Best of Disney World

Disney World Calendar of Crowds, Cost, Weather, Events

by josh on January 3, 2012

January 27 Update: Refurbishments updated.  Full list here.

January 3 Update: Updated the language throughout the Calendar.  Moved the Wine/Dine Half Marathon to November and noted the Tower of Tower 10-mile run will be taking its place.  Added the particulars of the Expedition Everest Challenge in May, which is less expensive in 2012 because it no longer includes a one-day theme park ticket.  Updated November and December to 2012.  Most of the dates for specific events further than six months out are not yet known (Mickey’s Party dates, start of Osborne Lights, etc.) so they are more placeholders than anything.

Introduction

This is a month by month look at the cost, crowds, weather, and special events at Walt Disney World.

The cost section relates primarily to booking a room at a Disney-owned resort. The cost of theme park tickets, upgrades, and other add-ons generally does not change throughout the year, with the exception of theme park tickets, which usually see one price increase during the course of the year.  Traditionally, that increase comes in August, though it came during June in 2011.

The weather section is based on the historical data available. For a look at the last 15 years of Orlando weather on any date, check http://www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index.asp?MR=1 This is a handy reference tool, but make sure you look over more than just the past couple of years. The fall of 2009 was one of the hottest on record and January 2010 broke record lows when the temperature dipped below freezing several times.

The crowds section is based on data from the past several years. Generally speaking, the higher the price of a Disney resort room, the busier the Parks will be.  For example, Value season usually has the smallest crowds and Peak and Holiday seasons see the highest crowds.  We’ll also take a closer look at the various exceptions throughout the year.

The Park hours and entertainment section covers the hours of operation at the Disney Parks.  If the hours and entertainment aren’t yet available, you’ll see (expected) after the section header.  In this case, I’m basing the hours and schedule on past years.

The best week to visit section takes into account crowd level, available promotions, Park hours, ride closures, resort cost, special events, and other pertinent information.  Be sure to check out the day-by-day analysis when available to check on the daily crowd levels and dates of important events.

The closures and openings section lists all known and expected ride, Park, restaurant, and other closures and openings throughout Disney World.  If a ride is closed for refurbishment or reopened after refurbishment or a new ride or restaurant is expected, it will be listed here.

Finally, I’ve included a brief description of the special events and other nuances throughout the year.  This will help you plan around events that may adversely affect your vacation or you might want to tweak your plans to visit during a special event of particular interest.  I link straight to the Disney website throughout this calendar so you can read “the official word” about the events or purchase tickets.

January 2012

See the January 2012 Crowd Calendar with Daily Analysis Here.

January Cost:

  • January 1 is New Year’s, which is just slightly less expensive than Holiday, but more expensive than any other date.
  • January 2 – 4 is Value, the cheapest season.
  • January 5 – 7 is Marathon, which is just slightly more expensive than Value and similar to Martin Luther King.
  • January 8 – 12 is Value, the cheapest season.
  • January 13 – 15 is Martin Luther King, which is slightly more expensive than Value and very similar to Marathon.
  • January 16 – 31 is Value, the cheapest season.

January Weather: January weather is the coldest of the year in Orlando, with an average high of 69 degrees and an average low of 50 degrees.  The weather is generally comfortable in the afternoon, but a light jacket or sweater may be necessary in the evening.  Historically, there is little precipitation in January, although it does rain some on about 22% of days.

January Crowds: With New Year’s Day falling on a Sunday in 2012, January 1st and 2nd won’t be as crowded as they have been in past years because of the number of people that will be traveling that day.  Still, these will be the two busiest days of the month.  The first week in January is busier than one might expect because of extended winter vacations in some school districts all the way to January 8th and the Walt Disney World Marathon on the 5th through 7th.  Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, from the 13th to the 16th, is also busier.  You can expect slightly above average crowds during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend or about a “6″ on the 1-10 scale.  The crowds over those four days are lower than you’ll find during any day of Summer or Peak Season, but if you’re flexible with your dates, you will want to plan around that weekend.  Crowds are much lower from January 17th, through the end of the month, and into the first two weeks in February.  While not quite as low as most of September, we’re looking at a “2 or a 3″ on our 1-10 scale.

January Park Hours and Entertainment: January’s operating hours are among the shortest of the year (other than January 1st through 7th which have longer operating hours and additional evening entertainment due to heavier crowds for New Year’s Holiday, the Marathon, and extended winter break vacations).  After the 7th, the Magic Kingdom often closes at 8pm on weekdays and only offers the Main Street Electrical Parade three or four times each week, usually at 7pm (again, other than the first week when Main Street Electrical Parade is scheduled every night).  Wishes is scheduled each night at 8pm or 9pm, depending on date.  Main Street Electrical Parade at Magic Kingdom is not scheduled from January 20th through February 10th due to paving work in Frontierland.  During that time, the Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade will travel around the hub and return to where it begins near the Firehouse and Emporium on Main Street.  Hollywood Studios’ hours are also shorter and Fantasmic is scheduled earlier in the night, usually at 6:30pm and a second show at 8pm.  It appears that Fantasmic will be undergoing a refurbishment from January 9th through February 12, when no shows are currently scheduled.  Luckily, non-Fantasmic days have the usual 9am to 7pm operating hours.  No evening entertainment is expected to replace Fantasmic during the refurbishment.  Animal Kingdom’s hours are predominately 9am to 5pm, though the first week sees 9am to 7pm hours and 9am to 7pm hours also appear throughout the month, usually on Saturdays and Sundays.   Epcot has its usual 9am to 9pm hours, as it does for most of the year, and features IllumiNations each evening at 9pm.

Best Week to Visit Disney World in January 2012: January 23-30 is the best week to visit, with some of the lowest crowds of the entire year and Value season pricing.

Closures and Openings:

Continuing Refurbishments:

The Spa at the Grand Floridian Resort closed September 19th 2011 for about 18 months, until at least June 2013.  The Fitness Center remains open and guests will be shuttled to Saratoga Springs for spa services.

Typhoon Lagoon closed December 4th 2011 and is scheduled to reopen March 18th 2012.

House of Innoventions closed December 4th and is scheduled to reopen in April 2012.

New Refurbishments:

The Beach at the Polynesian Resort will be closed or inaccessible from January 4th through January 16th for sand nourishment.  Parts may be open or closed during this time.

Tutto Italia in the Italy Pavilion at Epcot will be closed for refurbishment from January 8th through April 30th.  It will reopen on May 1, 2012.

Plaza Ice Cream Parlour at Magic Kingdom is expected to close January 9th and reopen March 28th.

Fantasmic is not scheduled at Hollywood Studios from January 9th through February 12th, which points to a lengthy refurbishment of some kind.  At the moment, it looks like a lot of attention will go toward the stage and water features.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant will close for refurbishment from January 9th through March 11th.  It is expected to reopen on March 12, 2012 in New Fantasyland.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is expected to be closed for refurbishment from January 9th through May 27, 2012.  It is expected to reopen on Monday May 28, 2012.

Main Street Electrical Parade at Magic Kingdom will not be scheduled from January 20th through February 12th due to repaving work in Frontierland.

Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom will be closed for refurbishment from January 24th to February 9th.  It is expected to reopen February 10th, 2012.

Liberty Square Riverboat at Magic Kingdom is scheduled to close for refurbishment from January 28th through February 3rd.

Notes:

Historically, January has the most refurbishments and closures of any month.  We’ll also have the last night of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios on January 7th, the change back to Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade (from the Christmastime Parade over the holidays) at Magic Kingdom, and the change over to Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade (from Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade) at Animal Kingdom.  Lengthy pool refurbishments are also common at Disney resorts.  While the great majority of attractions will be operating, it is important to note that we will most likely be adding a lot of refurbishments throughout the month of January.

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Best Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotel

by josh on June 3, 2010

Best Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotel

Quick Introduction to the Disney World Deluxe Resorts

Of the three Disney World resort classes, selecting the right Deluxe is the toughest choice.  Unlike the Values and the Moderates, the Deluxes have wildly different price points, ranging from $240 per night to $410 per night, and that’s just for Standard rooms in Value season.  Some Deluxes have as many as 20 different room categories with prices that top $2,000 per night.  Room sizes are also vastly different, ranging in size from about 340 square feet all the way up to 440 square feet for Standard rooms.  While 100 square feet may not seem significant on paper, in person it may seem like you’re adding an additional planet if your group consists of four or five people.  In addition, there are significant differences in resort layout, dining choices, transportation options, theme, service, location, pool size, and more.  I have ranked the Deluxe resorts in a number of categories to help you decide which resort is the best fit for your group.  Don’t be alarmed if your final choice is rated on the lower end of any of the categories because there is no such thing as “one size fits all.”

Also, be sure to read the full length reviews of the resorts you are interested in to get a better idea of what they offer as well as a list of the best rooms.  You can either click the highlighted links throughout this post or click here for a scrollable page with all of the resorts listed alphabetically.

Best Theme/Landscaping

1. Polynesian Resort

2. Animal Kingdom Lodge

3. Wilderness Lodge

4. Grand Floridian

5. Beach Club Resort

6. Boardwalk Inn

7. Yacht Club Resort

8. Contemporary Resort

Save for perhaps the Contemporary, all of the Disney Deluxe resorts have lush surroundings and immersive themes.  I have the Polynesian in first place because of the beautiful grounds, impressive Great Ceremonial House, perfectly-themed volcano pool, and lake-side white sand beaches overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom.  The Polynesian is one of the most relaxing, pristine resorts at Disney World.  The Animal Kingdom is in second place, but could just as easily take first depending on your own preferences.  Surrounded by 43 acres of African savanna and featuring the most remarkable lobby of any of the Disney Deluxes, the Animal Kingdom is a striking resort and the favorite of many guests.  Few other resorts in the world can boast panoramic views of 30 specifies of indigenous African wildlife and more than 35,000 native shrubs.  It’s an amazing place and an experience every Disney guest should take advantage of, even if you decide to stay elsewhere.

The Wilderness Lodge is a gorgeous, casual resort with a Pacific Northwest flavor.  It shares the beautiful Seven Seas Lagoon with the Deluxe Monorail resorts and has the feeling of being removed from the ruckus of Disney World while still being right in the middle of the action.  The Grand Floridian, Disney’s Flagship Resort, is decidedly “uppity,” yet accommodating and friendly with beautiful architecture, white sand beaches, and a Victorian themed lobby.  Guests looking for upscale surroundings (and price point) should strongly consider it.  The Beach Club Resort is the most friendly and relaxing of the Epcot-area resorts, offering a cool New England seaside vibe and a soft, welcoming color palette.  The Beach Club is the favored Epcot resort for families.  The Boardwalk Inn, themed like an elegant 1940s Atlantic City resort, features an impressive façade and an inviting lobby.  It drops substantially on the list of best themes because the resort itself doesn’t necessarily leave guests exclaiming “Wow.”  Its location right along the Boardwalk is definitely something special, but the resort itself isn’t as extravagantly themed as other Deluxes.

Coming in next to last is the Yacht Club, which isn’t necessarily an indication of an extremely lacking theme.  The Yacht Club is still a solid “B to B+” on a graded scale, but falls to seventh due to its somewhat pretentious tone that doesn’t appeal to some guests.  Anyone looking for a classier, upscale resort should consider the Yacht Club along with the Grand Floridian, but many families report feeling a bit unwelcome at the Yacht Club.  While I’ve never felt that way about the Yacht Club personally, it’s difficult to ignore the feelings of so many past guests.  The only Deluxe with a disappointing theme is the Contemporary Resort, which doesn’t boast much decoration at all.  While the structure itself is a technical feat on a grand scale, most guests won’t appreciate the bland, concrete architecture.  The inside of the resort is void of most things Disney and the industrial atmosphere seems out of place in Disney World.  On the plus side, the lake and Magic Kingdom views from the Tower rooms are spectacular.

Overall, the Disney Deluxe resorts are extravagantly and diversely themed.  It’s likely that more than one of the resorts will appeal to you and your group and you’ll want to take into consideration the other categories.  For some guests, the theme is the most important part of their resort choice.  While the theme may be vital to your vacation, I would still strongly recommend taking into consideration dining, transportation, room quality, and pool areas.  Suffice to say, you won’t be disappointed by the top choices in this category and the resorts at the bottom of the list have something to offer as well.

Best Layout

1. Grand Floridian Resort

2. Contemporary Resort

3. Wilderness Lodge

4. Animal Kingdom Lodge

5. Polynesian Resort

6. Yacht Club

7. Beach Club

8. Boardwalk Inn

This is a difficult category to quantify for the Deluxe resorts because so much of it depends on your room location and your personal preferences.  I have the Grand Floridian in first place because the restaurants, monorail station, and check-in are all located in the centralized main building that is relatively near all of the rooms.  It’s easy to move around the resort and find what you’re looking for and none of the points of interest are far from one another.  The Contemporary Resort comes in second because rooms in the Tower are so convenient to the restaurants, check-in, and monorail station.  Guests are just a short walk and elevator ride away.  However, guests staying in the Garden Wing must walk a considerable distance to the Tower and Tower guests are relatively far from the dock and pool.  Still, it’s generally quick and easy to find what you need as you move about the resort.  In third place, the Wilderness Lodge is shaped somewhat like a large “V” with two long wings jutting out of the main building.  The good news is that the walkways are easy to traverse and air-conditioned; the bad news is that a room at the end of one of the wings means a considerable walk to get to the restaurants, check-in, and bus stop.  The wings are shorter than the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s and a slightly longer walk is better than the confusing hallways of the Epcot-area resorts.  The pools are also centrally located behind the resort along with the dock and beach areas.  In fourth place is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which has a similar design to the Wilderness Lodge, only the wings are longer.  This can equate to a long walk to the buses and restaurants if you find yourself at the end of the wings.  Luckily, the rooms at the end of the wings generally have the best view of the savannas and the hallways are nicely air-conditioned.  Request a room on the Zebra Trail to be nearer to the pool facilities.

