The pros of dining at official Walt Disney World resorts

Image: DisneyAll of Disney’s official resorts feature the same amenity. They’re close to the Disney theme parks. Some are right beside a park while others require a boat or bus ride, but literally all of them are less than 10 minutes away from at least one theme park. So, you’re never far from the action, but the resorts provide a much more relaxed vibe.

Think about the situation in these terms. Would you feel calmer walking around the Cinderella Castle area or in the lobby of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort? It’s the latter option, obviously, and that resort is only a monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom.

At Disney resorts, you can comfortably recover from a hectic park visit. You’re in a controlled environment where the ambiance is vastly superior. And Disney officials want you at that resort. The company has spent millions of dollars enticing guests to leave the parks and thereby reduce the crowds. Their testing has determined that fine dining is one of the best, most proven ways to lure guests out of the parks. You see where I’m going with this.

Image: DisneyAt Magic Kingdom, the two major restaurants are Be Our Guest and Cinderella's Royal Table. Not coincidentally, Disney charges more for these places, and they sell out quickly. Savvy consumers will discover lower prices for (arguably) better meals at the resorts.

Compare the restaurants I mentioned to your choice of ‘Ohana, 1900 Park Fare, Kona Café, Grand Floridian Café, or The Wave… of American Flavors. I could make an argument that you’ll discover better cuisine at any of these places than at Cinderella’s Royal Table, yet you’ll pay much less for the meal. And all of the restaurants I’m discussing here are on the resort monorail system, making them accessible to all Magic Kingdom guests.

The same is true at Animal Kingdom. I mentioned that Yak & Yeti and Tiffins are great, but the same is true of Boma and Sanaa, restaurants at the resort. In fact, the best overall value in the Animal Kingdom area might be at The Mara, a Quick Service restaurant with sublime cuisine.

Image: DisneySimilarly, guests at Hollywood Studios aren’t stuck at this park, which has the worst overall batch of restaurants in the eyes of most experts. You can jump on the Disney Skyliner and ride to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, home to Spyglass Grill, Centertown Market, and Sebastian’s Bistro.

Another option involves a gondola ride to the International Gateway. At this station, you’re close to Disney’s BoardWalk, which features a few good restaurants. I’m a huge fan of Trattoria al Forno, while the entire Disney community raves about Flying Fish Café. Some vacationers even prefer it to anything at the World Showcase. 

The cons of dining at official Walt Disney World resorts

Image: DisneyI think it’s already obvious where I stand on this topic, but I don’t want to mislead anyone. Leaving the parks for a meal does come with disadvantages. You’re reliant on Disney transportation, which is mercurial on the best days and menacing on the worst.

Also, you’re ceding value park time when you leave. Your exit means that you’re traveling to a resort and then must travel back to the park afterward. In theme park terms, that’s legitimately at least one attraction if not two that you don’t get to do. So, the opportunity cost is steep.

Image: DisneyFinally, some Disney resort restaurants are somehow more crowded than the ones at the parks. As an example, Jungle Skipper Canteen delivers a consistently good meal at Magic Kingdom, yet it rarely has a wait. Conversely, Chef Mickey’s and ‘Ohana are always mobbed with people.

When you plan to escape the parks, you should do your homework. Figure out which resort restaurants aren’t crowded. Otherwise, you’re kind of defeating the purpose of getting away from the chaos. Then again, a delicious meal is its own reward, right?

Which option is better?

Image: DisneyMy answer is undoubtedly the resorts. While I do dine at several in-park restaurants, I estimate that I eat 70 percent of my meals outside the parks. However, I’m not trying to decide for you.

Here’s an exercise that I’d suggest. List the number of restaurants that you love at each park. Then, do the same for the resorts. I suspect that the results might stun you, although they shouldn’t. After all, Walt Disney World hosts four theme parks, while Disney operates more than 20 resorts. It’s a numbers game that the resorts win, at least in terms of quantity.

Quality is a more divisive topic. I’ve already stated that my favorite place is at Hollywood Studios, while my second-favorite is Kona Café, a resort restaurant. Out of my top 15 Disney restaurants, most of the best ones are at the resorts.

Image: DisneyI adore Boma, Olivia’s Café, Beaches & Cream, Chef Mickey’s, Grand Floridian Café, and breakfast at ‘Ohana. At the parks, I’m a frequent guest at Akershus, Rose & Crown Dining Room, Teppan Edo, and San Angel Inn.

You can already tell my perspective here. I believe that this discussion is a blowout if not for the World Showcase. So, I tend to take it out of the conversation and think of it as its own thing. Overall, I believe that Disney resorts narrowly win the quality debate, as well. But this aspect is much closer than the quantity discussion.