The process of acquiring an advance dining reservation at Walt Disney World frustrates some visitors. For example, you wake up at 5:45am Florida time to book a reservation 60 days in advance. You keep refreshing only to see that the time slots you wanted are gone for your desired restaurant. For most people, this means choosing something else. Of course, you could set some alerts at MouseDining.com for when a reservation opens. Yet, the frustration felt at that early hour 60 days in advance hurts a bit. For those of us trying to book from the Midwest, we wake up before 4:45am to book dining 60 days in advance to be denied. My friends in California often just stay up all night to book dining reservations at Walt Disney World.

Now, riddle me this…what does a vegan diner do when the place they wanted turns up unavailable? Vegan menu item choices reside as limited already. Then, the place they thought they could have a nice vegan table service dining option has no available reservation when they wanted one. Of course, they should set an alert at MouseDining.com. However, the Disney Springs table service options offer numerous solid vegan selections. If you or someone in your group dines vegan, this list offers my suggestions.

I need to clarify a few details before we reach the list of suggestions. A few clarifying statements must be made to set parameters. I will only be discussing vegan items as listed on the menu. I will not include menu items that need to be modified to be vegan. The focus will be on menu items intended to be vegan. For vegan diners, the frustration level increases when you order a salad but half the items on there get removed but you get charged the same price. I understand that sometimes that may be needed.

Still, I would not plan a reservation as a vegan diner for a place like that when visiting Walt Disney World. I, especially, would avoid that when planning a meal at Disney Springs. With about twenty table service options, vegans should not have to settle for “modified” menu items. Having said that, if a bun or something simple like that needs to be substituted, that would be okay for these parameters.

Finally, before getting to the list, vegan menu items change often. Please confirm the menu when booking your advance dining reservations. For example, some vegan menu items changed during the time I researched and wrote this article.

#5           Vegetarian Pasta at Paddlefish

Yes, I know it says vegetarian. I would not make mistake confusing that with vegan. I have no idea what they do not call this vegan pasta. Though I have double-checked with them a few times (and others have done) that it is made with egg free noodles. This pasta dish features linguine, garlic, olive oil, and market vegetables. This currently costs $21. The market vegetables usually are asparagus, yellow squash, zucchini, red bell peppers and mushrooms. For transparency, I cannot eat a few of those vegetables, which does make vegan dining reviews tougher. However, my vegan friends agree on this being good. Also, Terralina Crafted Italian served a version of this, but I would suggest the Paddlefish one over this that version. Of course, confirm with each restaurant on status on any item being truly vegan friendly.

#4            Impossible Burger at House of Blues

The menu description of this item tells the story. The menu description reads “built 100% vegan – Impossible™ burger patty, American cheese, shredded lettuce, secret sauce, dill pickle chips.” This burger costs $17. Once again, I wish these places would be more careful with their menu descriptions though. If you are going to use vegan cheese (which they have been doing), then please put those words in description to make vegans feel more comfortable. Yet, here, as at all places, you should always confirm vegan ingredients. The quality of the patty adds to the taste of this burger. For the record, The Edison also offers a decent plant-based burger but I would select the House of Blues version.

Photo used was a promo photo provided by Paradiso 37

#3           Napa Valley Vegan Flatbread at Paradiso 37

Generally, I would not recommend Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas. This place provides decent dining. However, with so many better options within Disney Springs, this would rarely be a top choice for me. In addition, the price point at $22 seems a bit high. Yet, the Napa Valley Vegan Flatbread presents a solid vegan option outside the norm. This flatbread comes with cauliflower crust, vegan mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil, and a balsamic glaze. The crust’s texture works quite well. The mozzarella cheese tastes like vegan cheese but not in a bad way. Also, the balsamic drizzle provides as nice touch with this flatbread. Though I would disagree, this entrée could be shared due to portion size. On a final note, this place offers several quality vegan appetizers to round out a meal if desired.

Photo provided by Morimoto Asia as a promo photo

#2 Kung Pao Cauliflower at Morimoto Asia

One of the best restaurants at Walt Disney World is Morimoto Asia. The legendary quality of an “Iron Chef” provides an excellent experience here. As you can imagine, this place provides high quality Asian food. A great vegan example offered here would be the “Kung Pao Cauliflower” This entrée gives diners flash fried cauliflower florets, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, and tobanjan chili. This costs $16 with a decent portion size. City Works Eatery and Pour House also sells a dish like this. Yet, the one at Morimoto Asia tastes far better. The texture of cauliflower crunches just the right amount. The magic of chefs at this place makes this sometimes-bland vegetable pop with flavor.

Two other notes if dining as a vegan here to mention. First, the last time I checked the soy sauce here was not vegan. Yet, the gluten free soy sauce was vegan so ask for that. Second, you could select the “Wok Sauteed Chinese Vegetables” for $15 here as a vegan entrée also.

Photo credit: Raglan Road Disney Springs

#1 This Shepherd Went Vegan at Raglan Road

I hear some vegan diners do not like this heavier style entrée. Yet, I think the most value and quality for the vegan dollar in Disney Springs is this dish. I have two different advance dining reservations at Raglan Road scheduled. If not for the fact that Raglan Road just added several new menu items, I would be getting this shepherd’s pie again. This vegan version of a shepherd’s pie costs $25. This comes with faro barley, carrots, wild mushrooms, green onion, peas, and rutabaga topped with olive oil mashed potato with a burnt onion gravy. With full honesty, some of those ingredients do not appeal to me. However, together they provide the positives of non-vegan shepherd’s pie while still being vegan. Despite that, this vegan item will not destroy your vacation budget. Also, it will provide a filling meal.