The Polynesian is a small resort with a centralized main building, pool, dock, and transportation stations, but the layout can be confusing due to the meandering walkways and scattered guest buildings.  It’s fairly easy to find the main building with the restaurants, check-in, and monorail station, but getting back to your room may be difficult because the buildings all look the same.  Chances are you’ll get the hang of it by the time you leave, but it may take a few trips before you figure out exactly which path to take.  The pools, dock, and beaches are all centrally located in the middle and the back of the resort which is nice and nothing is more than five or ten minutes away from anything else which cuts down on walking.  The Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club, and Beach Club, all feature a similar layout with long winding hallways and points of interest that may be far away or at another resort entirely.  For example, the Yacht Club and Beach Club share amenities, including Stormalong Bay and a counter service.  This can mean a substantial walk to and from the pool and a particularly long walk for Yacht Club guests to get to the Beach Club’s counter service location.  The Beach and Yacht Club also share a dock, which is directly behind the Yacht Club.  This equates to a 10-15 minute walk over to the Yacht Club for guests at the Beach Club who want to use water transportation.  Finally, both the Yacht and Beach Club sit next to the beautiful Crescent Lake, but few rooms have balconies that look directly out at it.

Considering Disney’s attention to detail and careful planning, it’s a bit surprising that many of the Deluxe resorts have poor, confusing layouts. While it’s unlikely the resort’s layout will ruin your vacation, long walks from the bus to your room in the heat or rain after spending ten hours running around a theme park can make a wonderful day end on a sour note.  Pay attention to the “Best Rooms” categories of each resort to hone in on the best room locations.  While the best rooms are also usually the most expensive, there are advantages to some Standard rooms too, which is what those sections cover.  If you’re able to get one of the “best” rooms at the Yacht Club, then chances are it will be better than one of the worst rooms at the Contemporary or Grand Floridian.  For this reason, room location is even more important than overall layout, but it’s important to keep the overall layout in mind, especially when considering the bottom five choices on the list.

Best Dining

1. Grand Floridian Resort

2. Polynesian Resort

3. Animal Kingdom Lodge

4. Contemporary Resort

5. Wilderness Lodge

6. Boardwalk Inn

7. Beach Club

8. Yacht Club

Most of the Disney Deluxe resorts have at least one excellent restaurant.  It’s the secondary restaurants and counter services that may be lacking.  With the most overall choices and Victoria and Albert’s, the finest restaurant in all of Disney World, the Grand Floridian wins this category.  Citricos and Narcoossee’s are both excellent choices and 1900 Park Fare is a great character meal at breakfast.  Gasparilla Grill and Games, while not amazing, is a decent counter service that is convenient when your pocketbook is eyeing a cheaper alternative.  The Grand Floridian also serves a relaxing afternoon tea with a wide variety of drinks and snacks.  The Polynesian Resort is a close second, featuring Kona, one of the best non-signature restaurants at any of the Deluxes and ‘Ohana, a popular family style meal.  The Polynesian also offers the Spirit of Aloha Polynesian dinner show with good food and fun entertainment.  In third place is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which features Boma, one of the best buffet meals at Disney.  You’ll find a great number of authentic African-inspired dishes as well as traditional buffet flavors.  Jiko, the resort’s signature restaurant, is also an excellent restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere and fantastic wine.  The Animal Kingdom Lodge’s counter service is also among the best at Disney and the new Sanaa restaurant at Kidani Village is a welcome addition as well.  The California Grill, located on the 15th floor of the Contemporary Resort, still features some of the best views at Disney World.  Unfortunately, the quality of the food and service has diminished in recent years.  It remains a recommended restaurant because of the fantastic view, especially during the fireworks show, and the food is above-average.  Also at the Contemporary, The Wave is a vastly underrated table service restaurant and the Contempo Café is your standard counter service – too small to meet demand, but efficient enough.  I don’t recommend Chef Mickey’s, but it is still one of the most popular character buffets and a decent choice if you’re staying at the Contemporary, don’t mind crowds and noise, and don’t have a particularly discernable palette.

Coming in fifth is the Wilderness Lodge.  Artist Point, the resort’s signature restaurant, serves great food and the service is generally good as well, but it’s lacking the flair that several of the higher rated restaurants possess.  While there’s certainly nothing wrong with it, there just isn’t anything special about it either.  Roaring Fork is the resort’s undersized counter service.  Like most of the resorts’ counter services, the seating area is inadequate, so expect to take your food elsewhere if you visit during peak times.  Whispering Canyon can be a fun restaurant, but both the service and food are inconsistent and the prices are on the higher side.  If it’s convenient or you’re visiting the Wilderness Lodge then it’s a good choice if you don’t mind the prices, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.

The bottom three resorts are all nearby each other and the idea seems to be that if you’re staying at one then you should be willing to walk to the others to fill your dining needs.  In last place is the Yacht Club, which has no counter service location.  Even people that swear off counter services all together usually visit sometime during their stay for a quick coffee or ice cream.  It also makes refillable mugs less desirable because you’ll have to walk to Stormalong Bay or the Beach Club to fill it up.  The Yacht Club’s two sit-down restaurants, the Yachtsman Steakhouse and Captain’s Grill, are both fine choices for a meal, but neither of them offers much Disney magic.  The Yachtsman is superior in service, food, and price and is comparable to the popular Le Cellier at the Canada Pavilion in Epcot.  Unlike the Yacht Club, the Beach Club offers no signature restaurants and no real “fine dining” options.  Instead, you’ll find Beaches and Cream which is a fun place for a burger or an ice cream, but the seating area is grossly inadequate and you’ll likely be looking at waits in the one hour range.  The Cape May Café is an interesting buffet, serving all-you-can-eat crab legs at dinner, and is a good choice for big eaters.  The Beach Club Marketplace is disappointing, serving only sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner.

At the top of the Epcot-area resorts is the Boardwalk Inn, which sits on top of several restaurants.  Unfortunately, while there may be a large variety of choices, none of them are particularly good and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend any of them.  Flying Fish is the best of the bunch, but it also costs two credits on the Disney Dining Plan and most entrées are in the $40 range, which makes it considerably overpriced out of pocket.  Despite the high prices, the restaurant’s atmosphere is decidedly relaxed, which may or may not be a good thing. The best feature of the Epcot-area Deluxes is that they are near Epcot, which means you’re just a five to ten minute walk away from all of those restaurants.  The bad news is that you’ll need a Park Hopper ticket to eat there unless you plan to spend the entire day at Epcot.

Overall, the Deluxes have the best dining options of the Disney resort classes.  Even the last place Yacht Club is far superior to anything you would find at the Moderates or Values.  The unique characteristic of the Deluxes is that unless you’re staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you’re close to at least two of the other Deluxe resorts and one of the major theme parks.  For example, if you’re staying at the Contemporary Resort then you’re only a monorail ride away from the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Magic Kingdom and only a boat ride away from the Wilderness Lodge.  If you’re staying at the Boardwalk then you’re only a walk or boat ride away from the Yacht and Beach Club as well as Epcot and the Hollywood Studios.  This gives you a lot of dining options, even if the restaurants at your particular resort don’t sound appealing.  If you’re staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge then it’s going to be less convenient to hop to the other resorts, so you’ll want to make sure those restaurants sound appealing.

Best Transportation/Location

1. Contemporary Resort

2. Polynesian Resort

3. Boardwalk Inn

4. Yacht Club

5. Grand Floridian

6. Wilderness Lodge

7. Beach Club

8. Animal Kingdom

The Contemporary is the only resort where guests can easily walk to and from the Magic Kingdom.  It also offers boat service to the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Cabins as well as Monorail access to the Magic Kingdom, Transportation Center, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. Finally, the Contemporary has the best bus service of the Monorail Deluxes because it’s picked up and dropped off before the others when bus service is shared.  Coming in second is the Polynesian, which is on the monorail line, has an easily accessible bus stop, and is in walking distance to the express monorail line to Epcot.  Walking to the express monorail will save you a lot of time because you won’t have to travel around on the resort monorail and then wait for the express monorail to show up at the Ticket and Transportation Center.  The Polynesian also offers boat service to the Magic Kingdom and Grand Floridian which is handy as well.  The Boardwalk Inn is at the top of the Epcot-area resorts because it’s the closest and has its own dock that is centrally located at the back of the resort.  It’s also the closest resort within walking distance of the Hollywood Studios.  With boat access to the Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios, there are plenty of places to visit via boat, which is much more fun than riding a stuffy bus.  Of course, the Boardwalk Inn is also right on top of the Boardwalk area with its fun restaurants, night clubs, and street shows.  Coming in fourth is the Yacht Club, which is rated higher than the nearby Beach Club because the boat dock happens to be behind the Yacht Club.  This makes it much more convenient for guests to travel via boat to all of the same locations as at the Boardwalk Inn listed above.

Leading the bottom half of the list, the Grand Floridian is on the monorail line and has convenient boat access to the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian resort.  Why is it so low on the list then?  Unfortunately, the Grand Floridian has poor bus service, usually sharing with the far-away Wilderness Lodge which gets picked up and dropped off first.  This can mean longer than average bus rides to the Hollywood Studios and the Grand Floridian is the farthest resort away from the Animal Kingdom.  Coming in sixth is the Wilderness Lodge, which has boat access to the Magic Kingdom, but buses everywhere else.  The Wilderness Lodge often shares buses with the nearby Fort Wilderness Campground and the much less convenient Grand Floridian, which adds considerable extra time to bus rides.  It’s not in walking distance of any of the theme parks and is relatively isolated away from the rest of the action.  The Beach Club falls all the way to sixth because guests will have to walk all the way to the back of the Yacht Club for boat transportation that is shared by many other resorts and theme parks.  Like the Yacht Club and Boardwalk Inn, there is also no bus service to the front of Epcot.  Last place goes to the Animal Kingdom, which only offers bus service to all of the theme parks.  It’s also the most remote Disney resort and the furthest from all of the theme parks other than the Animal Kingdom.  You’re looking at a 45 minute drive to and from the Magic Kingdom.

Overall, the Deluxe resorts offer the most diverse transportation options of the Disney resort classes.  Both the monorail and boats offer a more fun way to get around the World and the convenience of being so close to the theme parks and other resorts is a nice bonus.

Best Rooms

1. Contemporary Resort

2. Grand Floridian Resort

3. Polynesian Resort

4. Yacht Club

5. Beach Club

6. Boardwalk Inn

7. Animal Kingdom Lodge

8. Wilderness Lodge

Disregarding price, the updated Contemporary Resort rooms are the nicest, most modern rooms at Disney World.  Some guests may still prefer the subtler elegance of the Grand Floridian’s large, well-appointed rooms.  In third place is the Polynesian Resort.  Although its rooms feel a bit dark and outdated, they are still among the largest at Disney World and feature upgraded fixtures, bathrooms, and televisions.  The Yacht and Beach Club as well as the Boardwalk Inn all have rooms that are about 380 square feet in size.  As far as the room itself is concerned, they are all similarly outfitted with the only major difference being the theme.  The Yacht Club is the most recently renovated, followed by the Beach Club and then the Boardwalk Inn.  Chances are you won’t notice much difference between the three.  Both the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge have rooms that are much smaller than the other Deluxes, at only about 340 square feet.  They are also dark and standard rooms sleep only four people, compared to five at the other Deluxes.  While the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge are considerably less expensive, the major reason behind the price difference is the smaller rooms with lower quality furnishings.

Best Pool

1. Stormalong Bay at the Beach and Yacht Club

2. Boardwalk Inn

3. Grand Floridian Resort

4. Wilderness Lodge

5. Polynesian Resort

6. Contemporary Resort

7. Animal Kingdom Lodge

Far and away, the best pool complex is Stormalong Bay, which is shared by guests of the Yacht and Beach Club.  It’s also the most heavily secured and resort guests must show their room key to receive a wristband and gain entrance. Boardwalk Inn features a spectacular slide, a fun theme, and a large pool which puts it in second place.  The Grand Floridian’s main pool, while not ornately themed, overlooks the pristine Seven Seas Lagoon and the quiet pool is the largest of its kind.  It ranks so high because there is usually plenty of room to swim and move about the water.  In fourth place, the Wilderness Lodge features a beautifully themed pool and a second quiet pool.  While the feature pool gets busy in the summer, the quiet pool usually has plenty of room.  The Polynesian would be much higher on the list, probably in second place, except it’s so popular with “pool hoppers.”  Although people staying at other resorts are expressly forbidden from swimming at the Polynesian, plenty of people still do and the resort does a poor job of keeping them out.  This makes the Polynesian’s Volcano Pool extremely busy in the warm months.  Although there is a smaller quiet pool, it’s much less fun to swim in than the Volcano Pool.  Next to last is the Contemporary Resort, which has two large pools, but little theme or decoration.  The slide is also not particularly exciting.  In last place is the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which only has one pool open to all guests (guests staying at the Kidani Village Disney Vacation Club have access to a second pool).  While it is the largest single pool in Disney World, it doesn’t make up for the convenient quiet pools at other resorts.  If your room is at the end of Kudu Trail, you’re looking at a 15+ minute walk to and from the pool, which may be a hassle.

Chances are you’ll be pleased with the pool facilities at any of the Deluxes.  Although the Animal Kingdom comes in last, the pool is still fantastic and it’s located in a beautifully themed area.  It’s just unfortunate they neglected to build a second one on the other side of the resort.

Best Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotel

1. Grand Floridian

2. Polynesian Resort

3. Beach Club

4. Wilderness Lodge

5. Contemporary Resort

6. Yacht Club

7. Animal Kingdom Lodge

8. Boardwalk Inn

The “best” Deluxe resort is difficult to quantify because of the varying price points and substantial differences between the resorts.  At the very least, I would recommend reading over the “best for” and “worst for” sections along with the “summary of key points” for each of the Deluxe resorts you are considering.  While the Animal Kingdom Lodge may be listed seventh on this list, it may be ideal for your family if you don’t mind the longer-than-average bus rides, four person limit per room, and the possibility of substantial walks to the main building and pool.  In addition, the Grand Floridian is the most expensive resort at Disney World and may not be worth the $200 extra per night over the Wilderness Lodge if your group doesn’t plan to spend much time at the resort.  Unlike the Values and Moderates, the Deluxes have more substantial differences and the top rated resorts may not be the best choice depending on your wants and needs.  Here’s as short of an explanation as I can give on the pros and cons of the various Deluxes and why they fall where they do, generally speaking.

