OhanaTo many of our guests visiting the Walt Disney World® Resort, their dining experience is just as much fun as the attractions they visit inside the parks. With over 70 on-property table service locations to choose from, selecting your meals for your vacation can be quite the daunting task!

Over the years, several table service locations have become a favorite to many of our guests. This popularity makes these restaurants very difficult to get into – with some of them booking a full 180 days in advance! So now what?

We tasked our Magic Makers® with compiling a list of great alternatives to some popular Walt Disney World® Resort table service restaurants. But don’t be too quick to write these alternatives off as “second best” as a few of these locations have become our personal favorites and a primary choice for one reason or another.

Magic Maker’s® Top 5 Alternatives to Popular Walt Disney World® Resort Restaurants

  1. Le Cellier Steakhouse – (Epcot® Canada Pavilion)
    Tucked away inside the Canadian château in World Showcase is Le Cellier Steakhouse, a dining location that has quite a following of its own. Known primarily for their steak and seafood, they also serve a Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup that is amazing. As an alternative, try either Coral Reef Restaurant (Epcot®) or Captain’s Grille (Disney’s Yacht Club Resort). Both restaurants serve great steak and seafood dishes and offer some delectable desserts. For those using one of the Disney Dining Plans, both alternative locations only utilize (1) entitlement per person while Le Cellier Steakhouse will cost you (2) entitlements per person!
  2. ‘Ohana – (Disney’s Polynesian Resort)
    Dinner at ‘Ohana is an all-you-care-to-eat Polynesian smorgasbord that we guarantee no one will leave hungry from! In addition to the Hawaiian-style feast of food, families can have fun with activities like coconut races and island limbo. Our suggested alternative is actually located right next door! Kona Cafe (Disney’s Polynesian Resort) offers the same great Polynesian flavor in a more relaxed atmosphere. If you’ve never been, give it a try – we’re sure you’ll love it!
  3. California Grill – (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
    The California Grill is one of the Signature Dining locations at the Walt Disney World® Resort. With sweeping views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the nearby Magic Kingdom® Park, it is a great location to celebrate any occasion with friends and family. Preparing to reopen from an extensive refurbishment, we expect Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) for this already popular location to become even more difficult to secure. As an alternative, we enjoy The Wave… of American Flavors (Disney’s Contemporary Resort). Their menu offers a wide selection of healthful American dishes with many of the ingredients sourced locally or regionally. This location offers value to those utilizing a Disney Dining Plan as their dinner only costs (1) entitlement per person. While it is not the same experience as the California Grill, we’re confident you will find it enjoyable.
  4. Chef Mickey’s – (Disney’s Contemporary Resort)
    Named after the “big cheese” himself, Chef Mickey’s is one of the character dining locations that hits the top of every child’s “must do” list. Located a short walk or monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom® Park, breakfast or dinner here provides a great break from the park and is very convenient. Characters at Chef Mickey’s typically include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto. Our Magic Makers® actually have two preferred alternatives for this one. First, you can try Tusker House Restaurant (Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park) which has a character breakfast and lunch. We have found this location to have a both a better selection of food as well as better character interaction. Characters here typically include Donald, Daisy, Mickey Mouse, and Goofy. The second alternative is Garden Grill (Epcot®) which offers character dining for dinner. The nice thing about Garden Grill is that this dinner is also all-you-care-to-eat, but it is served family style right at your table. So instead of mom and dad running up to the buffet line several times to get food for the youngsters, they can sit and enjoy their meal with the family. Characters here typically include Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Chip, and Dale.
  5. Cinderella’s Royal Table – (Magic Kingdom® Park)
    Every Princess (and Prince for that matter) dreams of having a meal inside the royal dining room of the Castle. Cinderella’s Royal Table gives your vacation that fairytale ending when you share a meal with Cinderella and some of her fellow Disney Princesses. Our Magic Makers® have two alternative locations that will give you a similar experience at half the cost if you are using a Disney Dining Plan (1 entitlement per person vs. 2 per person at Cinderella’s Royal Table). The first is Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Epcot® Norway Pavilion) where several of your favorite Disney Storybook Princesses mingle with guests during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The second is 1900 Park Fare (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa) where dinner service typically includes a visit from Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella.

Did we make you hungry yet? That is quite a list, and those are just the top 5! Consult with your Magic Maker® on additional alternative locations for your favorite restaurants at the Walt Disney World® Resort.