As someone who does not dine exclusively vegan, I cannot truly understand the frustration of dining vegan at a theme park resort. I hope these suggestions help in your quest for less stressful vegan dining at Walt Disney World. As always, eat like you mean it!

One of the most highly sought-after reservations in Disney Springs is the Rainforest Café. Yes, this restaurant is part of Landry’s Restaurant corporation. You may have one near where you live. Over 15 of these exist within the Unites States of America. A few more reside outside the USA. The economic and health crisis of 2020 led to many Rainforest Cafes closing. Yet, the two on Walt Disney World property continue to do well. The one located at Animal Kingdom does not have as much demand as the Disney Springs location, however.

Photo courtesy of Phill Guard, Epic Florida Project Podcast

The Disney Spring Rainforest Café should be easy to spot with the large volcano structure nearby. The volcano “erupts” on a regular basis. This restaurant, like most Rainforest Cafes, comes with a large gift shop area. The exterior of the restaurant clues you into the type of experience you will have here. For example, once inside the restaurant, you will enter a themed jungle area. The dining area will be filled with large animatronic animals. You will see a presentation of a night sky on the ceiling along with many other well themed features. Yes, every so often a storm happens in this themed jungle setting. These flashes of replicated thunderstorms will either enthrall your child or scare them. The theme within deserves praise. Yet, this falls below Walt Disney World level theming.

During a recent trip to Disney Springs, I decided to use a Landry gift card. The menu here offers lots of choices. You should expect burgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes, salads, steak, chicken, and seafood. One issue with restaurants offering so many menu choices relate to their ability to do each well. I have eaten at many Rainforest Cafes. The food usually compares to a Chili’s or TGI Friday’s in terms of quality. My general concern with Rainforest Café regards their price points for items being so much higher than those other chain places I mentioned for similar food.

On this recent trip to Disney Springs, I decided to use all my gift card on one entrée. I ordered the Ribs, Steak and Shrimp Trio. This cost $38.99, Yes, you read that correctly for the level of food quality I described. In fairness, this entrée combo offers three higher priced proteins so a higher price should have been expected. For your money, you get an iron steak, some Caribbean coconut shrimp, mojo bone ribs, coleslaw, and the Rainforest Café safari fries. In case you are wondering, they taste like standard table service fries.

Starting with the positives, the portion size of each protein item meets or exceeds expectations. At some places, you would pay just this for a 10ox flat iron steak. I respect that the meat quality could be higher. Still, the portion size of the steak and ribs for this price point deserves some praise. The BBQ sauce offered a reasonably sweet BBQ flavor. The sauce with the shrimp also provides a good quality sweet flavor.

On the less positive side, many guests voice that their steaks are prepared poorly and not as they requested. In other words, if you wanted medium rare, you might get medium well. Also, the quality of the steak being used pales in comparison to the steaks being sold at most Walt Disney World Resort restaurants. Thus, my comparison to a Chili’s for example makes more sense if you think of it that way. The shrimp tends to lack proper texture and flavor compared to other restaurants in Disney Springs area.  Also, some guests voice complaints about small portions of fries, shrimp, and slaw.

Based upon price point and the numerous high quality dining options within Disney Spring area alone, this entrée remains hard to recommend. I could see if you came here for your children ordering this for the adults. Depending on your schedule and dining habits, two adults might share this entrée. Let us face it, you visit this place for the theme. If you wanted high quality table service dining at Disney Springs, I would rate at least 17 table service places at Disney Springs above this one. For the record, I would place at least one counter service place over this one in terms of food quality. However, if your children drag you here, this entrée might serve as a viable option.

Like I mentioned earlier, this place presents difficulties getting a table. Sure, you can do walk-ups. Yet, those waits easily reach several hours. You might want to set an alert at MouseDining.com for this place if needed. If you decide to dine here, have a plan. As always, eat like you mean it!

One of the most important things to strive to do as a person doing food reviews is to write for a larger audience. Now, it is nice to tell people if you liked the food or not. Yet, the key variable comes down to whether other people will like it. The highly sought-after dining reservation on today’s agenda is Be Our Guest restaurant at Magic Kingdom. This signature dining option offers the guest many solid features. There are lots of reasons to visit Be Our Guest.