The Grand Floridian is the best of the Deluxe resorts, with the largest rooms, easy to maneuver layout, oversized pools, finest restaurants, and quick transportation to the Magic Kingdom.  The only deterrents are its bus transportation to the other theme parks and the high cost.  While some visitors report feeling “stuffy,” the great majority of Grand Floridian guests are just like you and me.  That is, people who have diligently saved over the year(s) to afford to stay at Disney’s best.  It’s truly a beautiful resort with all of the amenities one would expect from a top resort.  On the other hand, it may only be worth the money if you plan to spend a considerable amount of time relaxing and enjoying the resort and its amenities.  The Polynesian has many of the same pros and cons as the Grand Floridian, but falls below it due to the somewhat outdated décor in the rooms, more difficulty finding what you’re looking for inside of the resort, and the overcrowded pools.  On the plus side, the Polynesian has much better transportation, including a walkway to the Ticket and Transportation Center and a more relaxing, family friendly atmosphere.

The Beach Club tops the Epcot-area resorts because of its ideal location within walking distance of Epcot, its relaxed atmosphere, superior service, Stormalong Bay, and several casual restaurants on-site.  The major downsides are its lack of balconies overlooking the lake, its shared bus and boat transportation, and a lackluster counter service.  Luckily, you can visit Stormalong Bay for a burger or walk to Epcot and visit one of their excellent counter service locations, so there really isn’t that much of a need for a counter service with more abundant options.  Of course, it would still be nice.  In fourth place is the Wilderness Lodge, which has a tranquil atmosphere, attractive price point, above-average transportation, and a fun pool area.  Although the rooms are smaller than the other Deluxes, the significantly lower price reflects it.  The Wilderness Lodge also has boat service to the Contemporary and Magic Kingdom, which easily connects guests to the other Monorail Deluxes and Epcot express monorail line.  Although it appears to be secluded, it actually isn’t that far away, so you get the benefit of being away from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks while still being close to the action.  It’s an excellent resort for guests wanting to be conveniently located near the Magic Kingdom without the additional expense of the Monorail Deluxes.

Falling to fifth place is the Contemporary Resort, mostly due to its lack of a theme and high cost for rooms outside of the Garden Wing.  While it’s true that the Contemporary Resort boasts the cheapest rooms on the monorail line, the Contemporary’s Tower rooms start at $400 which is in line with Standard rooms at the Polynesian and Grand Floridian, both of which have a superior theme.  The Contemporary’s strong points are its convenience to the Magic Kingdom and other Monorail Deluxes, boat service to the Wilderness Lodge, modern rooms, and easy to navigate layout.  If you don’t care for a lush tropical atmosphere or the opulence of the Grand Floridian, then the Contemporary may be your best choice.  I recommend either getting the cheapest room in the Garden Wing or upgrading to the Magic Kingdom View in the Tower.  There’s really no reason to spend the money to upgrade anywhere else.

In sixth place, the Yacht Club completely lacks a counter service location, has a confusing layout, shares buses and boats with many other resorts, and features a less popular theme.  While guests looking for a more upscale atmosphere may appreciate the Yacht Club, it may feel a bit stuffy to guests with younger children.  The positives are similar to the Beach Club and include the best pool complex at Disney World, an excellent location within walking distance of Epcot and many other resorts, and upgraded rooms.  If you prefer a fancy resort and don’t plan to eat any counter service meals on-site, then the Yacht Club may be your ideal resort.

The Animal Kingdom Lodge drops to seventh because of its remote location.  Unless you plan to spend considerable time on your balcony looking at the animals, you are better off staying closer to the other theme parks and visiting the Animal Kingdom to enjoy its restaurants or the public animal viewing areas.  It’s about a 35 minute drive from the Animal Kingdom Lodge to the Magic Kingdom and 25 minutes or more to Epcot and Hollywood Studios.  If you have to wait 15 minutes for the bus then you’re looking at 80-120 minutes or more on the buses, assuming you only ride to and from the theme parks once.  Depending on room location you’re also looking at considerable walks to and from the bus stop, main building, pool, and restaurants.  On the plus side, the Animal Kingdom is a beautiful resort with a striking lobby and three superb restaurants.  If you don’t mind the long drives or plan to spend a significant portion of your vacation at your resort then the Animal Kingdom may be a good choice.  There are better options for first time Disney vacationers and those who plan to spend most of their time away from the resort.

In last place, though not without its positive attributes, is the Boardwalk Inn.  While I love the exterior theme and the rooms overlooking the Boardwalk are among the most fun at Disney World, the interior leaves a lot to be desired.  The layout is particularly confusing, with long winding halls and inconvenient elevator locations.  There is also no on-site counter service and no restaurants inside of the resort.  Instead, you’ll have to exit the resort and enter the restaurants from the outside.  While there are plenty of choices, the ESPN Club, Kouzzina, and Big River Grille are nothing special and do not come highly recommended.  At a minimum of $425 per night, the rooms that overlook the Boardwalk cost about as much as a Magic Kingdom View room at the Contemporary Resort or Standard room at the Polynesian or Grand Floridian.  I would recommend visiting the Boardwalk area during your vacation, but don’t generally recommend the resort itself.  One more positive that I have not previously mentioned is the Inn’s underutilized Bellevue Lounge, which is a fantastic place to sip on a fine cocktail and enjoy an afternoon or evening.

There is a Disney Deluxe resort that will fit anyone’s needs, provided you have a budget that allows for it.  With a large pricing gap and a wide variety of strengths and weaknesses, it may take some time to research and determine which resort will best fit your group’s needs.  Hopefully this abridged guide will help.  Be sure to read up on the individual resorts that sound intriguing for even more information.  I have a detailed overview of every Disney resort, including a closer look at each of the categories listed here and suggestions on room reservations.  Good luck and happy planning.

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Best Disney World Moderate Resort Hotel

by josh on June 2, 2010

Best Disney World Moderate Resort Hotel

Quick Introduction to the Disney World Moderate Resorts

The best Moderate resort choice is not as obvious as it is with the Value resorts, unfortunately.  There are many substantial differences in resort size and layout, transportation efficiency, theme, room amenities, pool size, dining choices, and more.  You may have to make some compromises and decide what features are most important.  For example, the French Quarter has the best transportation and layout, but the worst restaurant choices and pool.  Luckily, the Moderates are all priced the same, except for the Coronado Springs which is about $5 more per night, so differences in cost won’t be a major concern.  Take a look at the following ratings to identify which Moderate is the best fit for your group and be sure to read the full review of the resorts you’re interested in to make the most informed decision.

Click the highlighted links to read the full review of any of the resorts listed or click here for all of the Moderate resort reviews on a scrollable page.

Best Theme/Landscaping

1. Caribbean Beach Resort

2. Port Orleans Riverside Resort

3. Coronado Springs Resort

4. Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

This is the toughest category because the theme that appeals to you and your group may be different than what appeals to others.  Generally, the Caribbean Beach Resort is favored because of its relaxing vibe, bright colors, and gorgeous lake setting.  The white sand beaches that line the exterior of the resort are beautiful and the plentiful hammocks and lounging areas are second to none.

Port Orleans Riverside comes in second.  Its lush landscaping, picturesque setting on the Sassagoula River, and the working 35-foot water wheel help elevate its ranking.  Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend, the two distinct areas that make up the Port Orleans Riverside, are visually interesting and provide two different interpretations of the Louisiana Bayou.

The Coronado Springs Resort, with its Spanish-colonial theme, is another beautiful resort that encircles the 22-acre Lago Dorado lake.  It falls into third place primarily because it is the major convention resort and many of its guests may not be at the resort for a typical Disney vacation.  Nonetheless, the atmosphere is serene and relaxing and there are plenty of areas to relax on the white sand beaches.

Port Orleans French Quarter drops to last place.  Many of its decorations appear cheap, especially in the food court and main building where New Orleans paraphernalia merely hangs from the ceiling on strings.  While Disney will tell you that they purchased “some” of the memorabilia directly from New Orleans, it still isn’t impressive.

As far as landscaping is concerned, all of the Moderate resorts are on a level well above the Value resorts and only a small step down from the Deluxes.  Chances are high that you will enjoy your surroundings no matter which Moderate resort you choose.

Best Layout

1. Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

2. Port Orleans Riverside Resort

3. Coronado Springs Resort

4. Caribbean Beach Resort

The French Quarter is the smallest Moderate resort, both in terms of rooms and overall square acreage.  This means that your room won’t be more than a five minute walk away from the food court, bus stop, pool, main building, or boat dock.  This is a huge advantage, especially in times of suffocating heat or torrential downpour.  It also makes it much more convenient to refill a mug or get a snack.  The rest of the Moderate resorts are large and spread out and it’s more important to take heed of the “best rooms” section of the full resort reviews and consider paying extra for a “Preferred” location.

Port Orleans Riverside is slightly ahead of the other two due to the fact that most of the rooms are close to something of interest, whether it be the feature pool, main building, or food court.  Unlike the Coronado and Caribbean, there isn’t a gigantic lake in the middle of the Port Orleans Riverside that you have to maneuver around.

It’s as much as a mile from the main building to the most remote rooms at the Coronado and Caribbean Beach resorts, which can be a significant hassle with children or those who have trouble walking.  Luckily, the Caribbean Beach has an internal shuttle that travels around the resort’s exterior and employees of the Coronado Springs will drive you around the resort in golf carts if necessary.  While both of those methods may be convenient once you board them, it’s not always easy to hunt down interior transportation.  The Caribbean Beach Resort is even more sprawling than the Coronado Springs which is why the Caribbean falls to last place.

Best Dining

1. Port Orleans Riverside Resort

2. Coronado Springs Resort

3. Caribbean Beach Resort

4. Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

None of the Moderates have quick service or full service restaurants worth visiting if you’re not staying at the resort.  There just isn’t anything particularly special about any of them, although you might consider the Pepper Market if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan due to its high cost.  With that said, the Port Orleans Riverside has the best quick service location and Boatwright’s, the best table service restaurant.  The Riverside Mill, the Riverside’s quick service, is actually better than most of the Deluxes.  If you’re planning to eat many of your meals at the resort and want to stay at a Moderate then the Riverside is your best bet.

Coronado Springs Resort comes in second, but has some serious caveats.  First, you’ll probably want to be on the Disney Dining Plan if you plan to eat more than two meals at the Coronado.  The Pepper Market Grill is one of the most expensive quick service locations and the Maya Grill is an overpriced table service restaurant.  Read the full Coronado review for more information about these restaurants.

The Caribbean Beach Resort features a quick service location by the name of Old Port Royale and Shutters, the dinner-only Caribbean themed full service restaurant.  While the food at Old Port Royale is good and the setting is pleasant, the space is too small to handle the amount of people that fill it during peak times.  Shutters is decent, especially if you have low standards, but the menu is limited to just a handful of the usual entrées and the setting is nothing special.  If you’re not in the mood to leave the resort or can’t find another restaurant to visit then it will do the job, but this is far from a destination restaurant.

Finally, Port Orleans French Quarter drops to last because it doesn’t have a full service restaurant.  Guests staying at the French Quarter are invited to walk or bus over to Boatwright’s at the Riverside.  It’s an additional hassle and it’s unfortunate that the small number of guests staying at the French Quarter can’t support their own restaurant.  The French Quarter’s quick service location is also lacking, with a small capacity and a limited selection of food.  It will suffice if you’re not in the mood to travel elsewhere, but don’t expect to be impressed by the quality, prices, or selection.

All in all, the full service restaurants at the Moderate resorts are a bit disappointing, considering the excellent restaurants found at the Deluxe resorts.  Chances are that you’ll have a decent to above average meal, but you’re generally better off seeking food at one of the recommended restaurants and counter services throughout Disney World.

Best Transportation

1. Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

2. Port Orleans Riverside Resort

3. Coronado Springs Resort

4. Caribbean Beach Resort

Both Port Orleans resorts, the French Quarter and Riverside, generally share transportation.  The French Quarter has the advantage because it is picked up and dropped off first for all destinations other than Downtown Disney.  This usually guarantees French Quarter guests a seat on the bus and the French Quarter only has one bus stop, which makes it easy to navigate to the correct line.

Despite being picked up and dropped off after the French Quarter, the Port Orleans Riverside benefits from having above-average bus service.  Waits are usually shorter at both Port Orleans resorts than they would be at the other Moderates.  The Port Orleans Moderates are also somewhat centrally located, which means relatively short bus rides.  Finally, the Port Orleans resorts both have a dock with boat service to Downtown Disney.  The ride is scenic and it is the preferred transportation method when heading Downtown.

Both the Coronado Springs Resort and Caribbean Beach Resort have a lot of bus stops.  If you get on at one of the early stops, you’ll be more likely to get a seat (rather than stand), but you’ll also have to wait for the bus to circle the resort as it stops at the other six-or-so stops.  Getting on at the final stop will lessen your transit time on the way to the Park, but will also result in you standing more often than not.  On the return trip, you’ll also have to wait for the bus to stop and let off guests at all the preceding stops as well.

The Coronado Springs Resort comes in third because the buses are usually empty if the resort is full of conventioneers who aren’t visiting the theme parks.  The problem is that the conventioneers will probably go to the Parks at least one day and Disney isn’t that quick in upping the amount of buses necessary to service all the additional riders.  This can lead to long waits.

The Caribbean Beach has the worst transportation of the bunch.  Waits tend to be the longest of the Moderates and it also takes the longest for the buses to circle the resort to pick up and drop off guests.

