Best 10 Disney World Table Service Restaurants for Kids
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
There are dozens restaurants on property at Walt Disney World, and choosing where to eat each day of your visit can seem like a daunting task. Reviews and menus await your perusal, and those advanced dining reservations are not going to make themselves. Most first-timers have no idea where to begin making selections, and even Disney regulars find it difficult to narrow down their options.
Since you'll be on vacation, you'll most likely want to indulge in a few special dining experiences with your family. Adding table-service meals into your itinerary can also provide some nice, long, air-conditioned (or heated, as the case may occasionally be) breaks from walking each day.
However, as parents, it can be difficult to enjoy ourselves if our kids aren't having a good time as well (especially when they let you know about it). So, which Disney World table service restaurants do kids love the most?
These Disney World Restaurants Are Kid-Approved
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
Our guide to the ten best Disney World table service restaurants for kids can help parents alleviate Disney dining stress and start planning exciting dining experiences for their trip. We visit Disney World frequently with kids and have become familiar with all of its offerings so we can share this top list with you.
All the dining locations on our list provide a fun atmosphere and plenty of kid-friendly menu items, and many also include a visit from some favorite Disney characters! The following restaurants span the theme parks, Disney Springs, and even Disney World resorts, and we think every family will find at least one must-do from the variety on our list.
T-Rex Restaurant at Disney Springs
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
Disney Springs is a foodie paradise with an abundance of gourmet cuisine and a celebrity chef's name on every corner. So why would we recommend chain restaurant food from Landry's in the midst of this five-star landscape? Because, dinosaurs!
If your kids are like mine, they are going to order some form of fried chicken, mac and cheese, or tacos, regardless of the dining location. So, why not choose one that immerses you in one of four uniquely-themed primeval habitats, populated by an astonishing array of robotic dinos?
Although the food at T-Rex is admittedly not the best you'll find at Disney Springs, it's more than adequate, and the menu is huge, so big families will most likely be able to find something to satisfy everyone. The main draw here is obviously the atmosphere, and although each area has its own appeal, we recommend requesting a table inside the Ice Cave! This prehistoric cavern features frozen stalactites that glow with blue light and fade to purple each time a simulated meteor shower threatens extinction (about once every 15 minutes). Guarded by an enormous wooly mammoth, massive sparkling geodes surround the crystal enclosure, and the skeletal remains of a Tyrannosaurus adorn the cave's interior wall.
While you wait to be seated, your kids can even dig for fossils and hidden treasures in an interactive discovery sandbox called the Paleo Zone. There's also an in-house Build-a-Dino Workshop (by Build-a-Bear), where guests can stuff a plush “Friendosaur” and clean, dress, accessorize, and name it. Choose from a wide selection of popular dinosaurs, like Stegosaurus and Triceratops, and other prehistoric animals like mammoths and saber-tooth tigers. Other customizable options, like smells, sounds, and embroidery are also available here, and you'll receive the standard Build-a-Bear birth certificate to take home with your one-of-a-kind souvenir. Be aware that while there are several reasonably priced options at this shop, the potential for all those extras to add up quickly is high. So, make sure to temper your kids' expectations.
You can also visit T-Rex's sister restaurant, Rainforest Cafe, which our Mickey Visit content director just wrote about, saying she never goes to Walt Disney World with her teen without a trip there.
Sci-fi Dine-In Theater at Hollywood Studios
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
Paying tribute to the 1950s drive-in theater experience, this Hollywood Studios gem is a delightful retreat from the theme park scene, with its cozy nighttime ambiance and vintage car-shaped dining booths. Bask in the comforting glow of tail lights under a canopy of glittering stars as you watch creepy clips from old sci-fi movies on the big screen. Disney bills these scenes as “scary,” but despite the monsters, aliens, and evil robots, the dated special effects in these films make them seem more cheesy and comical than chilling (think Ed Wood). My family also loves to watch the authentic midcentury concession stand ads and public service announcements sandwiched in between the movie clips (the dancing hotdog, etc.).