The Be Our Guest restaurant sits themed around the idea of Beast’s castle. This place functions a bit differently than you may remember if you have not visited it in a while. Currently, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner only. Lunch starts at 10am. However, from 10am-12 noon, guests may purchase limited “Brunch” elements for their meal instead of the lunch/dinner options. All diners order from a Prix Fixe menu here. If you remember the days of ordering counter service for some meals here, that is not an present choice.  Current pricing:

$62 per adult (ages 10 and up), plus tax and gratuity

$37 per child (ages 3-9), plus tax and gratuity

The current three course Prix Fixe menu looks like this:

Appetizers (choose one)

—Captain Nemo Octopus- Seaweed Salad, Cucumber, Pickled Beets, Hearts of Palm, Tapioca Crackers, Beets Mousse, and Carrot-Ginger Silk

—French Onion Soup- Toasted Crouton, Gruyère, and Provolone

—Country Seasonal Salad- Toasted Walnuts, Fresh Fruit, and Seasonal Vinaigrette Dressing

—Assorted Meats and Artisanal Cheese Selection

—Maine Lobster Bisque-Garnished with Crème Fraîche and Poached Lobster

Entrées (choose one)

—Herb-salted Pork Tenderloin-Crispy Pork Belly, Seasonal Vegetables-Two Ways, Pork Jus, and Candied Pecan

—Sustainable Market Fresh Fish with Rock Shrimp, Leek Sauce, and Seasonal Vegetables

—Vadouvan Spiced Vegetables-Sautéed Seasonal Vegetables, Crispy Corn Cake with Coconut-Vadouvan Jus and Pickled Mustard Seeds

—Center-cut Filet Mignon-Robuchon Yukon Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, and Mushrooms with a Red Wine Sauce

—Poulet Rouge Chicken-Savory Bread Pudding and Seasonal Vegetables with a Chicken Glace

For dessert each guest gets a dessert trio. Plant based diners may request a vanilla cake with lemon curd as an alternative.

The kid’s Prix Fixe menu reflects a similar pattern. For appetizers, they choose one item between a salad, applesauce, and a fruit/cheese plate. The entrée choices range from beef tenderloin, chicken breast, or mac and cheese. These entrées come with a choice of two sides such as zucchini, green beans, sweet potatoes, fries, and wild rice. The dessert choices are a kid size dessert trio or seasonal fruit,

Now, if you wonder about those brunch options, I did not forget. The two most commonly available ones are an omelet or mickey waffles. As of the time of writing, I hear more brunch options could be commonly available. This “brunch experiment” could expand or contract at any time.

Okay, so is this worth your time and money?  I shall start with the easier aspect. How does your group wish to use their time. This three-course meal will take more than an hour out of your Magic Kingdom Day. Some guests have reported the meal taking two hours from being seated to leaving the restaurant. You will need to decide about the time issues based on if you only have one day at Magic Kingdom or will visit more often.

Related to that, the biggest issue revolves around if the children (and adults for that matter) need to see the incredible setting within and/or interact with Beast. If so, then make a reservation for this place now! If not, please read on.

The bigger question for me rotates around if the dining experience provides value for money spent. If your child (or another adult in your group) qualifies as a picky eater, you should get a dining reservation somewhere else. The Prix Fixe menu limits your choices. Therefore, in an earlier review I suggested “Skipper’s Canteen” as a more cost-effective table service option. I can confidently state if you have a picky eater over the age of 10, since they would cost $62 plus, this place will disappoint in terms of food options.

If you want/need an alcoholic beverage with your table service meal, those will cost more so your price tag went up again. Of course, this is Magic kingdom so alcoholic beverages will only be found at table service places where you will pay a premium.

Based on the current Prix Fixe menu, this place is hard to recommend with limited menu options. The set price point fails to make a recommendation easier. This place and others give people like me good reason to suggest taking a break from Magic Kingdom to visit a monorail resort table service dining option. The food will be of equal quality and cost less that way. Also, depending on your experience, you might use less time dining at Steakhouse 71 for example compared to Be Our Guest.

However, the setting within Beast’s castle looks wonderful. The overall theming works exceptionally well. Beast comes out to interact with guests. This serves as the only place you can count on seeing Beast.

If you choose to make a reservation here, I suggest on the adult menu to order the French onion soup and the filet. In fairness, in both cases, you will find better versions of those menu items at numerous other Walt Disney World resort restaurants. Yet, if you want to soak up the theming, the price point makes sense for you.

On the negative side, for a signature dining three course meal, the environment creates too much noise. Since reopening, service quality ranks as average. You do get bread service before your first course. However, the rolls often taste dry and the butter for them arrives in too solid a form to spread well on the rolls.

Last thing, this menu offers some hearty style entrees. For me, this looks like a dinner location. I have a hard time visualizing eating a three-course meal then riding the Space Mountain attraction. Is this place worth paying almost $150 with tax and gratuity for just two adults? I think not but can understand that for some people this would be ideal. If children are a primary consideration, they need to like Beast. You also need to be comfortable with the chance they will not eat very much for over $40 when you think tax and tip.

I realize I sound negative about this place. The food served here is good. Yes, this shows common theme park pricing. Yet, even considering you are in Magic Kingdom, the price point exceeds what I would expect for a signature dining three course meal of this quality. I will wait and hope that the Prix Fixe menu goes away. Yet, I respect the table service options look bleak in Magic Kingdom. I still proclaim a trip to Steakhouse 71 or Grand Floridian Café would be a better use of time and money. Please bear in mind my own offspring are past high school age, so the pull of character dining often gets lost on me. However, you are paying for theming so consider than when making advance dining reservations for your vacation. As always, eat like you mean it!

The food offerings within Disney’s Animal Kingdom vary from high quality to below average theme park cuisine. Many bad dining choices call to guests as they experience the theme park. Some of the counter service options rank as best in Walt Disney World theme parks, like Satu’li Canteen. Sure, the standard below average burgers and pizza can be found at counter service options. However, Animal Kingdom also offers some of the best table service options within the Walt Disney World theme parks. Of course, Rainforest Café exists here also. Poor Rainforest Café must compete with Tiffins and Tusker House in this park.