Best Rooms

1. Coronado Springs Resort

2. Port Orleans French Quarter

3. Caribbean Beach Resort

4. Port Orleans Riverside

The Coronado Springs Resort is the only Moderate to have a wood divider between the vanity area and the sleeping area, which keeps much more of the light and noise out compared to the cloth divider found at the other Moderates.  It’s also one of the two Moderate resorts that offers comfortable queen-size beds, which makes it easier to sleep four people.  Coronado Springs is also recently refurbished, with new furniture, linens, carpets, and flat-screen televisions.  Of the Moderates, the Coronado’s rooms are the best appointed, though the Port Orleans French Quarter rooms are very nicely appointed as well.

Port Orleans French Quarter underwent a serious refurbishment in early 2011.  Resort rooms now feature two queen-size beds, flat-screen televisions, and all new furniture.  The rooms are not quite as nice as Coronado Springs, particularly because of the lack of a door separating the sleeping area and bathroom, but they are still nicer than the rooms found at Caribbean Beach Resort.

The Caribbean Beach is also recently refurbished with a subtle Finding Nemo theme in most of its rooms and fantastically themed (and much more expensive) Pirates of the Caribbean rooms.  Rooms are bright and the renovation brought new furnishings and televisions.  However, you won’t find queen-size beds like you the French Quarter and Coronado Springs offer.

Port Orleans Riverside is the only Moderate Resort that can officially sleep five people in the Alligator Bayou section, thanks to the addition of the trundle bed.  While the trundle bed is designed to sleep a small child under the age of nine or so, it may offer a cheaper alternative to one of the family suites.  Unfortunately, Port Orleans Riverside is the only Moderate that has not undergone a refurbishment.  That will change in June 2011 when the rooms will be refurbished.  If you trip isn’t until July or later, you have a chance of getting one of the refurbished rooms.  Be sure to request one when you book.  The refurbishment should be completed by December 2011.

Generally, the Coronado Springs’ rooms are kept in the best shape in order to please convention guests.  All Moderate guest rooms measure 314 square feet (yes, even the Caribbean Beach’s which are sometimes listed at 340 square feet), so you won’t find any advantages in square footage.

Best Pool

1. Coronado Springs Resort

2. Caribbean Beach Resort

3. Port Orleans Riverside

4. Port Orleans French Quarter

Featuring a 50-foot tall Mayan Temple, 123-foot long water slide, and 272,000 gallons of water, the Coronado Springs boasts an impressive feature pool in the form of The Dig Site.  Each of the Coronado’s three sections has a convenient quiet pool as well.

The Caribbean Beach’s feature pool, designed to look like the famous Fuentes del Morro Fort, is a close second.  There is also a quiet pool in each of the Caribbean Beach’s sections – six in total.

The Port Orleans Riverside has decent pools, but they’re a significant step down from the top two choices.  The feature pool at the Riverside is 158,000 gallons, more than 100,000 smaller than The Dig Site, and features a 95-foot slide.  There are also five quiet pools located throughout the resort.

Coming in last is the Port Orleans French Quarter, which only has one swimming pool and one small hot tub.  Guests staying at the French Quarter are welcome to use the pools at the Port Orleans Riverside, but it isn’t ideal to have to walk the ten or so minutes both ways to enjoy a good swim.

Best Disney World Moderate Resort Overall

1. Port Orleans French Quarter Resort

2. Port Orleans Riverside Resort

3. Coronado Springs Resort

4. Caribbean Beach Resort

Considering that the Port Orleans French Quarter comes in dead last in three of the six categories, this may seem like a surprising conclusion.  Let me explain.  Arguably, the two most important categories are transportation and layout.  The bottom line is that the French Quarter will allow you to spend more time where you want to be – the theme parks.  First, the French Quarter is the smallest of the Moderates, which means rooms are close to points of interest.  If you’re placed in the Ranchos section at the Coronado Springs or Jamaica building at the Caribbean Beach, you can expect to have to walk about one mile each way from your room to the food court, main building, or feature pool.  That’s at least a 20 minute walk, round-trip.  This makes it difficult to refill a refillable mug, get a quick bite to eat, ask the front desk a question in person, or transport your luggage after check-in.  At the French Quarter, you’re only a few minutes away from everything.

Second, transportation is key.  You don’t want to spend any more time on Disney buses than you have to and the French Quarter is by far the best in the transportation category.  During peak times, the French Quarter will have dedicated bus transportation and won’t have to share with the Riverside, another plus.  Considering the amount of walking you’ll be doing or have already done, it’s nice to be able to sit down and relax on the bus rather than have to hold on to a bar and hope the bus doesn’t make a tight turn or go over a bump.  The scenic boat ride to Downtown Disney is also a nice bonus.

The major downsides to the French Quarter are its pool and dining options.  You’re not necessarily missing much in the dining category, considering none of the Moderate resorts’ table service restaurants are particularly good, but it’s always nice to have the option of a convenient and relaxing full service meal.  Luckily, the Riverside is just a few minutes away and offers the best table service at any of the Moderates.

Once the Riverside’s refurbishment is completed, all of the Disney Moderate resorts will have similarly high quality rooms.  The Caribbean Beach will still lag behind because of its beds, but it still may be the best choice if you’re looking for serene surroundings or want to upgrade to a Pirate room.  The pool is also a lot of fun and some people enjoy the spread out nature of the resort.

Unfortunately, the French Quarter may not always be the best choice for your group.  If swimming is important, you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, and you plan to eat some of your meals at the resort, then the Coronado Springs Resort may be the best choice in that situation.  If you have five people in your group, don’t want to book two rooms, and want to stay in a relatively inexpensive room, then the Port Orleans Riverside may be your only option.  You’ll have to look over the ratings and reviews and decide which resort features are the most important.

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Best Disney World Value Resort Hotel

by josh on June 2, 2010

Quick Introduction to the Disney World Value Resorts

The differences between the Disney World Value resorts are more subtle than they are with the Moderates or Deluxes.  Other than the Family Suites at the All-Star Music, all Value rooms are 260 square feet and feature similar furniture, beds, bathrooms, amenities, pools, and service.  The pricing is also identical at all four Value resorts every date throughout the year, although the Pop Century is located in a different county and has a tax rate one percent lower than the All-Stars.  Even the themes and decorations are similar.  The major differences lie in the quality of bus service, the size and layout of the resort, whether or not the rooms have been refurbished recently, and counter service seating availability and quality.  Although these differences may not make a light and day difference in the overall quality of your vacation, you’ll want to consider each of the following categories in your final resort decision.  Luckily, the best Value resort is a clear choice.

Click the highlighted links to read the full review of any of the resorts listed or click here for all of the Value resort reviews on a scrollable page.

Best Theme/Landscaping

1. All-Star Movies

2. Pop Century

3. All-Star Sports/All-Star Music

All of the Value resorts feature a similar theme – bright colors, oversized iconic sculptures, and basic landscaping.  The All-Star Movies comes in first place because it’s the most “Disney” of all the resorts at Disney World.  With a 50 foot tall Buzz Lightyear, 30 foot tall Woody, and other icons from famous Disney franchises, visitors are immersed in Disney culture from the second they set foot at the resort.  Pop Century also feature sculptures of classic Disney characters, although there are less of them than at the Movies, and comes in second.  You’ll also see many sculptures based on themes from popular culture throughout the 20th century.  All-Star Sports and All-Star Music are tied for third because they are basically the same, except one has a sports theme and the other has a music theme.  The overall look of all the Value resorts is similar, so you may want to take into account which theme is most appealing to your group.

Best Layout

1. Pop Century

2. All-Star Sports/All-Star Movies/All-Star Music

The Pop Century has the best layout, with the shortest walks between any two landmarks.  Even the furthest rooms from the main building and bus stop are only a five minute walk away, compared to ten or more at any of the All-Stars.  The other three Values are a toss-up, even though the layouts are slightly different.  If you want to be close to the main building at the All-Stars, you’ll be paying $15 more per night for a Preferred room.  While Preferred rooms are available at the Pop Century, it’s not usually necessary to book one unless you want to be right on top of the pool.  For the best rooms at each of the resorts make sure to read the “Best Rooms” section in the full review.

Best Dining

1. Pop Century

2. All-Star Movies/Music/Sports

All of the Value resorts offer only one food court and no full service sit-down restaurants.  Pop Century’s food court is the largest and has the greatest variety of options.  Although Pop Century also has the greatest number of guests, the food court is usually big enough to handle the demand.  The food at the Pop Century is generally better tasting and higher quality than you’ll find at the All-Stars as well, making the Pop Century food court the best of the bunch.  The flatbread pizzas and “Mom’s Night Out” TV Dinner platters are both excellent.  The All-Star resorts all have similar food court sizes, menus, and service.  While the food and selection are decent, don’t expect to be wowed by any of the offerings.  It’s always best to avoid popular dining times, especially around 8-9am for breakfast.  Expect large crowds, long lines, and few available tables during peak hours at any of the food courts.

Best Transportation

1. Pop Century

2. All-Star Sports

3. All-Star Music

4. All-Star Movies

Pop-Century does not share bus service with any other resort, which elevates it to first place.  This means that you won’t have to wait on the bus while it travels to other resorts to pick up additional guests and the bus won’t be full from previous pickups.  Occasionally, especially during off-peak times, the three All-Star resorts will share buses.  All-Star Sports is the first stop both on the way to the theme park and on the way back from the theme park.  This usually guarantees that people staying at Sports will get a seat even when buses are shared.  Sports’ guests won’t have to wait the five to ten minutes it takes to unload guests from the other resorts on the way back either.  Music is the second stop and Movies is the third stop, which puts them in third and fourth place respectively.  If buses are shared, Movies’ guests are usually required to stand and will have to wait for guests from Sports and Music to unload before returning to their resort.

Best Rooms

1. Pop Century

2. All-Star Music

3. All-Star Sports

4. All-Star Movies

Standard and Preferred rooms at all of the Value resorts are the same size – 260 feet.  The difference is that the Pop Century is the most recently refurbished, which means newer carpet, furniture, beds, bathrooms, and upgraded flat-screen televisions.  Both the All-Star Music and Sports are recently refurbished also, but Music wins out because it’s the only Value resort that offers Family Suites (at a cost of a little more than two rooms, per night).  Otherwise, the furnishings of the regular rooms are similar at the Sports and Music and you’re just as likely to get a “good” room at either.  All-Star Movies has not been refurbished, which means the furniture, carpets, etc. may show signs of wear and the televisions have not been upgraded.

Best Pool

1. All-Star Music

2. All-Star Sports/Movies

3. Pop Century

Technically, any guest staying at one of the All-Star resorts can use the pool facilities of any of the other All-Star resorts.  That means someone staying at the All-Star Sports is more than welcome to use the pool at All-Star Movies or All-Star Music.  In practice, it’s rare that anyone would do that, other than to enjoy the activities at the All-Star Music.  It would be like walking two streets over to use the pool at someone else’s house that is exactly the same as the pool you have in your own backyard.  Anyway, All-Star Music has the best pool facilities because they have scheduled pool games and activities throughout the day.  Dance parties, pool basketball, and trivia are all common activities that usually start around 2pm and go through 9pm.  At 9pm, the All-Star Music shows a movie by the pool that is projected onto a large inflatable screen.  They’re currently showing Up, The Princess and the Frog, and Toy Story 2, so the movies are actually something people might be interested in watching.  Enjoying the movie is a nice way to wind down at the end of the evening and guests from either Sports or Movies can walk over and enjoy the films.  All-Star Sports and Movies have nearly identical pool setups to the All-Star Music, but lack the activities.  The Pop Century comes in last because it doesn’t offer evening movies or scheduled pool activities.  While Pop adds a third pool, its feature pool isn’t any larger than the All-Stars.  None of the Value resort pools have water slides or any other added bonuses.  They are little more than “just a huge pool.”

Best Disney World Value Resort Overall

1. Pop Century

2. All-Star Music

3. All-Star Sports

4. All-Star Movies

With its dedicated transportation, newly refurbished rooms, relatively small footprint, and food court with a large variety of quality food, Pop Century is the clear winner of best overall Value resort.  Although its pool is nothing to write home about, none of the other Value resorts are much better.  All-Star Music finishes in front of the other All-Star resorts because it is the only Value to offer Family Suites and its pool has the best activities and the evening movie.  Music has also been refurbished recently, so the quality of the rooms is higher than All-Star Movies.  All-Star Sports comes in third place, slightly behind All-Star Music because it lacks the suites and pool activities.  Sports does have the distinction of being the first stop on the bus route which is an advantage that puts it ahead of Movies.  Despite having the best theme, All-Star Movies falls into last place because it has not undergone a refurbishment and is the last stop on the bus route.  Although it’s fun to be surrounded by Disney icons, it doesn’t make up for the shabby furnishings and the fact that you’ll probably be standing on most bus rides.  If you’re planning to stay at a Value, take a long look at the Pop Century.

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Best Animal Kingdom Table Service Restaurants Disney World

by josh on May 28, 2010

With only three sit-down restaurants, the Animal Kingdom has the most limited choices of any of the theme parks that make up Walt Disney World.  In fact, there are fewer options at the Animal Kingdom than there are at several of the Deluxe Resorts.  Considering about 30,000 people visit the Animal Kingdom every day, it may appear as though the dining facilities are inadequate.  However, the Animal Kingdom usually closes around 5-6pm, and many guests choose to dine elsewhere.  It’s not uncommon for visitors to bus over to the nearby Animal Kingdom Lodge to dine at Boma, Jiko, or Sanaa or park hop over to Epcot for a meal and a few late evening rides.  Luckily, all three of the restaurants at the Animal Kingdom have something to offer.  The Yak & Yeti and Tusker House buffet in particular are vastly underrated and would be an excellent choice on or off the Disney Dining Plan.

Be sure to read over the full reviews for more information on any of the restaurants listed.  You can either click here for the full list in alphabetical order or click the individual highlighted links throughout this post.

Most Unique Menu

1. Yak & Yeti

2. Tusker House

3. Rainforest Café

Yak & Yeti has the most unique menu, featuring a wide variety of Asian inspired dishes including roasted duck, baby back ribs, skirt steak, lettuce cups, and wonton soup.  Yak & Yeti also offers one of the best beer, wine, and mixed alcoholic drink menus at Disney World.  With a menu similar to the popular Boma buffet at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Tusker House serves a number of interesting African and Indian inspired dishes including seafood stew, curry chicken, couscous, and about a dozen unique salads and soups.  For the less adventurous, there are also plenty of “normal” dishes like rotisserie chicken, top sirloin steak, cold cuts, and a host of others.  Rainforest Café comes in third because it’s a chain restaurant that has about two dozen locations nationwide.  You’ll find the usual variety of sandwiches, burgers, and salads as well as some more interesting dishes.

