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth begins. The presentation is right beside one side of World Showcase Lagoon, placing you in direct line of sight. The only thing that can make the award-winning show better is a lakeside view and a tasty dessert. Rose & Crown offers the finest dinner combo with the nightly presentation. It’s truly magical.

San Angel Inn Restaurante

Image: DisneyThe other spot at the World Showcase resides in the Mexico Pavilion. You’ll never forget eating here, either. The restaurant sits right beside Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, the pavilion’s equivalent to It’s a Small World. Boats from the ride go right past the restaurant, creating a kind of out-of-body experience when you eat there and board the attraction in some order. You’ll see where you were just sitting either way. It’s a vague kind of Déjà vu. Of course, the attraction aspect is secondary to the view. This eatery sits on the bottom of a giant pyramid, one that matches the exterior design of the pavilion. San Angel Inn Restaurante is the most visually stimulating restaurant at Walt Disney World, although there’s another place on this list that’s somehow slightly more atmospheric.