The other table service option at Animal Kingdom is Yak & Yeti. Ironically, both Rainforest Café and Yak & Yeti are run by same third-party company. However, Yak & Yeti might provide the best table service overall value at Animal Kingdom. Yak & Yeti, according to Disney’s website, serves American, Asian, Chinese, and Seafood style dining. Usually when a restaurant tries to provide a wide variety of cuisine, they fail. Yak & Yeti presents many solid options. I would suggest ordering the Asian style food here. Though, the Kobe Beef Burger tastes great

A popular entrée here at Yak & Yeti is the “Chicken Tikka Masala.” This entrée costs $25.99. The menu description reads “boneless chicken breast marinated in yogurt and freshly ground herbs cooked in a traditional Masala sauce (with) jasmine rice.” This menu item also comes with garlic naan bread.

Photo by Jon Self

Chicken Tikki Masala comes from an Indian cultural origin even though other cultures have modified it a bit for their purposes. Traditionally, the chicken gets marinated in a spicy curry sauce with plain yogurt. The cooking preparation involves tomatoes, more spices, and perhaps a few more vegetables. This dish generally comes with rice. If you are familiar with a version of Indian Butter Chicken, this one function usually as the slightly spicier cousin.

So how does this menu item measure up? Well, that depends on your perspective. For theme park dining, the portion size exceeds expectation. If desired, this dish could be shared. This hearty dish comes in a larger than normal bowl. When the meal arrives at your table, the aroma helps prepare guests for their dining experience.

Photo courtesy of Main Street Magic Podcast

All components of this dish come well prepared. The chicken offers solid flavor and tenderness. The spice level fits well for this dish in a theme park setting. For those looking for some spice, you will find it in this tikka masala. Now, if looking for a proper amount of spice for this dish, you will be disappointed. However, the compromise level should work for most guests. The quality or grade of chicken could be higher but functions well within this tikka masala.

As you can see, you can get the rice on the side. I do not recommend this.

For some guests, the bread shines as the star of this dish. The bread dipped in the sauce works very well for flavor. I have heard more than a few guests express a desire for more bread. Also, as you would expect, the rice helps balance out the strong flavors overall.

Personally, I see this entrée as a safer option for guests concerned about spice level at an Asian themed place. When dining here, I seek out dishes with a more authentic spice level. For example, I would order the Malaysian Seafood Curry. That might be a perfect choice for me. Now, I just need them to remove the zucchini. However, most guests will enjoy the Chicken Tikka Masala. Of the many good choices here, I hear the most positive statements about this and the Ahi Tuna Nachos. I suspect if you give this menu item a try that you will be a satisfied customer also. As always, eat like you mean it!

Sometimes I hear people speak about the good old days. I appreciate the sentiment. However, I often remind people that the good old days were not as good as you might sentimentalize. Do you remember warming up leftovers without a microwave? What about party line phones? Speaking of phones, can you imagine going back to no mobile phones? Perhaps, the greater torture would be going back to the bag-style car phones.

If you are too young to remember any of those scenarios being possible, please forgive me. My real vocation often causes me to remind people that with every positive in life comes some negatives also. The sentiment to go back to the good old days forgets about the difficulties of those good old days.

Yes, the nostalgia of Formica counters reminds many people of simpler times. Yet, if you want old-fashioned comfort food during your day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then 50’s Prime Time Café should be on your short list. Of course, 50’s Prime Time café offers many features of that era, including Formica counters. As you might expect the best dining reservation timeslots for table service dining options at Hollywood Studios disappear quickly. Now, they fail to disappear as quickly as Genie+ slots for Slinky Dog Dash. Yet, table service reservations at Hollywood Studios disappear quickly. If you want to eat during peak hours for 1950’s comfort food, you should prioritize 50’s Prime Time Café.

Waly Disney World marketing tells us that at 50’s Prime Time Café we will find classic USA comfort food. Disney proclaims we will experience “50s kitsch and a good old-fashioned family gathering take you back to a bygone era.” A signature comfort food item shines here as “Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken.” Since the theming revolves around a traditional old school family gathering, the touch of naming this menu item after a relative adds to that. Based on your server, your waitress may come over to introduce herself as your “aunt.” Did she make this chicken? Guess we will never know.  Usually, waitresses will remind you that “mom” is hard at work back in the kitchen making dinner.

This chicken entrée costs $25. The menu describes it as chicken served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and seasonal vegetables. Having not grown-up in the 1950s, I cannot evaluate the authenticity of this fried chicken. However, based on my experience growing up in the southern area of the USA, this tastes like I remember, good and bad. The sides also match the comfort food idea, good and bad.

On the positive side, they call this comfort food for a reason. If you grew up eating fried chicken often, this would bring back some of those memories. When combined with the old school TVs, vinyl seating, and kitschy decor, the setting for old school comfort rises to prominence. Though I would choose Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ fried chicken menu items over this, the chicken quality rates high. Still, this fried chicken offers a good outer coating. In addition, the chicken meat hidden within tastes juicy and tender. Of course, this theme park entree comes with vegetables. Actual vegetables to create a balanced meal at a theme park can be hard to find sometimes. This restaurant makes sure you eat your “veggies” but more about that later. The sides with the chicken work very well in terms of theme and balance.