Best “Value” AKA Most Expensive Meal on the Dining Plan

1. Yak & Yeti (Average Entrée Cost $19.63, Average Dessert Cost $7.99, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $24.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $9.99, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $37.98)

2. Tusker House (Adult Breakfast: $20.99, Child Breakfast: $11.99, Adult Lunch: $20.99, Child Lunch: $11.99, Adult Dinner: $28.99, Child Dinner: $13.99) Price goes up about $ for adults and $1 for children during Holiday Season dates

3. Rainforest Café is not on the Disney Dining Plan or Deluxe Disney Dining Plan, but it is on the less common Premium and Platinum Dining Plans

Of the two restaurants on the Disney Dining Plan, Yak & Yeti is clearly the most expensive at about $10 more than Tusker House at Dinner and about $17 more expensive at lunch.  The Yak & Yeti only has one menu for lunch and dinner, so it’s just as expensive at lunch. Rainforest Café is not on either of the two most common Dining Plans, but the most expensive entrée at Rainforst Cafe is $31.99 for the tenderloin steak.

Best Value Out of Pocket

1. Yak & Yeti

2. Tusker House Lunch

3. Rainforest Café

Yak & Yeti is the best value out of pocket because of the high quality of the ingredients, large portions, interesting atmosphere, and superior service.  Although the most expensive entrée at Yak & Yeti is $24.99, there are also several entrées in the $16-$18 range for those looking for a more economical choice and you can always split an appetizer, entrée, or dessert to cut down on cost.  Tusker House’s prices are about average for a Disney buffet, but it does offer high quality food and great service.  At Rainforst Café you’re paying for the scenery and animatronics as much as you are for the food and the quality suffers because of that.  It may be a worthwhile stop with kids, but you can also walk through quickly without sitting down to eat.  With most entrées $25 or more, the food simply does not offer a noteworthy value, although kids may love the ambiance.

Best Atmosphere

1. Rainforst Café

2. Yak & Yeti

3. Tusker House

The Rainforest Café is a successful franchise not because of its food, but because of its fun atmosphere.  The T-Rex restaurant at Downtown Disney is even more extravagantly themed, but the Rainforst Café is probably the second best themed restaurant in Disney World.  The caveat is that it does get loud and it won’t be an intimate dining experience, so I wouldn’t suggest it if you’re looking to get away from the noise and crowds of the Animal Kingdom.  Yak & Yeti comes in second, but it would be number one at any of the other Disney theme parks.  With a plethora of interesting relics, statues, artifacts, and art, entering the Yak & Yeti may actually make you feel like you’ve left the Animal Kingdom.  No two rooms are decorated alike and you’ll probably want to make a trek up to the bathroom just for an excuse to walk around and check everything out.  Tusker House is sparsely decorated and not particularly interesting, but it is roomier than most other character buffet locations.  Personally, I would take room to walk and a little privacy over neat décor, so Tusker’s House’s lack of an extravagant theme isn’t so bad.

Best Food

1. Yak & Yeti

2. Tusker House

3. Rainforest Café

Yak & Yeti consistently serves the best food at the Animal Kingdom.  Tusker House is one of the best buffets at Disney World, but bite for bite it doesn’t compare to the more careful preparation and quality control of Yak & Yeti.  If buffets are your thing then you’ll be more than satisfied with Tusker House, but anyone looking for a traditional table service meal should make a reservation at Yak & Yeti.  While many of Rainforest Café’s entrées may sound appealing on the menu, they generally aren’t executed well.  The sandwiches, wraps, and burgers are all perfectly decent, but don’t expect a world-class paella or steak.

Overall Best Sit Down Table Service Restaurant at the Animal Kingdom

1. Yak & Yeti

2. Tusker House

3. Rainforest Café

It’s fairly easy to hone in on the best table service restaurant at the Animal Kingdom, considering there are only three choices.  Yak & Yeti is the clear favorite, serving high quality, affordable entrées in a beautiful setting.  Service is usually great and the restaurant is well air-conditioned and comfortable, which makes it an even better destination after rushing around the Animal Kingdom for most of the day.  Tusker House is an excellent buffet, but comes in second because of the relatively high cost, the possibility that some of the buffet items may not be enjoyed by all visitors, and the lack of interesting decorations.  Rainforest Café, not on the popular Disney Dining Plan, comes in third due to the inadequate quality of many of its entrées and the fact that it’s inconveniently located at the front of the Animal Kingdom.  If you have a reservation in the middle of the day then you’ll want to plan to be near the front of the theme park or risk having to walk the entire Park to get to the restaurant.  While it may be a favorite with kids, if you have a Rainforest Café nearby then you may want to save it for another day since there are so many other fun activities to keep kids occupied at Disney World.  If you would prefer an entertaining meal surrounded by audio-animatronics and extravagant scenery over quality food and lower prices, then the Rainforst Café may be the best choice.  Anyone looking for a more relaxing meal with quality food should consider the top two choices.

{ 4 comments }

Best Epcot Sit Down Table Service Restaurants Disney World

by josh on May 28, 2010

Best Epcot Sit Down Table Service Restaurants Disney World

Updated October 7, 2010 with La Hacienda de San Angel

Oh, boy.  There are a lot of choices at Epcot – 16 sit-down restaurants to be exact.  That’s eleven more than at the Magic Kingdom, eleven more than at the Hollywood Studios, and thirteen more than at the Animal Kingdom.  Several of the best or otherwise most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World are found at Epcot.  At first it may seem difficult to decide which restaurant to choose.  Unfortunately, you’ll have to select which restaurants you want to eat at well before you even think about leaving for Disney World.  The days of walking up to a restaurant and getting a table with a minimal wait are long gone, in part due to the popular Disney Dining Plans.  Le Cellier, for example, is almost always completely booked 180 days out (180 days is the farthest in advance you can make a reservation) and your chances of getting a table without a reservation are about one percent.  While it does occasionally happen, it’s very rare.  The following analysis should make it easier to hone in on which restaurants sound like they would be the most ideal for your group.

Be sure to read over the full reviews for more information on any of the restaurants listed.  You can either click here for the full list in alphabetical order or click the individual highlighted links throughout this post.

We’ll skip the “Most Unique Menu” category for Epcot.  Every one of Epcot’s restaurants features interesting and unique food, save for perhaps the Garden Grill and Coral Reef.

Best “Value” AKA Most Expensive Meal on the Dining Plan

1. Tutto Italia Ristorante (Average Entrée Cost $26.93, Average Dessert Cost $10.13, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $36.00, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $14.00, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $55.00)

2. Le Cellier (Average Entrée Cost $27.89, Average Dessert Cost $6.89, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $36.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.99, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $47.98)

3. Chefs de France (Average Entrée Cost $27.50, Average Dessert Cost $7.25, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $34.95, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.25, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $45.20)

4. Coral Reef (Average Entrée Cost $24.43, Average Dessert Cost $7.99, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $30.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.99, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $41.98)

5. San Angel Inn (Average Entrée Cost $24.70, Average Dessert Cost $5.75, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $33.00, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $5.75, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $41.75)

6. Via Napoli (Average Entrée Cost $18.10, Average Dessert Cost $8.83, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $26.00, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $10.00, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $41.00)

7. Teppan Edo (Average Entrée Cost $24.83, Average Dessert Cost $5.50, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $29.95, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $6.50, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $39.45)

8. Nine Dragons (Average Entrée Cost $20.72, Average Dessert Cost $6.21, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $26.98, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.98, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $37.96)

9. La Hacienda de San Angel (Average Entrée Cost $24.55, Average Dessert Cost $7.53, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $25.95, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.95, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $37.90)

10. Restaurant Marrakesh (Average Entrée Cost $24.05, Average Dessert Cost $5.95, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $27.95, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $6.95, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $37.90) This only includes the items that do not have an “upcharge.”  There is an extra fee for the “royal feast” and the “sampler platters.”

11. Tokyo Dining (Average Entrée Cost $21.32, Average Dessert Cost $5.65, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $26.95, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $6.50, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $36.45)

12. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Breakfast: $28.99 for adults, $17.99 for kids 3-9; Lunch: $30.99 for adults, $18.99 for kids 3-9; Dinner: $35.99 for adults, $19.99 for kids 3-9)

13. Rose and Crown Dining Room (Average Entrée Cost $18.49, Average Dessert Cost $5.49, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $24.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $5.99, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $33.98)

14. Biergarten (Lunch: $19.99 for adults, $10.99 for kids 3-9; Dinner: $32.99 for adults, $13.99 for children)

15. Garden Grill ($31.99 for adults, $14.99 for kids ages 3-9)

16. Bistro de Paris (Not on Dining Plan)

Many of Epcot’s restaurants are among the most expensive at Disney World.  The most expensive combination of entrée, dessert, and beverage exceed the cost of a day on the regular Disney Dining Plan at any of the top five restaurants.  Even the buffets are a few dollars costlier than the other theme parks and resorts.  If members of your group tend to order the cheaper entrées on the menu (and you don’t catch the waiter and switch out the spaghetti for the steak), you might want to consider the buffets for dinner.  Akershus, at $36, costs more than the average meal at many of the restaurants.

Best Value Out of Pocket

1. Rose & Crown Dining Room

2. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

3. Via Napoli

4. Bistro de Paris

5. Le Cellier

6. Biergarten

7. Teppan Edo

8. Tokyo Dining

9. La Hacienda de San Angel

10. Chefs de France

11. Restaurant Marrakesh

12. San Angel Inn

13. Coral Reef

14. Nine Dragons

15. Garden Grill

16. Tutto Italia

Not only is Rose and Crown the cheapest restaurant at Epcot, but it also features (arguably) the best vantage point to enjoy Illuminations (the fireworks and laser show) in the evening.  Lunch at Rose and Crown includes many entrées that cost $12 or less, making it less expensive than some counter service locations.  Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, the hybrid buffet, comes in second even though the cost is higher than average.  The princess interaction, “free” photo package, and abundance of food make it a good value.  Breakfast is the best meal at Akershus and you can actually enter Epcot before the official opening with a reservation between 8 and 9am.  This is a fun opportunity to be inside Epcot when almost no one else is around. If you don’t have any interest in meeting the princesses, you may want to dine elsewhere, but this is one of the best character meal buffets at Disney World.

Via Napoli comes in third, even though the prices may appear high at first glance.  A $36 half-meter pizza is plenty of food for most groups of four to share, which makes the per-person cost of each entree just $9.  This is well below the price of entrees at almost all other Epcot restaurants.  However, the cost is substantially more if each person orders their own individual pizza ($15-$17 each).  The appetizers are also on the expensive side considering the portion size and the specialty lemonades are expensive, at $4-$5 for a single glass.  Nonetheless, the opportunity to save money is readily available for those willing to share and the quality of the ingredients and final product is high enough to elevate it to a top three finish.  Despite its high cost, Bistro de Paris comes in fourth because it’s your best bet to get away from the hustle and bustle of Epcot and the food is higher quality than other Epcot restaurants.  The Bistro is not on the Disney Dining Plan, which means you won’t have to deal with the crowds and popularity that it brings.  The wine list and romantic atmosphere are popular with adults as well.  With kids, you might want to make another selection because Bistro is one of the rare restaurants that frowns at youngsters.  There is no children’s menu, if that’s any indication.

Le Cellier is fifth on the list.  Although the prices are high here, the meat served is better quality than almost all of Disney’s non-signature restaurants.  Le Cellier is also one of the few restaurants at Disney that could survive charging similar prices outside of Disney World.  If you’re looking for a steak, Le Cellier is  one of your best bet.  If lunch is your main meal or you’re happy to eat a big lunch, you’ll get a tremendous bang for your buck at Biergarten.  Offering a 20-minute music show and a wide variety of traditional German favorites, Biergarten is a great choice for big eaters.  I would recommend it for a late lunch (at 3:30pm the prices go up).  Coming in seventh, Teppan Edo scores highly because of the entertaining hibachi grill show and the simple, tasty food.  It would be higher on the list, but the portions are relatively small and it’s one of the noisiest restaurants at Disney World.  Tokyo Dining finishes the top half of the list.  You’ll find some of Disney’s best sushi here, which translates to above average.  As usual, prices are higher here than they would be at your local sushi restaurant and the cost can add up quickly if purchasing a la carte.  Tokyo Dining is also a noisy restaurant and the menu is fairly limited, so make sure you want to eat sushi or tempura before choosing it.  La Hacienda de San Angel only offers five entrees, the cheapest of which is $22.95.  Portions are relatively small for the price and the quality of the food doesn’t make up for the higher than average entree cost.  The view of Illuminations adds considerable value if you can swing a reservation by 8pm, but La Hacienda’s food and service only don’t make it a notable value for the money.

The prices at Chef’s de France are high for the quality of the food and most meals here are rushed, which is why it has fallen to tenth.  While the food is good, it’s difficult to justify a $20 plate of macaroni and cheese or $26 half chicken.  While it may be true that an authentic French café would have tables so close together, it doesn’t make for an intimate meal.  Although Restaurant Marrakesh provides entertainment in the form of a belly dancer and band, the performances are only about 10 minutes long and similar to what you can see for free outside in the Morocco Pavilion.  Prices are also above average and $10+ more than you would expect to pay at a similar restaurant outside of Disney World.  Overall, the quality and cost of the ingredients doesn’t justify the high prices.  San Angel Inn is another restaurant on the expensive side, especially considering Mexican food is usually much cheaper.  While the setting can’t be beat (if you can get a table overlooking the water), the prices are wildly expensive.  The Coral Reef is another restaurant that relies on its setting to lure diners.  No doubt, the aquarium views are unique, but you would be better off spending 20 minutes at The Seas Pavilion and eating elsewhere.  The prices are high and the food is certainly nothing to write home about.  If it weren’t for the fish, this restaurant would be empty.  Coral Reef is also exceptionally loud because the noise bounces off the aquarium glass and not all seats have excellent views.

