If you’re looking for a luxurious, elevated dining experience inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Tiffins is hard to beat. This high-end table service restaurant has long been one of my favorites for special occasions. It’s a serene escape from the chaos of the parks, filled with gorgeous art, adventurous cuisine, and a calm, elegant atmosphere that feels worlds away from typical theme park dining.
Tiffins, Photo: Brooke Hudson
But on our most recent visit in May 2025, while the food absolutely lived up to its reputation… the service fell surprisingly flat.
Setting the Stage: Why Tiffins?
Tiffins is nestled on Discovery Island near the bridge to Pandora—The World of Avatar. The restaurant celebrates world travel and exploration, and the theming is spectacular. From African and Asian artifacts to gallery-style displays of Imagineering sketches and photographs, it’s a feast for the eyes before you ever see a plate.
Tiffins, Photo: Brooke Hudson
My mom and I decided to return to Tiffins for dinner during our Animal Kingdom evening, taking advantage of extended evening hours for deluxe resort guests. We hadn’t dined there in several trips—largely due to the price—but I managed to snag a last-minute reservation after canceling a previous booking at Jiko.
Tiffins, Photo: Brooke Hudson
(One tip: Because Tiffins is on the pricier side, it’s often easier to get a reservation here than at other popular spots. If you’re looking for a high-quality, sit-down meal inside Animal Kingdom, it’s a great option to check on short notice.)
The Food: Still Outstanding
Let’s start with the highlight: the food was excellent. Truly. Every bite of our meal was beautifully presented and expertly prepared. I had a hard time choosing between two entrées (always a good sign), and my mom and I both enjoyed our appetizers, drinks, and mains.
Photo: Brooke Hudson
My mom had a glass of wine, and I had a specialty cocktail, Lamu Libation (STARR African Rum, Banana Liqueur, Guava Purée with Orange, Lime, and Pineapple Juices topped with Goslings 151 Rum Float). Either way, the drinks were great, the flavors were bold and interesting, and everything was served hot and fresh. On this visit, we elected to share an appetizer, and we chose the Pineapple Glazed Pork Belly. This was so good and very rich. It practically melted in our mouths! For the entrees, Mom chose the Pan-Roasted Fish Filet while I chose the Oaxacan Pork Duo. Both entrees were excellent.
Tiffins, Photo: Brooke Hudson
Tiffins, Photo: Brooke Hudson
The menu has changed a bit since our last visit—there are fewer entrées than there used to be; however, there was still a good variety of options available. One item my mom really missed was the forbidden rice she’d had on a previous trip. It had absolutely blown her away, and she was disappointed to see it gone.
Tiffins Menu
Tiffins Menu
Still, the available options were well-curated and reflected the same international flair and culinary creativity Tiffins is known for.
The Service: Not What We Expected
Here’s where things went sideways: the service didn’t match the setting.
Now to be fair—our server wasn’t bad. He wasn’t rude or unpleasant. He took our order and brought our food efficiently. But he was clearly uninterested in engaging with us. There was no warmth, no conversation, and no effort to make the evening feel special—even though he noted my mom’s birthday when we first sat down.
Tiffins, Photo: Brooke Hudson
In past visits, we’ve been blown away by the staff here. On multiple occasions, servers have gone above and beyond to create a magical, celebratory experience—sometimes bringing a complimentary dessert, offering recommendations, or just chatting kindly throughout the meal. That’s part of what always made the high price tag feel worth it.
This time? Nothing. And that contrast stood out sharply.
At a casual spot, I’d shrug it off. But at a signature dining location where the entrees start around $40, I expect more than basic, functional service. And after years of excellent experiences, this felt like a letdown.
The Bottom Line
Tiffins remains one of the best culinary experiences in any Disney park. The food is consistently top-notch, the setting is gorgeous, and the location is ideal for a mid-day or evening break at Animal Kingdom—especially if you’re staying deluxe and eligible for extended evening hours.
That said, our most recent visit reminded me that service matters just as much as food—especially when you’re splurging.
Would I recommend Tiffins? Absolutely—especially for foodies, special occasions, or anyone looking to escape the crowds and heat for an hour or two. But I’d go in with slightly more tempered expectations around the service, just in case.
Quick Facts: Tiffins Restaurant
Location: Discovery Island, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Cuisine: International/Global fusion
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Reservations: Strongly recommended
Pricing: Signature Dining ($39–$69+ per entrée)
Discounts: Yes—Annual Passholder 10%
Dining Plan: Accepted, 2 dining credits per entree
Atmosphere: Upscale, quiet, immersive
Ready to plan your next Magical Adventure? Email me today for a no-obligation quote!
If you’ve been dreaming of a magical Disney World vacation with your little ones, 2026 just might be your year. Disney just announced a brand-new offer that has me (and my fellow Disney planning fans) doing a happy dance around Cinderella Castle!