On the negative side, this chicken stays on theme by being greasy. However, good thing you must put your mobile devices away here (or mom will be very upset). I doubt most phones could survive the grease factor if you eat this fried chicken and then play on your phone at same time. Though many disagree with me, I find the portion size small for a $25 menu item.

One more thing, the chicken and sides will be hearty and filling. Despite portion size, your will experience a solid mela that might weigh you down. Plan accordingly since your Tower of Terror Genie+ lightning lane time slot might follow this meal. If you want to enjoy one of the old school desserts here, the hearty nature of food should be evaluated when ordering.

No discussion of this place will be complete without a warning about the theme. Though some people see this as a negative, you may see this aspect as glorious. Unless your “relative” serving your food is told differently, they will enforce “mom’s” rules. That means no elbows on the table. That means not phones at the table. You will also be admonished if you fail to eat your vegetables or make other poor nutritional choices. The antics involved with this might be worth the price of dining depending on your group. Parents often love this since someone else is “yelling” at their kids to behave and eat their vegetables.

Yet, if your group hates being “that guy” over at the Magic Kingdom, have someone politely inform your servers that you are not interested in the friendly family-style banter. If you want to surprise a friend (or maybe lose a friend) take a timid person here but fail to warn them about the rules. That plan presents potential enjoyment for many. Yet, you might lose a friend, so be careful. Still, I have heard several stories of people who are still angry about being taken to 50’s Prime Time Café and being picked on for their table manners.

Overall, the theming and food explain the reason this place has difficult to get reservations. If you would love “family” interaction, simple comfort food, and a place to sit down to enjoy a meal, this place merits consideration. The fried chicken provides a great example of quality here. Though, I may squawk at the $25 price tag, the menu item and theming build on a good them park day. As always, eat like you mean it!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers some incredible attractions. With the addition of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge, this theme park returns to being a standout in the industry. Even the counter service dining increased in terms of quality with the addition of those two new areas. As of time of writing, neither of those areas added a table service dining option to Hollywood Studios. We know one will arrive later this year though. For now, the crowds have increased but table service options stayed the same. Not only are park reservations often challenging to get here, but so are table service dining options.

On the evening I am typing this, I checked for advance dining reservation options in Hollywood Studios for 60 days from now. On this evening, Hollywood Brown Debry offered no timeslots. Even Hollywood and Vine showed limited dining timeslots. The other three table service dining option only had a few timeslots left even 60 days in advance. If you want to take a break from the crowds and warm weather for table service dining, options can be hard to find. If you want a calmer themed table service dining experience, then your options become smaller at Hollywood Studios. Now, if you want a sit-down dining level burger, you have only one choice here. With the demise of the burger at Hollywood Brown Derby, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre offers your only table service burger option at Hollywood Studios. Even their menu currently offers a limited number of burgers.

Photo courtesy of BrianAndAmanda.net

Despite that, Sci-Fi Dine-in Theatre provides guests with a well themed dining experience. Also, the Drive-in BBQ Burger there offers a solid burger. In a previous article, I ranked it as the best burger at Hollywood Studios. Still, the competition literally disappeared in that contest.

The Drive-in BBQ Burger costs $22 and comes with fries. The menu description reads “Our Signature Blend of Beef and House-made Seasoning served on a Brioche Bun topped with 9-hour Smoked Pork, Bourbon-Bacon Jam, Cheddar, Lettuce, and Barbecue Sauce.” That description alone should convey that this burger functions as more than a standard Disney below average frozen burger patty. Sometimes, you just want a good burger, right?

Besides the quality of the burger, your dining experience revolves around a trip to the old school drive-in theatre. Once you are checked in, your parking attendant takes you to your car. You will dine in a classic style car. The setting offers low light like a drive-in movie theatre. Guests will view classic movie trailers, concession ads, and cartoons from a bygone era on a movie theater type screen.  The carhop will take your order. I suggest you have a good plan of what you intend to order before you arrive at your seat. The low lighting of a drive-in theatre setting creates a problem looking at the menu. Theming within the restaurant shows off what old school Disney magic can do.

So how is the burger? The burger comes well prepared. Yet, this burger falls short of the top burgers on property. However, remember this was my table service burger suggestion for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Yet, the quality of beef could be higher here, but preparation generally ranks high. The burger patty itself offers a nice portion size. The BBQ sauce compliments the burger patty nicely without taking over the burger. I prefer a different style of BBQ sauce for a burger though. Still, the sauce works well with this combination of ingredients. The pork and bacon jam serves as supporting cast in this burger presentation. Of course, lettuce and cheese play their role well also. This burger is not messy as prepared which is a plus when eating with limited light. Of course, a brioche bun adds to the quality.

Photo used with permission from BrianAndAmanda.net

Before moving on to the potential negatives about the burger, I need to mention one additional variable. The fries provided with this burger get high marks. In fairness, these fries will not change your world. However, they exceed the quality of most fries on Disney property. Ful disclosure, when it comes to fries here, I lack proper luck. My experiences with the fries here have been disappointing. Yet, a vast majority of guests enjoy the fries here.