Nine Dragons is probably not as good as your favorite local Chinese restaurant and the food is much more expensive.  While the setting is pleasant, it doesn’t make up for overpriced food.  While you can certainly have a good meal at Nine Dragons, it doesn’t offer a whole lot of value for your money.  At $32 per adult and $15 per child, a family of four would expect to pay $94 + tax + tip for a meal at the Garden Grill.  Featuring entrées similar to the other “family style buffets,” there’s really nothing special here.  For $4 more you can go to Akershus and find more interesting food and receive the imaging package.  In last place is the most expensive Epcot restaurant, Tutto Italia.  While the food is good, you’re going to have a tough time convincing me that a pasta dish is worth $25 or a basic baked chicken breast entrée is worth $26.  The touch of authenticity is nice and the restaurant is beautiful, but the cost of a meal is too high and service is too rushed to enjoy it.

Best Atmosphere

All of Epcot’s restaurants feature an interesting atmosphere and it’s impossible to put them in order from first to last.  Nearly all of them would be ranked first at any of the other theme parks.  The two best restaurants in terms of atmosphere are probably the Coral Reef, with its aquarium, and San Angel Inn, with its tables overlooking the Three Caballeros water ride.  Suffice to say, you shouldn’t be disappointed with the setting of any restaurant you choose.

Best Food (With Score Out of 100)

1. Bistro de Paris (95)

2. Teppan Edo (90)

3. Le Cellier (88)

4. Tutto Italia (85)

5. Via Napoli (83)

6. Biergarten (80)

7. Tokyo Dining (78)

8. Rose & Crown Dining Room (76)

9. La Hacienda de San Angel (74)

9. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (72)

10. Garden Grill (70)

11. Chefs de France (67)

12. Nine Dragons (65)

13. San Angel Inn (60)

14. Restaurant Marrakesh (55)

15. Coral Reef (45)

This is a difficult category because not every entrée at the top rated restaurants will be excellent and not all entrées in the bottom three restaurants are terrible.  I’ve added scores out of 100 to better show the differences in quality between the restaurants.  As you can see, there isn’t that much of a difference between some of the restaurants, so don’t discount Biergarten just because it’s sixth on the list.  You should be satisfied with the food at any of the restaurants in the top ten and even Nine Dragons is fairly decent.  The bottom three are the most questionable in terms of food quality and taste.

Overall Best Sit Down Table Service Restaurant at Epcot

1. Rose & Crown Dining Room

2. Le Cellier

3. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

4. Teppan Edo

5. Via Napoli

6. Biergarten

7. Bistro de Paris

8. Tokyo Dining

9. La Hacienda de San Angel

10. Chefs de France

11. Nine Dragons

12. Garden Grill

13. Tutto Italia

14. Restaurant Marrakesh

15. San Angel Inn

16. Coral Reef

Rose & Crown earns the top spot because of its inexpensive, quality entrées and the fact that you can view Illuminations either from your table or the private viewing area.  At lunch, several entrées are only $12 and you can choose whether you want to be seated overlooking the water or inside in the air-conditioning.  You also won’t be able to beat the beer and liquor selection.  A close second is Le Cellier, the most popular restaurant at Epcot.  While it’s probably overrated, there’s no denying the fact that they serve high quality, well-prepared meats.  Jump on it if you can get a reservation as it’s unlikely there will be any availability the next time you check.  Akershus Royal Banquet Hall comes in third, particularly because of its excellent breakfast, princess interaction, “free” imaging package, and quality cold-bar buffet.  The entrées may leave something to be desired at lunch and dinner, but the positives far outweigh the negatives.  Teppan Edo is a personal favorite and comes in fourth.  It is a noisy restaurant and you may be seated with strangers, but the hibachi grill show is fun and the food is prepared fresh in front of you.  In fifth, Via Napoli is an inviting pizzeria with authentic flavors and high quality ingredients.  The casual atmosphere and well-lit, airy interior are welcome additions to the World Showcase that is made up of primarily dimly-list restaurants.  The food is prepared fresh and the show-kitchen with wood-burning ovens is fun to watch.   Biergarten is a terrific deal for big eaters at lunch and everyone should enjoy the oompah band and Oktoberfest atmosphere.  Dinner makes more sense on the Disney Dining Plan because of the additional cost, but most people won’t miss the few dishes that are only available at dinner.

Bistro de Paris is a bit more expensive than most of the other Epcot restaurants, but the quality of the food, service, and presentation are higher and it’s your best chance to get away from the crowds and loud children.  If you’re looking for a slightly more romantic, intimate meal then Bistro de Paris is your best bet.  If you’re looking to get in and out of a restaurant quickly then this is not your best choice though.  Tokyo Dining has a large selection of above average a la carte sushi and some delicious combo meals and tempura.  Service is usually among the best at Disney World and the atmosphere is pleasant a well, if not a bit loud when the restaurant is full.  For a quieter, more relaxed meal, consider eating at off-peak times.  La Hacienda offers a fantastic vantage point to enjoy Illuminations at night, but it doesn’t offer much in the way of value earlier in the day.  I would recommend it if you can get a reservation after 8pm, but the portions are small and the flavors aren’t as interesting and unique as the presentation.  Despite its popularity, I have Chef’s de Paris in tenth place because of the crowded tables, rushed service, relatively high prices, and food that isn’t cooked to order.  The Chefs menu isn’t particularly unique either and offers the same mahi mahi, half chicken, steak, and salmon you can get at many other Disney restaurants.  While it’s likely you would enjoy a meal at Chefs de France, it isn’t highly recommended.  Nine Dragons would suffice if you’re in the mood for Chinese and it’s one of the rare restaurants that can probably seat you even without a reservation due to the amount of tables available.  Nine Dragons has improved a lot over the last few years, but it’s still expensive for food similar to what you would find at a local Chinese restaurant.  If Chinese sounds good then Nine Dragons shouldn’t disappoint, but the high cost and the fact that the cuisine is so common drops it down towards the bottom of the rankings.  Garden Grill is a decent character meal featuring Chip, Dale, Mickey, and Pluto, but with so many outstanding restaurants at Epcot you’re better off saving your character meals for Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom, Tusker House at Animal Kingdom, or one of the buffets at the Deluxe resorts.  At $32 per adult, it’s unlikely you’ll be eating your “money’s worth” and the menu items offered aren’t particularly unique or outstanding.  On the plus side, you should have a good meal at Garden Grill, you can just do even better elsewhere.

In 13th place, Tutto Italia is simply too expensive to be recommended out of pocket.  It is a good choice on the Disney Dining Plan, especially if you’re keeping track of how much you would have spent out of pocket.  Even lunch at Tutto is uncharacteristically expensive.  Although Le Cellier is more expensive on average, Le Cellier serves high quality, expensive beef.  Tutto serves mostly pasta with indistinguishable sauces and cheeses.  Unless you love Italian food, don’t care about the cost, or are on the Dining Plan, I would skip Tutto Italia and try to find something more economical.  Restaurant Marrakesh is also expensive, especially considering the low quality food and service you will receive.  Morocco’s counter service, the Tangierine Café, is a better stop to fill your need for Moroccan food, especially on the Disney Dining Plan where you can put together a meal that exceeds $20.  Since you can see the belly dancer and band outside in the Morocco Pavilion for free, there’s really no reason to visit the table service restaurant.  Despite improvements in its menu and service, San Angel Inn comes in next-to-last.  If you could guarantee yourself a table overlooking the water, it would rate much higher, but the fact that you don’t know where you’ll be seated makes San Angel Inn a potential disappointment.  If you enjoy authentic Mexican flavors and have the Disney Dining Plan, I would give San Angel Inn a chance, despite its low ranking.  Eat at off-peak times (11am, 3pm, 8pm) for a better chance at getting a desirable table and make sure to request one at check-in.  Despite its novel aquarium setting, Coral Reef isn’t recommended due to the excessive noise and the poor food and menu choices.  There are no crab, shrimp, lobster, or scallop entrées.  Instead, you’ll find the usual chicken breast, short rib, salmon, and steak you’ll find at many other Disney restaurants.  The aquarium is neat, but chances are the novelty will wear off fairly quickly and you may not even get a table with a good view of it.

Overall, Epcot offers the best dining choices at Disney World.  The chances of having a great meal are higher here than they are at any of Disney’s other resorts and theme parks.  Even the lower rated restaurants at Epcot would be ranked above many of the top rated restaurants at the Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.  It’s safe to say that any of the restaurants in the top ten would be ranked number one at either the Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.  With a Park Hopper ticket, you may want to plan to hop over to Epcot for several of your meals, especially after a day at the Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.  Since the Animal Kingdom closes most days at around 5pm, there is an excellent opportunity to end the evening at Epcot.  If you’re having trouble deciding where to eat at Epcot, find solace in the fact that it’s hard to go wrong.  Also take into consideration that you may want to eat at restaurants with a variety of food.  If you have a few steak houses planned already then you may not want to eat at Le Cellier because you’ll just be eating another steak, even if it’s highly rated.  If you have several character meal buffets planned then Akershus may not be the best choice either.

You’ll find poor reviews of every restaurant at Disney World, so don’t let one or two negative reviews change your mind about a restaurant.  There are people who seem to have a poor experience no matter where they go.  At the same time, one or two stellar reviews shouldn’t change your mind either.  Your best bet is to try the restaurant for yourself.  The great majority of people thoroughly enjoy their experiences at most of Disney’s restaurants, even the low rated ones.  Putting yourself in a position to have the best experience possible is all you can do.  You may have a poor meal at one of the top-rated restaurants.  It happens.  Don’t be mad at yourself for poor planning.  You did the best you could and it didn’t work out.  Next trip, you can try something else.  Have fun and enjoy your vacation.

{ 4 comments }

Best Hollywood Studios Table Service Restaurants Disney World

by josh on May 28, 2010

Best Hollywood Studios Sit Down Table Service Restaurants Disney World

Of all the theme parks that make up Walt Disney World, the Hollywood Studios is known to have the worst dining choices.  While it’s unlikely you’ll be blown out of the water at any of the Studios’ table service restaurants, it’s not too difficult to find a decent meal if you know where to look.  While the frugal should avoid the costly Hollywood Brown Derby and anyone with taste buds should reconsider Hollywood & Vine, the three middle-of-the-road restaurants all have something to offer.  Hollywood & Vine isn’t terrible for breakfast either and the Hollywood Brown Derby may be an oasis for someone looking for a relaxing, higher end meal.  Knowing what to expect, managing expectations, and finding the right fit for your group is the key to a successful meal.  With that, let’s have at it.

Be sure to read over the full reviews for more information on any of the restaurants listed.  You can either click here for the full list in alphabetical order or click the individual highlighted links throughout this post.

Most Unique Menu

1. Hollywood Brown Derby

2. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

3.50’s Prime Time Café

4. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

5. Hollywood and Vine

Almost everything on the Hollywood Brown Derby’s menu is a unique recipe with costly ingredients and an interesting presentation.  You won’t find grouper, bean and vegetable ragout, sashimi grade tuna tartar, or asparagus soup anywhere else at Disney.  The rest of the table service restaurants at the Hollywood Studios offer familiar foods, with Mame Melrose getting the slight edge.  You’ll find a variety of unique flatbread pizza combinations as well as spicy Italian sausage and eggplant napoleon.  The 50’s Prime Time Café serves familiar comfort food like meat loaf, fried chicken, and pot roast and the Sci-Fi Dine-In features hamburgers, sandwiches, ribs, and pasta.  Both of these restaurants would be excellent with unadventurous eaters.  Hollywood & Vine is your standard buffet with a selection similar to what you would find at a casino or chain buffet restaurant.  The standard carving station, bread basket, ice cream station, and salads all make appearances, as expected.

Best “Value” AKA Most Expensive Meal on the Disney Dining Plan

1. Mama Melrose’s (Average Entrée Cost $17.06, Average Dessert Cost $5.87, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $27.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $6.99, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $37.98)

2. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Average Entrée Cost $16.28, Average Dessert Cost $6.95, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $22.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.99, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $35.67)

3. 50’s Prime Time Café (Average Entrée Cost $18.18, Average Dessert Cost $5.54, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $20.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $7.49, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $33.48)

4. Hollywood and Vine (Adult Breakfast: $26.99, Child Breakfast: $14.99, Adult Lunch: $26.99, Child Lunch: $14.99, Adult Dinner: $30.99, Child Dinner: $15.99)

5. Hollywood Brown Derby (Average Entrée Cost $31.38, Average Dessert Cost $7.67, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $40.00, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $9.00, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $53.00)

At first glance, the Hollywood Brown Derby is obviously the most expensive restaurant.  However, it costs two table service credits, whereas the other choices only cost one.  Therefore, we’ll halve the cost of the most expensive meal, to get an actual cost of only $26.50 per table service credit.  This is even less than lunch at Hollywood and Vine, which is why the Brown Derby is in the fifth position.  The most expensive meal is found at Mama Melrose’s, provided you order the $27.99 charred sirloin steak entrée.  Otherwise, most of the entrées are $20 or less and the flatbread pizzas are only $12-$14 each.  Sci-Fi has the second most expensive entrée on the list, the $22.99 butcher steak with a red wine glaze, but also the lowest average entrée cost.  50’s Prime Time Café has the least expensive “most expensive entrée,” which drops it to third, but it also has the most expensive average entrée cost with three entrées that all cost $20.99 each.  At $30.99 per adult, Hollywood and Vine is one of the more expensive buffets, especially for the $26.99 breakfast and lunch.  Both breakfast and lunch are character meals which may add value, but dinner does not feature any characters.