Starting April 22, 2025, you can officially book your 2026 Walt Disney World vacation — and there’s a seriously sweet deal on the table:
🎈 Kids ages 3–9 get the Disney Dining Plan FREE when staying at a Disney Resort hotel — as long as the adults in the party purchase a dining plan as part of their vacation package.
Yes, you read that right. FREE dining for the kiddos for all of 2026. 🍕🍓🥪🧃👑
Let’s break it down and talk about why this could be a big win for your family—and why now is a perfect time to plan ahead.
Free Dining CAN save families a lot of money, depending on the rules Disney sets around each specific Free Dining offer. And most of us, when we hear FREE anything in relation to Disney, we get excited! A Walt Disney World vacation is an expensive vacation, there is no getting around that. And any offer that can potentially save you money is OF COURSE something we want to look at.
But it is important to remember that Free Dining is not always the best deal for every family. Let’s take a look at what this particular offer, 2026 Kids Eat Free with the Disney Dining Plan, really means.
🏰 Why This Free Dining Plan Offer MIGHT be a Game-Changer for Families
As a Disney travel planner who’s helped lots of families make their Disney dreams come true, I can tell you this: dining costs add up fast, especially with little ones who want their Mickey waffles and then some!
With this 2026 offer:
Kids (ages 3–9) get a full Disney dining plan for free
To take advantage of this offer, each adult will need to purchase a dining plan with their vacation package
Pro: You’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing meals and snacks have been “prepaid” with your vacation package
You can make advance dining reservations, use Mobile Order, and skip the stress of budgeting food during your trip
Whether your kids love character breakfasts, classic burgers, or Disney’s famous chicken tenders, they’ll be covered — and that means you could potentially save hundreds of dollars over the course of your stay.
Things to consider:
Photo: Disney Parks
How your children like to eat. If your children are good “eaters” and like to eat a normal children’s portion at most meals, you definitely would have to budget for their meals as part of your vacation budgeting. However, if your kid(s) are extremely light eaters, or mainly eat off of mom and dad’s plates, you may not need to budget as much for their meals.
How many children under 9 you have. Another important factor to consider when evaluating this particular FREE Dining offer: how many members of your family actually qualify? For example, if you are a family of five, with 2 adults and 3 children, you could potentially get free dining for all three children. As long as all three children are under the age of 10. But if that same family of five is 2 adults and three kids, but the kids are aged 6, 10 and 12–you’d be buying the regular dining plan for 4 family members and getting a FREE dining plan for 1 family member. As you can see, the ages of your children will have a significant impact on how much you could potentially save with this offer. AND, how much you might have to spend to GET that offer.
How YOU like to eat on vacation: Just as important as your children’s eating habits are YOUR habits. Are you a light eater? Do you have a big appetite? Do you and your spouse often split entrees? Conversely, do you each always order a different entree so you can try new things and share them? Are you a vegetarian? Do you eat at least 2 meals every day? All of these questions can have an impact on whether the Dining Plan is a good fit for your family. Remember, one of the caveats for this newest Free Dining offer is that each adult in the vacation package must purchase a dining plan. So if there are two adults in your family, you will be purchasing the dining plan for EACH of you. Which can be TERRIFIC, don’t get me wrong. But if you often share entrees or skip meals? Maybe not.
Chef Mickey’s Photo: Disney Parks
How you like to budget for your vacations. Do you prefer to know as many costs up front as possible, and fully pay for as much of your trip as you can before you leave home? Or are you more comfortable paying up front for your lodging, travel costs and park tickets, but prefer to bring money with you on vacation to cover meals, snacks and beverages? Some families prefer to prepay for their entire vacation, feeling more relaxed during the trip because they know they already paid for it. Other families prefer to put “during vacation” expenses on credit cards to pay off AFTER vacation. And there are others that bring cash on vacation for food and incidentals, and when the cash runs out, they’re done. Everyone has a slightly different approach to finances for vacations. Whether the dining plan or any FREE dining plan is a good fit for your family depends a lot on how YOU prefer to approach your vacation budget.
Does your family snack? Now, this may SEEM like a silly question–but for some families, this is a REAL sticking point. When you get any of the Dining Plans, every person on the plans (including free dining plans) will get 1 snack credit per day. You can use these on things like Mickey Bars, chips, even bottled water. BUT any unused snack credit goes to waste–and essentially costs you $4-$6. If your family snacks, you will likely have no trouble using all your snack credits. But if your family DOESN’T snack, you may be paying for something you won’t use.
Photo: Disney Parks
Do you qualify for any other kinds of discounts at Disney World for your 2026 vacation? Sometimes, there are deeper discounts available for members of the military, Florida residents or annual passholders.