There are a few salads and pasta dishes on the all-American diner menu at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, but it consists primarily of burgers and fries, which, in my experience, are some of the best on property. Finish your meal with an Oreo cookie milkshake for the quintessential drive-in effect. They even serve an alcoholic version called “Orbiting Oreos” for parents, which comes with a souvenir glow cube your kids will immediately want to commandeer.
Keep in mind, if you want to sit at one of the classic bar booths, your best bet is to make an advanced dining reservation, and even then, you may want to arrive 15-20 minutes early and request one. Picnic tables are available in the back of the theater near the old-fashioned concession stand facade, and they are typically used for walk-ins when the restaurant is busy but can sometimes accommodate overflow if there aren't enough cars to seat everyone.
See more of the best restaurants at Disney's Hollywood Studios here.
Biergarten at Epcot
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
A restaurant called Biergarten might not immediately seem like an ideal choice for families visiting with kids, but trust us when we tell you this perpetual Oktoberfest celebration, located in the Germany Pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase, has plenty to offer young guests. A cheerful exterior greets you with colorfully painted German crests and charming figurines, as you enter through Sommerfest, Germany's counter service location, into a quaint indoor courtyard. Once you make your way through the courtyard into the restaurant, you'll be transported to a traditional Bavarian village at twilight, with a full moon rising behind the detailed facade.
A working waterwheel and lamp post light add to the rich German street fair theming, and communal wooden tables with bench seating encourage guests to engage in the spirit of the festivities. The house Polka band provides lively entertainment, which ranges from oompah beats to handbells and cowbell ringing, alpenhorn music, and some speedy mallets on the glockenspiel. There's even a dance floor in front of the stage, where your kids can cut loose.
Last, but certainly not least, the German-style buffet offers something for everyone, including meats like pork roast, rotisserie chicken, salmon, and schnitzel. Side selections often feature roasted potatoes, cheese spaetzle, and sautéed green beans, as well as breads, salads, and delicious pretzel rolls. Don't forget dessert! We recommend the hand-pulled apple strudel.
See more of the best Epcot restaurants here.
Garden Grill at Epcot
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
At the low-key Harvest Feast at Epcot's Garden Grill, not only can your kids visit with Chip, Dale, Pluto, and farmer Mickey, but the floor of the restaurant also revolves to reveal scenes from inside the Living with the Land attraction downstairs. Soak up views of the varied landscapes featured on this gentle boat ride through the history of agriculture, along with Disney's current horticultural innovations, while you enjoy a family-style, all-you-care-to-eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Breakfast here is standard Disney World fare, with Mickey waffles, eggs, bacon, flank steak, fruit, cheesy potato casserole, and something called a cinnamon breakfast loaf, which is sweet, sticky, and delectable. Lunch and dinner share the same menu, which includes roast turkey, grilled steak, cornbread, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and a variety of veggies grown right there inside the Living with the Land greenhouses. Dessert is a seasonal pie with ice cream or a chocolate Farmer Mickey cupcake for the kids. As always at Disney, there are also plant-based and allergy-free menu items available.
Garden Grill is the only character meal where you can meet Chip and Dale, and the family-style skillet brought directly to your table is less hassle than the typical character buffet at Disney World. It can be easier to get a reservation here than at other character locations, too, so that's another benefit of choosing this spot for a visit with the mouse himself over others. As a huge fan of the nostalgic Epcot vibes on Living with the Land, I recommend asking for a booth or table on the outer ring of the restaurant, where your kids can get a closer look at the buffalo on the prairie, rainforest thunderstorm, and the rich detail inside the peaceful farmhouse.
Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
If you have Beauty and the Beast fans in your family, this place is a must-do! Dining here is the only way to tour the Beast's castle, and the immersive Imagineering in each distinct dining area will make you feel as if you've stepped inside the award-winning animated Disney classic. In the baroque-styled Grand Ballroom, you'll find gothic arches, that iconic cherub-painted ceiling, ornate chandeliers, and windows that look out on falling snow. Art and tapestries featuring beloved characters from the film line the walls of the Rose Gallery, where the centerpiece is a larger-than-life music box topped with Belle and Beast figures that spin as they dance.
Each room in the castle is appealing in its own way, but my personal favorite place to dine at Be Our Guest is the mysterious West Wing. This is partially because of the dim lighting and more intimate setting, but also because the rustic fixtures, torn portrait of the Beast in human form, and the enchanted rose blooming on a table by the window give the Beast's forbidden study a strong sense of romance. However, if your kids are afraid of the dark, or the movie scene in which Beast loses his temper with Belle for intruding, you might want to steer clear of this room.
As far as the meal goes, the French-inspired prix-fixe menu here includes three elegant courses, with choices like French onion soup, filet mignon, roasted chicken, and a trio of French pastries for dessert. Kids can create their own three courses from a list of more accessible options, including appetizers like peach applesauce, salad, or fruit and cheese, entrees such as pan-seared chicken breast, mac and cheese, or grilled beef tenderloin, and a dessert trio with a white chocolate “Chip” cup they can paint with colored icing and fill with “the gray stuff,” along with a strawberry macaron and a chocolate truffle.
Kids will look forward to seeing the Beast roaming the castle dressed in his formal wear for dancing the night away. He unfortunately does not stop to interact with each table like other characters do, but it's still fun to get some photos of him as he wanders in and out of the different rooms in the castle.
See more of the best Magic Kingdom restaurants here and the best Magic Kingdom quick service ranked here.
Round-up Rodeo BBQ at Hollywood Studios
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
This new table service offering at Hollywood Studios continues the premise of the rest of Toy Story Land by using the surroundings to create the forced perspective that guests are honorary toys, shrunk down to the size of Andy's playthings. The aesthetic is very much in line with what you'll see over at Slinky Dog Dash or Toy Story Midway Mania, except it's a rodeo, with western towns and train station play sets. A giant Bo Peep readies her sheep to jump through a lasso, and Jessie the cowgirl rides on a pull-toy version of Trixie the dinosaur in a colorful multi-dimensional atmosphere populated by highly detailed cardboard cut-outs and toy props.
Like Garden Grill, this is a family-style menu, with a plethora of BBQ offerings—including ribs, brisket, and barbecue chicken—as well as cheddar biscuits with sweet pepper jelly, watermelon salad, baked beans, cole slaw, mac and cheese, and corn on the cob. For dessert, choose from a variety of pies, cheesecake, or Cupcake à la Forky. To add to the backyard BBQ feel, the ceramic plates are made to look as if they are paper, and the effect is really convincing!
While this isn't a character dining experience, there is a show element at Round-up Rodeo BBQ. Periodically announcements play over the loudspeaker, such as the warning that Andy is coming, and the toys (and honorary toys) need to freeze. Cast members all play along with these announcements, making the charade even more fun. Kids (and adults) can ride to their tables on really cool-looking hobby horses when they enter the dining room, which is another nice touch, and there are colored pencils and Toy Story trivia pages available to keep kids entertained while they wait for the food.
You can see our full thoughts on Round-up Rodeo BBQ in our review!
Tusker House at Animal Kingdom
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
Located within the bustling Harambe Marketplace area in Animal Kingdom, Tusker House is a buffet with African flare and lots of Disney main character energy! Donald Duck is the official host, but you can also meet Mickey, Goofy, and Daisy, all in their rare safari outfits. The theming matches the meticulously Imagineered 1960s colonial African village setting of the rest of Harambe, so if you're looking for the full Africa experience at Animal Kingdom, this is the place to dine.
With an extensive buffet at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, kids and adults will find more than enough to food to satisfy the pickiest and most adventurous eaters in their party. Traditional American favorites mingle with curry and spiced meats for a distinct culinary experience among its character dining cousins. Disney World is full of restaurants that transport guests to new and exciting locations, and Tusker House is one of those places dripping authentic detail. Your kids will feel like they're on safari with some of their favorite Disney pals.