The cost of the top three restaurants are all similar and none of them really present a distinct cost benefit, unless you’re certain that everyone will order the most expensive item on the menu.  Although Mama Melrose is technically the most expensive meal, if someone in your group orders a $12 flatbread pizza then you’ve really ordered one of the cheapest entrées in all of Disney World.  Prices at Sci-Fi and 50’s Prime Time Café are also slightly cheaper at lunch and the most expensive items on the menu are usually absent.  Mama Melrose’s has the same menu for lunch and dinner, which may make it the best value for your dining credit at lunch.

Best Value Out of Pocket

1. 50’s Prime Time Cafe

2. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

3. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

4. Hollywood Brown Derby

5. Hollywood and Vine

The 50’s Prime Time Café is moderately priced with most entrées $20 or less.  Portions are large, the food is freshly prepared, and the entertainment from the old movie clips and your waiter/waitress provide additional value.  Lunch is an even better value, with several sandwiches and salads for $13 or less.  Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater also provides additional entertainment in the form of old movie clips and the setting is one-of-a-kind.  Visit during lunch for a variety of sandwiches and a burger for $14 or less.  Mama Melrose’s doesn’t have a separate lunch menu, but it does have several flatbread pizza entrées in the $12 range.  I wouldn’t recommend most of Mama’s other entrées, so the pizzas are probably your best bet anyway.  The Hollywood Derby is the most expensive restaurant at the Hollywood Studios and it would be in last place if not for the disaster that is Hollywood & Vine.  Although the food and service at Brown Derby are a cut above the other restaurants at the Hollywood Studios, neither is good enough to justify $40 entrées.  If your budget allows for excess then you will find the best food at the Hollywood Derby, but for the value conscious visitor it simply isn’t worth the additional cost.

Best Atmosphere

1. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

2. 50’s Prime Time Café

3. Hollywood Brown Derby

4. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

5. Hollywood and Vine

Both Sci-Fi and 50’s Prime Time feature a fun setting you won’t find anywhere else.  Sci-Fi, with its car-themed seating, starry skies, and B-movie film clips gets the nod over 50’s Prime Time Café’s 1950s-themed diner.  There are a few caveats about the top two choices though.  Sci-Fi is dark and may be difficult for people with vision problems to see the menu or where they’re walking, whether it be to the table or the bathroom.  Expect to be teased at 50’s Prime Time Café.  Your waiter or waitress, known as “mom” or “dad,” may force you to eat your vegetables, tell you to keep your elbows off the table, and make you prepare your own place setting.  If you don’t have a sense of humor or would prefer for your waiter to do little more than bring food and fill glasses, then 50’s Prime Time may not be your best choice.  The Hollywood Brown Derby’s setting is a bit out of place.  Although it tries to be upscale, with the staff wearing tuxedos and the elegant surroundings, it’s a bit strange considering most of the guests are wearing flip flops, Mickey ears, and neon colored shorts.  Suffice to say, the Brown Derby isn’t as immersive as Sci-Fi or 50’s Prime Time and some people may be turned off by the faux-pretentiousness.  Mama Melrose’s, styled from the movie Lady and the Tramp, provides a casual atmosphere with neat overheard lighting, but not much else to impress the eyes.  It’s perfectly suitable, but it won’t be your favorite (unless you teleport away from Disney without going in any other restaurants).  Hollywood and Vine is last on this list as well, with an unremarkable ice cream parlor theme.

Best Food

1. Hollywood Brown Derby

2. 50’s Prime Time Café

3. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

4. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

5. Hollywood & Vine

Bite for bite, you’ll find the best food at Hollywood Brown Derby.  While it might not be worth the cost, there’s no denying that the food is more carefully prepared and uses higher quality ingredients than the other restaurants at the Hollywood Studios.  Second place goes to the Prime Time Café, which serves comfort food that’s easy to prepare and consistently well executed.  At Mama Melrose’s and Sci-Fi, the quality of your meal depends greatly on what you order.  Mama Melrose’s flatbread pizzas are good, but the rest of the food is lacking, especially in the pasta department.  Stick to the pizzas unless you’re in the mood to gamble.  In a similar vein, Sci-Fi serves a delicious hamburger and their onion rings and milkshakes are excellent as well, but you’ll want to stay away from the pasta, steak, tofu, or salad.  Hollywood and Vine is bad from top to bottom.  The only saving grace is the ice cream bar, but even that machine isn’t always working properly.  Breakfast at Hollywood and Vine is better though, so if you want to meet the Little Einstein characters and give your kids a chance to sing and dance with them, then breakfast is your best bet.

Overall Best Sit Down Table Service Restaurant at the Hollywood Studios

1. 50’s Prime Time Café

2. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

3. Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

4. Hollywood Brown Derby

5. Hollywood and Vine

50’s Prime Time Café is the most consistent table service restaurant at the Hollywood Studios, with excellent food, an accessible menu, and a fun setting with attentive service.  Mama Melrose’s falls to second due to the inconsistency of the menu and a slightly boring atmosphere, at least compared to 50’s or Sci-Fi.  If you stick with the pizzas then you should have a great, inexpensive meal.  At Sci-Fi I really only recommend the burger or sandwich, onion rings, and a milkshake.  The other entrées aren’t particularly good.  Consider visiting at lunch for a cheaper meal with the exact same atmosphere.  Although the Hollywood Brown Derby does have the best food at Hollywood Studios, it drops all the way to fourth due to its high prices, odd setting, and the length of the meal.  Prepare to spend about one and a half hours at the Brown Derby, depending on how many courses you order.  It’s not a restaurant where you can pop in and out quickly.  Finally, Hollywood and Vine comes in last, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise.  Breakfast is the only edible meal, but at $27 per adult it’s still ridiculously expensive.  Only visit if you have kids that want to run around and sing inside of a restaurant early in the morning.

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Best Disney Magic Kingdom Sit Down Table Service Restaurants

by josh on May 27, 2010

Best Magic Kingdom Sit Down Table Service Restaurants Disney World

The Magic Kingdom doesn’t offer many surprises in the dining category, at least as far as food selection is concerned.  Three of the five sit-down restaurants are buffets during at least one meal and the other two restaurants are a sandwich shop and an Italian restaurant similar to Mama Melrose’s at the Hollywood Studios.  Cinderella’s Royal Table is the most popular restaurant at the Magic Kingdom and it’s nearly impossible to get a reservation, despite the $57 price tag per adult at dinner.  Overall, the Magic Kingdom offers decent choices, but you’ll find much better restaurants at the Monorail Deluxe Resorts and Epcot.

Be sure to read over the full reviews for more information on any of the restaurants listed.  You can either click here for the full list in alphabetical order or click the individual highlighted links throughout this post.

Most Unique Menu

1. Cinderella’s Royal Table

2. Crystal Palace

3. Liberty Tree Tavern

4. Tony’s Town Square

5. Plaza Restaurant

Few of the entrées at any of the Magic Kingdom’s restaurants are particularly unique and it’s unlikely you’ll see something you’ve never previously tried.  Cinderella’s Royal Table is in the top position because of the unique sauces and side dishes, but the entrées are the usual lamb, steak, and chicken that are widely available.  Crystal Palace has some interesting buffet items as well, but nothing out of the ordinary.  Liberty Tavern serves turkey, beef, mashed potatoes, and similar items and Tony’s Town Square offers a menu consisting of basic Italian dishes like spaghetti, chicken parmigiana, and seafood diavoli.  The Plaza Restaurant offers a variety of sandwiches, a hamburger, and many types of ice cream.  Overall, the Magic Kingdom is fairly pedestrian when it comes to food types and flavors.

Best “Value” AKA Most Expensive Meal on the Dining Plan

1. Tony’s Town Square (Average Entrée Cost $20.09, Average Dessert Cost $5.49, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $27.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $6.49, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $38.48)

2. Liberty Tree Tavern Dinner (Adult Dinner: $29.99, Child Dinner: $14.99)

3. Crystal Palace (Breakfast: $20.99 for adults and $10.99 for kids ages 3-9, Lunch: $20.99 for adults and $11.99 for kids ages 3-9, Dinner: $28.99 for adults and $13.99 for kids ages 3-9)

4. Cinderella’s Royal Table (Breakfast: $47.23 for adults and $31.05 for children 3-9, Lunch: $50.96 for adults and $32.29 for children 3-9, $57.19 for adults and $34.78 for children 3-9)

5. Plaza Restaurant (Average Entrée Cost $11.43, Average Dessert Cost $5.53, Most Expensive Entrée Cost $12.99, Most Expensive Dessert Cost $6.49, Most Expensive Entrée + Dessert + Beverage $24.48)

Cinderella’s Royal Table falls into fourth place because it costs two credits on the Disney Dining Plan, so the cost can be halved to find the “per credit” cost, which is lower than the other restaurants at $28.56.  Tony’s Town Square comes in first, with a respectable maximum value of around $39 per credit.  Both of the buffets are in the $30 range for dinner, which is about the average cost of a Disney buffet.  The Plaza Restaurant is the only one that can really be considered a “waste” of a table service credit, considering the maximum value is just under $25.  When it comes to dining, the Magic Kingdom is actually the cheapest of Disney’s theme parks.

Best Value Out of Pocket

1. Plaza Restaurant

2. Cinderella’s Royal Table

3. Crystal Palace

4. Tony’s Town Square

5. Liberty Tree Tavern Dinner (For lunch consideration, read the last few sentences of the following paragraph)

The Plaza Restaurant is one of the cheapest table service restaurants in all of Disney World.  For less than the chicken and ribs combo at Cosmic Ray’s counter service, you can have a relaxing sit-down meal at the Plaza.  The sandwiches are only $2-$3 more expensive than a sandwich or wrap at a counter service and they are much higher quality.  Despite the excessive cost, Cinderella’s Royal Table comes in second because dining inside of Cinderella’s Castle is such a unique experience.  The meal also includes the imaging package, which includes pictures of your group with Cinderella.  This package would cost about $30 at other buffets like Tusker House.  Crystal Palace is ahead of the last two choices because of the high quality buffet items, the fact that it’s a character meal featuring Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet for all meals, and the wide variety of items available.  Tony’s Town Square is on the expensive side considering the low cost of many of the ingredients.  The spaghetti and meatballs and vegetable lasagna are both $17, which isn’t much of a value.  The chicken parmigiana is probably the best bargain on the menu.  Liberty Tree Tavern comes in last due to the high cost of the meal and the fact that there’s nothing particularly special about it.  Unless you can eat about 17 pounds of food it’s unlikely you’ll get your money’s worth.  With only turkey, pork, and carved beef for entrées, there’s simply nothing here that makes it worth $30 per adult.  For lunch, Liberty Tree is a much better value with all entrées less than $20 and several in the $12-$15 range.  If you’re a party of two, one person can order the turkey and the other can order the braised beef and you basically have the evening’s main buffet items for a total of $33, rather than $33 per person.  Of course, adding two salads and two desserts would put you in the same price range as dinner, so if you usually eat three courses you’ll probably want to consider dinner over lunch.

Best Atmosphere

1. Cinderella’s Royal Table

2. Tony’s Town Square

3. Liberty Tree Tavern

4. Crystal Palace

5. Plaza Restaurant

Cinderella’s Royal Table has the best setting in all of Disney World.  Set high atop her castle in the middle of the Magic Kingdom, the Royal Table features appearances by Cinderella, the Fairy God Mother, Snow White, Belle, and Aurora (although different characters may be present).  In addition, the decorations and details inside of the seating area are second to none.  You absolutely will not be disappointed by the Royal Table’s atmosphere.  The other four restaurants at the Magic Kingdom are nothing to write home about in the setting category.  Tony’s Town Square is the second best, but it’s certainly not interesting enough that you’ll want to eat there just to see the inside of it.  Both the Crystal Palace and Plaza restaurant feature a Victorian setting which seems a bit odd in a theme park, but that’s how Walt Disney apparently envisioned it.  The Crystal Palace is actually an interesting glass building, whereas the Plaza Restaurant isn’t as ornate.  Modeled after an 18th century American Inn, the Liberty Tree Tavern is full of colonial artifacts and authentic touches.  It’s a neat space, but there is no alcohol served, despite what the name of the place would lead you to believe.

Best Food

1. Plaza Restaurant

2. Liberty Tree Tavern

3. Crystal Palace

4. Cinderella’s Royal Table

5. Tony’s Town Square

The Plaza Restaurant churns out the best tasting food at the Magic Kingdom.  Although a sandwich is a fairly simple product, the Plaza uses high quality ingredients and prepares each sandwich carefully.  There’s also a wide enough selection that everyone should find something that they like, whether it be the tuna salad croissant, Reuben, turkey, vegetarian, cheese steak, or angus hamburger.  Their milkshakes and ice cream are also among the best. The food at Liberty Tree Tavern is excellent, especially considering it’s made in such large quantities.  The turkey is moist, the mashed potatoes are prepared with just the right consistency, the salad is crisp and flavorful, and the other entrées and side dishes are delicious as well.  Both Crystal Palace and Cinderella’s Royal Table are best experienced at breakfast.  Crystal Palace’s French toast puffs are many visitors’ favorite food item of their entire trip.  You will also find a wide variety of high quality dishes throughout the day.  While it’s still a buffet, many of the dishes could easily be served as part of a menu at a traditional sit-down restaurant.  When it comes to food, Cinderella’s Royal Table is lacking, especially at lunch.  Expect a bland entrée that may or may not be served hot.  Because of the limited menu and the desire for fast turnover, the kitchen is always preparing food, whether anyone has ordered it or not.  Considering the hefty price, it’s unfortunate that more care isn’t taken in the preparation and execution of the food.  Tony’s Town Square’s entrées are also bland and not particularly authentic.  In an attempt to please the common American palette, and younger visitors in particular, the flavors are dumbed down so they won’t offend anyone.  If Olive Garden style “Italian” food is your favorite then you may enjoy Tony’s, but don’t expect authentic Italian.

