Hi Kalei, and Welcome to planDisney! Thanks so much for stopping by and asking this great question.
You have my full attention when talking about dining and extra experiences! I'm happy to say there are so many magical possibilities at the
Walt Disney World Resort that don't require stepping foot into the theme parks. I'm excited to share some of my favorites!
For dining options, there are incredible choices at the
Disney Resorts Collection Hotels and
Disney Springs. At
Disney's Contemporary Resort,
California Grill offers pixie-dusted views of
Magic Kingdom Park and you can see
Disney Enchantment, the nighttime fireworks show. Another restaurant at Disney's Contemporary Resort is
Steakhouse 71 and this is one of the newest restaurants at Walt Disney World. At this dining location, you can choose from a menu full of Walt's favorites, but be sure to save room for the 15-layer signature chocolate cake!
My favorite dining spot at Disney Springs is
The BOATHOUSE! This beautiful location offers a great menu with amazing views. I highly recommend making an
advanced dining reservation for around sunset. I also really love dining at
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' and brunch is my favorite meal at this Southern favorite. You can make advanced dining reservations up to 60 days before your arrival.
I love choosing magical experiences from the
Enchanting Extras Collection to plus up our vacation! There are many that do not require a theme park ticket. I highly recommend
Sangria University at
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. I mean who wouldn't love a class where your homework is to drink sangria?! This was so fun and such a great value! Another one of my all-time favorite memories at Walt Disney World is when our family reserved a
Specialty Cruise to see
Harmonious at
EPCOT. I can't say enough how amazing this Enchanting Extra was. It was so relaxing to have a private cruise around Crescent Lake and then have unbelievable upfront views of the fireworks. One of my other favorite extra experiences is
reserving a cabana at the resort hotel for our pool day.
I hope this information helps with your planning. There's so much to do at The Most Magical Place on Earth! If you have more questions, please visit us again at
planDisney. We would love to help!
Happy Planning!
Smiles,
Lisa