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Fort Wilderness Resort
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
Tucked away at the outdoor oasis Disney calls Fort Wilderness Resort, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is simply a blast! It harkens back to the variety shows that were popular back in Disneyland's heyday, like the one at the Golden Horseshoe, featuring comedy skits, musical numbers, dancing, and more. In fact, this show has been running at Pioneer Hall in some form since 1974!
You'll find Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness's settlement area, which strongly evokes an old western town. Inside the theater, the setting is an old stage saloon, where kids will be charmed by the talented actors in their colorful costumes as they sing, dance, and riff off of one another. There are several opportunities for kids to get in on the action, from playing a washboard along with the music to waving their napkins in the air to cheer on the dancers. They may even get a chance to participate in some dialogue with the ensemble, depending on where you're sitting.
Dinner is a banquet of finger-licking fried chicken, smoked barbecue pork ribs, mashed potatoes, “cowboy beans,” cornbread, mac and cheese, and coleslaw, with the best strawberry shortcake we've ever had for dessert. There is plenty for everyone to eat, if your kids can pull themselves away from the show long enough to dig in.
Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
Located right on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom, The Crystal Palace is a light and airy space with views of the central hub, Cinderella castle, and a bit of Adventureland. The ornately trimmed restaurant gets its look from the Victorian greenhouses of the late 1800s and is resplendent with tropical palms and topiaries featuring the guests of honor. Here you can meet Winnie the Pooh and his friends for photos and autographs while you enjoy the fabulous setting and plenty of sweet and savory items from the breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets.
Eggs, bacon, fruit, pastries, and other traditional breakfast fare give kids more than enough to choose from. Lunch and dinner include fried chicken with black pepper gravy, carved meats, creole shrimp, pastas, sides, and desserts. In our recent experience, there were churro Mickey waffles on the buffet, which tasted as good as you might imagine.
This is the only place where you can meet Piglet and Eeyore on a regular basis, so if the residents of the Hundred Acre Wood are as endearing to your family as they are to mine, this is the character meal for you! Pooh and his pals lead guests in a “Friendship Day Celebration” with a small parade through the restaurant. The characters wave pinwheels, balloons, and flags as they weave through the seating areas. In the time between each celebration, these friends also separately visit each table for some quality interactions.
Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom
Photo Credit: Mickey Visit.
If your kids (or you) love fairy tales and dream of stepping inside Cinderella's Castle, booking a coveted reservation at Cinderella's Royal Table is the way to do it. This dining experience has quite the production value, and the price tag reflects that. The castle interior is everything one might expect from a fairytale: stained glass, tapestries, plush seating, high arches, chandeliers, and coats of arms. Once inside the entry hall, your kids will receive either a souvenir princess wand or a medieval sword.
A commemorative photo with Cinderella (which will be delivered to your table in a folder frame, along with a photo of the castle itself) kicks off the event. A surprise roster of princesses makes an appearance in the dining room (usually Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, and Jasmine, but occasionally Belle), each introduced by her respective story told over the loudspeaker. Guests will have the opportunity to visit with each one at their table, and several special little celebrations happen over the course of the meal to keep your kids entertained.
The food is a plated affair here, and we recommend breakfast for several reasons. First, if you schedule your meal before park opening, you can enter Magic Kingdom before the throngs of others descend, for truly awe-inspiring views and unpopulated photos of your family on Main Street and in front of the castle. You'll also be able to see the decor inside the dimly-lit castle more clearly with daylight shining through the windows. Then when you've finished your meal, you can bypass the crowds waiting for Fantasyland rope drop and walk to your first attraction without a wait.
We hope this helps you choose some exciting kid-friendly table service meals for your trip! Remember, most of these are popular dining locations, so be sure to make your advanced dining reservations as soon as your 60-day out window opens.
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