Hi Jade!
You're going to love Disney dining! There are so many options that picking a few restaurants to try is going to be difficult! Since my young adult daughter often travels to Walt Disney World with friends, I'm quite versed in how to get the best dining options for your money!
Before we jump into restaurant recommendations, one additional factor to consider is the timing of your meals. In general, you'll find that breakfast is more economical than lunch, and lunch is more economical than dinner. This means, if you're creative with your dining times, you can save a bit of money just by smart scheduling. For example, booking the latest lunch you can find may serve as an early dinner. As a bonus, you may even have room for a late dessert or snack if you get a little hungry later!
As for restaurants, I find that I try to always keep a mix of quick-service restaurants and table service restaurants. This helps maximize our dining dollars while also keeping hunger at bay! At Disney's Animal Kingdom, we love to grab our lunch at
Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe. This gives us some great options that are similar to the pricer table service available at
Yak & Yeti Restaurant. Later that day, we may head to Disney Springs for our dinner. I often find that the restaurants at Disney Springs offer better value for our dining dollars. At Disney Springs, our surprise winner for dinner was at
Splitsville Dining Room. I can't get enough of their Asian inspired bowls!
Of course, each of the other theme parks has a number of great restaurants to try too. Here is a mix of quick-service and table service options for you to consider. Browse their menus and see what you think! At Magic Kingdom, check out
Columbia Harbour House and
The Plaza Restaurant. At EPCOT, you can't go wrong by
dining at all of the countries around the World Showcase. Simply graze as you wander through the World! And at Disney's Hollywood Studios, we never miss a chance to grab a sandwich at the
Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater Restaurant. You'll get dinner and a show!
Last, but never least, if you have flexibility in your trip timing, you can't go wrong by choosing to visit Walt Disney World during either the
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival or the
EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival. Both festivals offer amazing Outdoor Kitchens located throughout World Showcase. Dining at these booths is a culinary delight! There are limitless combinations for great meals. You can even split your snacks so you can try more variety!
While you're planning, check out the Disney Parks Blog's
Foodie Guides. I drool over these often!
Have a great time planning, and be sure to let the Disney Parks Moms Panel know if we can help with any other delicious ideas!
Kathie