On the negative side for this burger, my largest disappointment revolves around the pork. The menu advertises it as 9 hour smoked pork. The pork presents a decent flavor. However, the flavor falls below the buildup. Additionally, this burger, as currently prepared, suffers a potential texture issue. The pork and lettuce are supposed to add crunchy texture. Yet, they taste good but go wrong in terms of crunch. Ideally, I would add a touch of slaw to this burger. Yes, I know that would probably make it cost $2 more. We could use crunchy bacon but that might cost $5 more.

Photo courtesy of BrianAndAmanda.net

The theme of this restaurant shines as the star of this dining experience. However, be careful not to stay too long because the video on the big screen starts repeating portions you have already seen while seated. Still, the cars themselves create a great atmosphere but seating can be awkward. If you are a group of 4 or less, you may be seated in a “car” with other people. With some people sitting so close to you, you may have a tendency not to talk. Now with the movie theatre theming, I get the being silent and watch the move thought process. However, if you are a small group, you may be seated in a “car” with people in front and behind you. Once again, expect very low lighting so it may even be hard to read the menu or even pay your bill at the end of a meal.

Despite that, the Drive-in BBQ burger here offers a nice experience at Sci-fi Drive-In. MouseDining could be a lifesaver if you want a reservation at Sci-Fi Drive-In Theatre. Remember, advance dining reservations go very quickly here. If you miss out, maybe MouseDining can help. As always, eat like you mean it!

In preparation for one of my upcoming trips to the Orlando area, I asked my spouse which of the Disney Springs restaurants she wanted to visit. Since we will be staying at the B Resort, located in the Disney Spring/Hotel Plaza area, those restaurants would be easiest for us to visit. The walk from those hotels to Disney Springs works as very relaxing and helps burn off calories from too many Everglazed Doughnuts.

Unsurprisingly, she desired to dine at places that reservations will be needed. As expected, she wanted to eat at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. She has never dined there. I, of course, have visited there several times (see reviews of chicken biscuits, fried chicken salad, and deviled eggs). I have a few more reviews of menu items there planned for upcoming weeks. Also, my talented spouse requested to dine at Raglan Road. Ironically, I have never eaten there. Of course, I made a reservation with the assistance of MouseDining for a 7pm seating there. She also asked to see the inside of The Edison.

Yet, the one dining request that surprised me was to dine at the House of Blues. I have visited the House of Blues in Orlando before. Being a theme park food blogger with a request from their spouse, I quickly tried to make a reservation there. I knew I was within the magical sixty-day window at Walt Disney World for advance dining reservations. I went to book a table only to see there were no timeslots available fifty days in advance.

Based on my recent partnership with MouseDining, an expert in getting advance dining reservations at Disney theme parks, a failure would look tragic. Sure, I acquired reservations for Raglan Road, Homecomin, “Skipper’s Canteen”, and The Boathouse already. Yet, I could not figure out why a less difficult reservation to acquire would derail my spouse’s plans.

For full disclosure, since I started working on this article/review, I got a reservation at Ohana. Sorry, House of Blues loses to Ohana. Thanks to MouseDining reservation alerts for finding that reservation at a time I wanted 13 days after the magic 60-day window. However, inquiring minds needed to know the reason no reservations were available. Did House of Blues have a big event happening? Did this place become far more popular without my knowledge? Was all the data showing the most sought-after reservations wrong? I could understand if I wanted a reservation for the weekend brunch, but I just wanted a table during the week.

Photo used with permission from Main Street Magic Podcast

Photo used with permission from Main Street Magic podcast

If you have made it this far in this article, you probably want to know also. Showing my ignorance, the reason for the lack of reservations available was obvious. House of Blues Orlando does not take reservations more than 30 days in advance. As of time of writing, I cannot book a reservation there because my August trip is still more than 30 days away. Just so you know, I have been confirming this 30-day rule with the restaurant via phone and checking reservation availability each day.

So, what does this mean for you? First, if you want the jambalaya at House of Blues, my go-to order there, the reservation window will open later than other Disney Springs places. In addition, reservation availability historically will last longer here. Second, if you put in a reservation alert for this with MouseDining.com, expect plenty of options 30 days in advance. Third, many people interested in going here might assume no reservations are available when they check around 60 days in advance. Now, walk-up availability functions as more likely here. Yet, if someone in your group must eat here, get a reservation.

So, what should I order here? I suggest the jambalaya. Some people always order shrimp and grits if it is on the menu. Some always order chicken parmigiana wherever they go. Of course, some people just get the burger or the chicken. I always order the jambalaya if it is on menu (and currently not assigned to review something else). The jambalaya here costs $21. The menu description tells us to expect sautéed chicken, andouille sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery. This comes served with Cajun style rice. Guests may add Cajun shrimp for $7 more.

Would I classify this jambalaya are one of best I have ever enjoyed? I cannot say that. Did the chicken and sausage taste tender and well-seasoned? That gets a positive response. The overall flavor of this menu item lives up to the theme of deep southern USA cooking. The spice level rates higher than normal at Walt Disney World but nothing overwhelming. I would prefer more spice in fact. The portion size meets standard expectations for a sit-down restaurant at a theme park resort. Of course, this potion size matches the size at the other locations of this chain.

Photo Credit: House of Blues

The jambalaya here provides exactly what guests should expect for their money. Still, this will not rank as a must-do entrée for most people. Would I order it again? Well, yes, I have already ordered it more than once. Remember, I am the person who selects jambalaya. However, if this place falls back on my dining schedule, I might select a burger or the pulled pork sandwich next time. The menu even offers some great salads with some of the best tasting dressing you have ever enjoyed.

