Hey there, hi there, Kristin! You're as welcome as can be here at planDisney. This Louisiana girl is so excited to chat Disney with a neighbor to the west!
Eeeeek! Before you know it, you'll be arriving at
Walt Disney World Resort, ready to embark on your magical adventure at The Most Magical Place on Earth. How exciting! And since you plan on enjoying
Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park, it sounds like your planning is off to a practically perfect start. An after-hours event at Magic Kingdom, complete with lower attraction wait times, complimentary snacks and extra pixie dust is the BEST, and I'm so happy these events are returning. Now, let's make sure you're fed, full and energized to enjoy your night of magic!
While the Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom Park event runs from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., you can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 7:00 p.m. with your special event ticket. Unfortunately, that means you will not be able to attend a 6:00 p.m. dining reservation inside the park unless you have a theme park ticket for that day. But Hakuna Matata, Kristin! It means "no worries." I consider myself the unofficial expert on dining locations just outside of Magic Kingdom Park, and I'm more than happy to give you some recommendations!
If you want to enjoy dinner near Magic Kingdom before the After Hours event, I recommend making a dining reservation at one of the dining locations at either
Disney's Contemporary Resort or
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, since they are both within walking distance or a short monorail ride away from the park. You really can't go wrong with any of the fabulous restaurants at these Resorts, but for a casual early dinner, I recommend
Steakhouse 71. The Bacon & Eggs appetizer is one of the yummiest things I've ever eaten, and I still daydream about my Filet Mignon. No dining reservation? No problem! I recommend taking the short, scenic boat ride from Magic Kingdom to Disney's Wilderness Lodge to have a delicious, casual outdoor dining experience at
Geyser Point Bar & Grill. The lakeside views are breathtaking, and the Bison Cheeseburger is life-changing. Enjoy! It's magic time!
While this probably wasn't the answer you were hoping for, Kristin, I hope it was helpful! I'm wishing you the most magical and memorable time. Please feel free to stop by any time with any planning questions you may have along the way. You've got a friend in planDisney!
See ya real soon,
Mandy