Overall Best Sit Down Table Service Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom

1. Cinderella’s Royal Table

2. Plaza Restaurant

3. Liberty Tree Tavern (Lunch)

4. Crystal Palace

5. Liberty Tree Tavern (Dinner)

6. Tony’s Town Square

For those who can afford the high cost, Cinderella’s Royal Table is the best sit-down restaurant at the Magic Kingdom.  It certainly isn’t something most visitors will want to do every trip to Disney World, or even on their first trip, but it is certainly a unique experience that’s well worth doing once.  The “free” imaging package sweetens the deal, providing a nice picture keepsake to take home.  Similar to the Rainforst Café, you’re paying for the experience of dining in Cinderella’s Castle with Disney princesses, more than you are paying for the food.  Don’t expect a world class meal just because of the cost, because that isn’t what you’ll be receiving.

The Plaza Restaurant comes in second, with its low cost and quality sandwiches.  The only downside is the limited seating area.  Although its location on Main Street makes it less popular than it would be if it were in another of the “lands,” you’ll definitely want to make a reservation.  Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch is a traditional sit-down restaurant with a menu and moderately priced entrées.  The food is similar to what you would get at the dinner buffet and the prices are much lower.  There also won’t be (as much) pressure to stuff yourself silly in order to “get your money’s worth.”  Crystal Palace offers a wider food selection than Liberty Tree Tavern and features characters from Winnie the Pooh, which is why it’s above Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner.  If you don’t care about the characters and love Thanksgiving style food then Liberty Tree Tavern may be better for your group.  Tony’s Town Square comes in last.  There’s nothing particularly special about the food and service is generally on the lousy side.  With most entrées $17 and above, it isn’t cheap either.  While the lunch menu does offer some slightly less expensive options, the other restaurants on the list have more upside.

Your chances of having a terrible meal at any of the Magic Kingdom restaurants are low, even if you choose Tony’s Town Square.  Knowing the pros and cons of each choice will make you better equipped to choose the best restaurant for your group, even if that restaurant is rated low on any of the above categories.

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Best Animal Kingdom Quick Counter Service at Disney World

by josh on May 27, 2010

Best Animal Kingdom Counter Service Disney World

Counting the seasonal Picnic in the Park offering, there are five counter service locations at the Animal Kingdom.  Overall, they’re collectively the best quick services of any of the four Disney theme parks that make up Disney World.  Even Restaurauntosaurus, with its standard menu of hamburgers and chicken nuggets, is better than many of the counter services at the Hollywood Studios.

Be sure to read over the full reviews for more information on any of the counter service locations listed.  You can either click here for the full list in alphabetical order or click the individual highlighted links throughout this post.

Most Unique Menu

1. Yak & Yeti (Anandupar Local Foods Café)

2. Flame Tree Barbecue

3. Picnic in the Park

4. Pizzafari

5. Restaurantosaurus

Serving Honey Chicken, Shrimp Lo Mein, and Kung Pow Beef among other Asian inspired entrées, the Yak & Yeti serves a menu full of items you won’t find anywhere else.  Flame Tree Barbecue’s menu offers St. Louis ribs, a smoked half chicken, and a barbecue chicken salad that are all relatively rare.  Picnic in the Park’s style is unique, but it offers a number of menu items that are widely available including the usual sandwiches, salads, and fruit.  Pizzafari is your standard Disney pizza joint serving only two kinds of pizza – cheese or pepperoni.  You’ll also find the hot Italian style sandwich, Caesar salad, and breadsticks.  Finally, Restaurantosaurus offers your standard Disney menu items like hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and not much else.

Best “Value” AKA Most Expensive Meal on the Dining Plan

1. Yak & Yeti (Average entrée $10.17, most expensive $10.99)

2. Flame Tree Barbeque ($8.53, $10.49)

3. Pizzafari ($8.12, $8.39)

4. Restaurantosaurus ($7.33, $8.09)

5. Picnic in the Park ($9.00, $10.49)

Although the numbers are higher for Picnic in the Park, the price includes the drink and dessert, which actually makes it the cheapest option since you would need to add $6+ to each of the meal prices above to get the full cost of the meal, including drink and dessert.  Also, Picnic in the Park comes with only a miniscule bottle of water, so you will probably need to purchase additional beverages either out of pocket or with snack credits.  All of the counter services serve the standard $3.59 prepackaged slices of cake and standard drinks, so both of those are constant no matter which counter service you select.  Overall, the Yak & Yeti is the clear favorite in terms of money for your Dining Plan credit.

Best Value Out of Pocket

1. Flame Tree Barbeque

2. Yak & Yeti

3. Picnic in the Park

4. Pizzafari

5. Restaurantosaurus

The Flame Tree serves the best barbecue in all of Disney World.  Portions are large and the delicious corn muffins have re-replaced the coleslaw.  I think we can all agree that corn muffins and honey are better than shredded raw cabbage.  Although Yak & Yeti is the most expensive quick service at the Animal Kingdom, the portions are large and if you add a $4 side of egg rolls or chicken fried rice then you should have plenty of food for two people to share (and possibly enough even without the additional side).  The quality is also high and the food tastes better than either of the Asian counter services at Epcot.  Picnic in the Park offers plenty of food also, but the small waters make it less appealing.  Both Pizzafari and Restaurantosaurus offer only marginal value.  A hamburger and soft drink at Restaurantosaurus would run more than $10 and a pizza and soda at Pizzafari costs about $11.  Neither of those are particularly appealing prices.

Best Seating

1. Pizzafari

2. Flame Tree BBQ

3. Restaurantosaurus

4. Picnic in the Park

5. Yak & Yeti

Pizzafari has ample indoor, air-conditioned seating.  It’s also an excellent spot to get off your feet and enjoy a treat from one of the outdoor vendors, especially during off-peak meal times.  Flame Tree BBQ has a pleasant outdoor seating area, but you may have to deal with the birds that are common in the area.  They can be annoying as they swoop in to steal your food, walk around eating food off the ground, and poop as necessary.  Restaurantosaurus’ seating area is air-conditioned and inside, but it’s not large enough for the influx of visitors at meal time.  Be sure to eat at off-peak times for a more relaxing meal.  Picnic in the Park is odd because there is no set seating area.  You’re supposed to take your bags of food and hunt down a spot at one of the designated areas through the Animal Kingdom.  You’ll probably want to find a suitable place to eat before picking up your food if you’re unfamiliar with the Park or the seating areas.  Yak and Yeti’s biggest detraction is its complete lack of indoor seating.  Not only is all of the seating outdoors, but there is no covering other than small umbrellas over some of the tables.  This can make for an unpleasant dining experience, especially in the summer heat.  Consider seeking alternative seating if the seating area is crowded or it’s too hot.

Best Food

1. Flame Tree Barbeque

2. Yak & Yeti

3. Pizzafari

4. Picnic in the Park

5. Restaurantosaurus

Overall Best Counter Service at the Animal Kingdom

1. Flame Tree Barbecue

2. Yak & Yeti

3. Pizzafari

4. Picnic in the Park

5. Restaurantosaurus

The possibility of running into some birds isn’t enough to keep Flame Tree out of the top spot.  Quality barbecue, fantastic corn bread, and pleasant surroundings make it an easy number one selection.  It’s also in the top three best counter service locations in all of Disney World, so be sure to give it a try if the menu sounds appealing.  Despite potentially uncomfortable seating, Yak & Yeti is an excellent choice as well and the best “value” on the Disney Dining Plan.  It’s also a good opportunity to order a type of food that you won’t find at the Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios.  Picnic in the Park drops to fourth because of its inconsistency and ever-changing menu.  Confusion surrounding the ordering process and the inconvenience of standing in line to order and pickup also hinders a higher recommendation.  Pizzafari beats out Restaurantosaurus because of its better seating and higher quality food.  Restaurantosaurus does offer a much larger menu, so be sure everyone is in the mood for pizza, salad, or an Italian sandwich if you choose to visit Pizzafari over Restaurantosaurus.  If a burger sounds better than pizza then you’re better off at Restaurantosaurus.

Overall, the Animal Kingdom has the strongest quick service locations of any of Disney World’s theme parks.  There’s plenty of variety and the quality is higher than other locations across the board.

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Best Downtown Disney Quick Counter Service Restaurants

by josh on May 27, 2010

Best Downtown Disney Counter Service Disney World

There are only three real counter service locations at Downtown Disney that serve lunch and dinner – Cooke’s of Dublin, Earl of Sandwich, and Wolfgang Puck Express.  Bongo’s Cuban Café does have a sandwich takeout window that may be of interest if you enjoy Cuban food, but there is limited seating and it is not on any of the Disney Dining Plans, so it won’t be considered in the following rankings.  Ghirardelli Soda Fountain is also located at Downtown Disney, but they serve ice cream and sundaes (not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you) rather than “food,” so it will be left off also.  I would highly recommend Ghirardelli if you’re looking for a treat.

Be sure to read over the full reviews for more information on any of the counter service locations listed.  You can either click here for the full list in alphabetical order or click the individual highlighted links throughout this post.

Most Unique Menu

1. Wolfgang Puck Express

2. Cooke’s of Dublin

3. Earl of Sandwich

All three of the Downtown Disney counter services offer a diverse menu full of interesting options.  Wolfgang Puck Express is number one because of the sheer number of items on the menu.  You’ll find bacon wrapped meatloaf, curried chicken salad, butternut squash soup, and crème brulee at Wolfgang among many other pasta, pizza, and salad dishes.  Cooke’s of Dublin features delicious “Dublin Style” pot pies, mini Irish sausages, and Georges Bank Atlantic Scallops, all of which are unique.  As far as variety is concerned, you can’t really go wrong with either of the top two choices and Earl of Sandwich provides some interesting takes on the sandwich as well.

Best “Value” AKA Most Expensive Meal on the Dining Plan

1. Wolfgang Puck Express (Average Entrée Cost $12.86, Most Expensive Entrée $17.00)

2. Cooke’s of Dublin ($10.50, $11.95)

3. Earl of Sandwich ($5.95, $5.95)

Wolfgang Puck Express is the favorite of many Disney World visitors on the Disney Dining Plan because it offers some of the most expensive items of any counter service anywhere.  If you chose the oven roasted salmon for $17, crème brulee dessert for $5, and a $3 beverage then you would have a counter service meal in the $25 range, by far the most expensive at Disney World.  There are more than 15 entrées that cost $12 or more, making Wolfgang Puck Express the clear choice for anyone trying to “maximize” their Dining Plan.  Cooke’s of Dublin is fairly expensive as well, with several entrées in the $11 range, but still significantly cheaper than Wolfgang Express.  Earl of Sandwich is the obvious laggard.  Although it’s a terrific deal out of pocket, it might be considered a “waste” of a Dining Plan credit considering the most expensive meal you could put together would be about $10, much less than either of the other two options.

Best Value Out of Pocket

1. Earl of Sandwich

2. Wolfgang Puck Express

3. Cooke’s of Dublin

Earl of Sandwich is by far the best deal out of pocket at Downtown Disney and probably all of Disney World.  Considering it would be a good value outside of Disney World, you know it’s a fantastic deal inside.  You can get a large, freshly made sandwich with quality ingredients for $6 which is about half of the average cost of an entrée at either Wolfgang or Cooke’s.  You can also add a side of potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, salad, or a bag of chips for less than $2.  Wolfgang Puck comes in second because of the large size of the entrées and the high quality of the ingredients.  A waiter will also bring you your food and take care of anything else you need during your meal, which is unique to the Wolfgang Puck Express.  Cooke’s of Dublin is a close third because most of the entrées won’t be so large that they are easily sharable. While the prices are relatively high compared to other counter service locations, the cost of the ingredients are generally higher as well.  Scallops and shrimp, for example, aren’t cheap.

Best Seating

1. Wolfgang Puck Express

2. Cooke’s of Dublin

3. Earl of Sandwich

Wolfgang Puck Express is the only counter service where a waiter will bring the food to your table while you have a chance to sit and relax.  There shouldn’t be any trouble finding a table and chairs either.  Cooke’s of Dublin has limited seating inside and a small attached seating area outside, but it’s usually enough to cater to the small number of clientele Cooke’s serves throughout the day.  If Cooke’s was any more popular, the seating area would be inadequate, but there’s usually plenty of seating.  Earl of Sandwich, on the other hand, is extraordinarily popular and has grossly inadequate seating.  It’s almost always a challenge to find seating in the loud, cramped, poorly lit interior and outdoor seating usually equates to sitting on the curb or the edge of a planter box.

Best Food

1. Earl of Sandwich

2. Wolfgang Puck Express

3. Cooke’s of Dublin

This is close and depends more on what you’re in the mood for or what you like rather than a significant increase or decrease in food quality.  Even disregarding price, the Earl of Sandwich serves some of the best sandwiches in the United States.  Although I’m not a world connoisseur of sandwiches, I have never had a sandwich as good as those found at the Earl.  I have had salmon, pasta, pizza, and salads better than what the Wolfgang Puck serves.  Not that Wolfgang is bad, but it’s unlikely you’ll leave saying “Wow, that was the best spaghetti I’ve ever tasted.”  Cooke’s of Dublin is a close third.  The main reason why it rates below Wolfgang is because just about everything they serve is deep fried, which may not appeal to some people.  The Dublin Style Pies, fried fish, chips, and sausages are all excellent, but anyone looking to cut calories has come to the wrong place.

Overall Best Counter Service at Downtown Disney

1. Earl of Sandwich

2. Wolfgang Puck Express

3. Cooke’s of Dublin

You can’t really go wrong with the counter services at Downtown Disney.  On the Disney Dining Plan, you’ll probably want to use your credits at Wolfgang Puck Express or Cooke’s, but out of pocket the Earl of Sandwich just can’t be beat.  Although it does get crowded, the lack of seating is the only real deterrent.  Wolfgang Puck Express comes in second due to the fact that a waiter will bring your food to your table, the diverseness of the menu, and the high quality of the ingredients.  You won’t find a pizza of this quality at any of the theme park counter services, that’s for sure.  Cooke’s of Dublin comes in third because of the potential limited appeal of its menu, the relatively high prices, and the small seating area.  I would still highly recommend Cooke’s if you’ve already tried both Wolfgang and Earl of Sandwich or if the menu sounds appealing.  It is an excellent counter service and would rank among the best at any of Disney’s other resorts or theme parks.  All in all, there are no losers here and you should be satisfied no matter what your situation is or which counter service you decide to try.

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