House of Blues offers quality food. The food here cannot compete with the heavy hitters of Disney Springs. However, it easily defeats the lower quality table service options in Disney Springs. When you factor in the quality level and the weekend brunch options, this place merits consideration. However, a meal at Ohana won out in my case. For your trip, things may be different. As always, eat like you mean it!

National Fried Chicken Day falls on July 6^th. Even though I have been writing/editing theme park food blogs for some time now, I continue to be amazed by all the made-up food holidays. However, I have a suggestion for National Fried Chicken Day this year. Before I make that suggestion, I have a little story to tell.

A long time ago in what felt like a galaxy far away, I earned a contract to train athletically. When companies sponsor you, they tend to micro-manage your lifestyle. You sign contracts to avoid risky behavior like skydiving, motorcycles, skiing, and similar activities. Companies start to make strong suggestions about your sleep schedule. As you would expect, your food and beverage intake get supervised heavily. Next time you watch an Olympic athlete compete, remember most of them have gone through incredible standards to reach that point. On the other hand, I never even got close to that level of skill. However, I remember a meeting in Colorado Springs, CO, where they told us to eat a full salad each day.

For context, from the Olympic Training Center dorm rooms in Colorado Springs back in the day, many fast-food places could be seen. Now, several fast-food places were directly across a major road on the other side of a huge fence keeping athletes inside. I recall several fellow athletes telling their sponsors they had a salad every day. Of course, those salads came from fast food places. Those “salads” contained over 2000 calories at least. In my opinion, that might have defeated the point.

Why would I make you read about a memory from over 30 years ago? Well, today, we are looking at the “Fried Chicken Salad” from Art Smith’s Homecomin’. I formally apologize to Art Smith for using fast food salads to transition to this menu item. The quality in terms of preparation for this salad exceeds table service dining standards. However, I confidently declare this salad would not be approved by my former coaches or sponsors. For example, I cannot find a reputable source on the number of calories in this Art Smith designed salad. Still, it is a salad, right? It would be good for you, right? In fairness, this menu item offers some quality nutrition. Nutrition can be tough to find when dining at a theme park resort.

Photo courtesy of Main Street Magic Podcast

The “Fried Chicken Salad” at Art Smith’s Homecomin’ costs $19. For table service of this quality, that price rates as fair. The menu description of this salad brings thoughts of yummy goodness. This salad features crispy fried chicken pieces over mixed greens. In addition, the salad comes topped with pecan-smoked bacon, egg, heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, and cucumbers. The salad can be prepared tossed with icebox dressing or dressing on the side. I suggest having it prepared tossed. For the final touches of this salad, guests enjoy cheddar biscuit croutons. A little extra spice comes from this salad via garlic and paprika.

Yes, you read that correctly. This salad presents guests with croutons made from the Art Smith biscuits. Guests sometimes take a crouton of their salad covering it in the dressing and just enjoy. Speaking of the icebox dressing, this adds a pleasant lemon flavor.  This light dressing nicely enhances the flavor of the chicken and other toppings.

When the salad arrives at your table, the aroma indicates you made a good choice by dining here. The produce on all menu items here tastes fresh. A good reason for that involves the 100-mile rule here. All produce, of any type, must come from inside a 100-mile radius for enhanced freshness. As always, better ingredients make better meals. Sometimes the key to being a good chef comes down to your ingredients. The chefs at Homecomin’ start with an ingredient advantage.

Related to that, the chicken served here avoids being frozen. In addition, the chicken sits in brine for over twenty-four hours. This brine creates a more flavorful and tender piece of chicken. In my opinion, the chicken combined with some dressing and the pecan-smoked bacon extend a masterful flavor combination.  Your taste buds might prefer a different combination of flavors. Still, whatever mixture on this salad you lean towards, the freshness will shine.

Yes, I made an easy joke about calorie count at Homecomin’. However, if you want a taste of Art Smith’s special chicken without as much dietary guilt, this salad calls to you. Sure, you might be jealous of people ordering fried chicken and donuts here. However, Walt Disney World guests should pace themselves when it comes to meals. You want to survive to fully enjoy another great meal followed by another one. This salad will help. However, this salad works as one of many reasons that reservations can be tough to get at Homecomin’. MouseDining offers a variety of services to help you get those tough to find reservations.  Feel free if this salad, or any other menu item at Homecomin’ beckons you. A place where reservations are tough to get generally indicates quality food. MouseDining can help with that quality food acquisition.

If you choose to celebrate National Fried Chicken Day this year, Art Smith’s Homecoming should get strong consideration. As always, eat like you mean it!

Many people turn up their nose when you start talking about dining within a theme park. They begin to describe some of the worst overpriced dining experiences ever heard by mankind. Of course, I have suffered through some awful theme park meals in Orlando area and at regional parks in the USA myself. Hopefully, you are reading this blog because you want to avoid the sinking feeling of wasting money on below average dining. When visiting Walt Disney World, below average dining can be found. However, some high-quality dining may also be found.

However, what if you just want a quality burger? Can those be located within the Walt Disney World theme parks? I suggest far better ones may be located on property but outside the theme parks. Yet, you can find a few decent burgers within the theme parks. For good reason, the counter service burgers inside Walt Disney World theme parks deserve ridicule. Though Disney dresses then up with some decent toppings the actual hamburgers fall flat in most cases.

So, what about the table service options within the Walt Disney World theme parks? Your options improve but in double-checking my facts, I noticed something interesting. To get a quality burger inside the theme parks, you will need to plan on spending $22 or so. Since the Lobster Thermidor Burger at Grand Floridian Café costs $25, you can see why taking a lunch break outside the parks looks appealing. Still, most visitors chose not to leave the theme parks for breaks.

What are my suggestions for a good burger within the parks? I will propose one for each Walt Disney World theme park.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Magic Kingdom- The Main Street Burger at The Plaza Restaurant

This burger functions as one of the very few table service burger options at Magic Kingdom. Once again, Magic Kingdom continues to be the worst park in Orlando area to be hungry. The Main Street Burger costs $22 with fries. This 7oz beef patty comes topped with cheddar cheese, house-made bacon, lettuce, tomato, sunny-side up egg, and a beer-battered onion ring. As you can read, a significant amount of flavor resides within this burger. Then, roasted poblano-mayonnaise adds more flavor. All of this exists within a flour-dusted kaiser bun.  Make sure you ask for extra napkins. However, if you enjoy a burger with an egg on top, this burger provides decent flavor. However, of the four selections on this list, this burger ranks lowest—sorry Magic Kingdom.

Epcot- Welsh Pub Burger at Rose and Crown

This burger also costs $22. The menu description reads angus beef patty with beer cheese sauce, bacon and beer-battered leeks served with a side of Branston mayonnaise. If you enjoy pub-style burgers this one should be considered. The beef quality rates high. The leeks function as the best aspect of the toppings. The combination of saltiness, tangy mayonnaise, and a well-prepared burger offers guests a solid table service burger.

Hollywood Studios- Drive-In Burger at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre Restaurant can be a tricky reservation to obtain.  Also, most people, including myself, visit here for the experience not the food. Still, if you want a burger at Hollywood Studios, this place offers a wide variety. I suggest the Drive-In BBQ Burger. Guests who order the Drive-In BBQ Burger can enjoy a signature blend of beef, some house-made seasonings, a decent brioche bun, slow smoked pork, house-made BBQ sauce, bourbon-bacon jam, and cheddar cheese. Once again, the potential mess factor ranks high with this one. The flavors with this burger offer enjoyable bites all along the way.

Animal Kingdom- Kobe Beef Burger at Yak and Yeti

My strongest table service in-park burger recommendation goes to this burger. Yak and Yeti offers surprisingly high-quality table-service dining. This place can often present a challenge getting a table. However, my top suggestion breaks the trend of $22 table service burgers. These costs $22.99.

The Kobe Beef Burger here features a 10 oz. grilled American Kobe beef burger served with sesame-soy mayonnaise, crispy shoestring fries. You can then top the burger with either shiitake mushrooms, scallion compote, or Asian slaw. I suggest the Asian slaw but all three will do nicely. Yak and Yeti may be known for the quality Asian food and excellent appetizers, but this burger deserves some praise. You get 10 ounces of beef along with the quality toppings.

If you crave a decent burger (or have someone in your group that does), I strongly suggest making a reservation for these places. MouseDining can assist you in your quest to avoid below average dining. Many table service dining options at Walt Disney World fill up their reservation slots rapidly. If you do not have time to sit and refresh the Walt Disney World dining page hoping for a coveted timeslot, MouseDining can do that for you. Feel free to check out the options on the MouseDining homepage.

Finally, good burgers can be found in the parks. However, it takes a bit of planning and effort. Try to avoid the counter service burgers if possible. As always, eat like you mean it!

D-Luxe Burger recently celebrated National Burger Day with a newly refreshed menu. With fan favorites and revitalized classics like the Classic Bacon Cheeseburger, Barbecue Burger and the Pizza Burger, there’s something for every palate.

One of the new additions is the signature 1921 sauce – which actually is a callback to the history of D-Luxe Burger and Disney Springs. As the story goes, the Sinclair family discovered a beautiful natural spring in 1850 – in the area we know today as Disney Springs. The Sinclairs were cattle ranchers and settled along the spring, founding Glowing Oak Ranch. The oldest Sinclair son visited the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 where he tasted a new invention known as the hamburger. Inspired by this innovation, in 1921 (here’s where the signature sauce gets its name), the Sinclairs turned Glowing Oak Ranch into Glowing Oak Restaurant in the growing Town Center area. The thriving business was passed down through generations, and is now the D-Luxe Burger that we know and love today.

Step inside and you’ll notice details and décor that are all a part of the history of D-Luxe Burger. The front part of the restaurant is what was originally the Sinclairs’ cabin. You can find the original, hand-written 1921 sauce recipe hung on a wall, along with postcards from the Sinclairs, posters announcing the grand opening of Glowing Oak Restaurant and more. And if you head to the back dining room, you’ll see the original Glowing Oak Ranch sign. Outside the restaurant, there is a large oak tree. When the Sinclairs first arrived, they held many a campfire under the tree, which inspired the name Glowing Oak Ranch.

Here’s another fun fact: the hamburger buns are made daily at Amorette’s Patisserie! Be sure to stop by D-Luxe Burger next time you’re at Disney Springs.