FREE Dining isn’t REALLY free. We all know that in today’s world, nothing is ever really free. You are paying for the “free” thing somewhere else. In the case of Disney Free Dining, how much Kids Free Dining in 2026 will benefit you really depends on what other discounts you may qualify for, and whether or not the Dining Plan is a good fit for your family.
If you’d like to talk through any of these questions, feel free to reach out to me. I can explore all available discounts for your vacation, and help you to determine if Free Dining For Kids in 2026 is truly a great deal for YOU.
Bonus: When you work with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner like me, we monitor future discounts as they become available. If Disney releases a new discount that could save you money before your final payment is made, your planner can update your vacation package to apply that discount!
🌟 More Perks of Staying at a Disney Resort in 2026
This free dining plan for kids is amazing on its own, but it’s only one part of the magic you get when you stay at a Disney Resort hotel in 2026. Check out these other included perks:
🚍 Free Transportation Hop on the Skyliner, monorail, boats, or buses to get to the parks with ease (no car seats required!).
🅿️ Free Parking At your resort, the theme parks, and even the water parks.
🎢 Early Theme Park Entry Disney Resort guests can enter every park 30 minutes early every day. That means lower crowds and shorter lines — yes, please!
🌙 Extended Evening Hours If you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort, you’ll get access to extra evening time in select parks on select days.
🍽️ Early Access to Dining & Lightning Lane Reservations You’ll be first in line to book your must-do meals and experiences like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or Oga’s Cantina.
🏖️ NEW! Free Water Park Admission Starting in 2025, Resort guests can enjoy complimentary access to a Disney water park on their check-in day. Talk about a splashy start to your vacation!
Photo: Disney Parks
🎈 Resort-Only Fun From poolside games and movies under the stars to surprise character visits, Disney resorts are full of magic even when you’re not in the parks.
📅 When Can I Book My 2026 Vacation?
Mark your calendar! Vacation packages for travel dates through October 2026 go live on April 22, 2025. (November and December 2026 dates will open up a little later.)
Already itching to go sooner? I can help you explore current special offers for 2025 too — including discounted room rates and limited-time ticket deals.
Photo: Disney Parks
🧚♀️ Ready to Plan a Magical Trip Where Your Kids Dine for Free?
I’d love to help you book the perfect Disney World vacation for 2026 — with all the perks, none of the stress. We’ll choose the right resort, dining plan, and park tickets for your family, and I’ll make sure you don’t miss a thing. We’ll evaluate your unique family situation and how you like to travel, dine and budget. We’ll review the available promotions and determine if Free Dining for Kids in 2026 is the best deal for YOUR family, or if there is another offer that would be better for you.
✨ Let’s make some magical memories — and save some pixie dust dollars while we’re at it.
Ready to plan your next Magical Adventure? Email me today for a no-obligation quote!
Disney World SUMMER SAVINGS ALERT! Disney Just Dropped AMAZING New Deals for Summer 2025!
If you are thinking about visiting Disney World this summer, I have some absolutely FANTASTIC news that has me doing happy dances around my living room! Disney World just released their Summer 2025 special offers, and wow, are there some incredible savings to be had!
I literally dropped everything to bring you this breaking news because these deals are TOO GOOD to wait! Let’s break down all the magical ways you can save on your summer Disney adventure!
FREE DINING IS BACK!
Yes, you read that correctly! The most beloved Disney deal of all time has returned in all its glory! When you book a 4-night, 4-day Disney World package with a room at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels and theme park tickets with Park Hopper, you’ll get a FREE dining plan!
Image: Disney Parks
This offer is available for arrivals on most nights during these date ranges:
June 29 to September 30, 2025
October 20 to November 1, 2025
December 6 to December 22, 2025
If you’ve never experienced the joy of free dining, let me tell you – there’s something extraordinarily liberating about ordering whatever your heart desires without thinking about the price! Mickey waffles for breakfast? Yes! Signature dining experience? Absolutely!
Chef Mickey’s Photo: Disney Parks
A couple of notes: Notice that Park Hopper tickets are required to get Free Dining this time around. Park Hopper tickets are significantly pricier than one park per day tickets, so that may impact how much value you could get from this particular package. While so many of us LOVE Free Dining, it’s not ALWAYS the best deal. I am happy to help you figure out if this is the RIGHT deal for you. Also, you can check out this previous post for more details on things to consider when evaluating whether Free Dining is a good fit for you.
HALF-PRICE TICKETS FOR KIDS!
Traveling with little ones? Here’s a deal that will make your wallet very happy! Children ages 3 to 9 can get 3-day or longer standard theme park tickets for 50% OFF! This special pricing applies to tickets with start dates from May 27 through September 20, 2025.
Photo: Disney Parks
With all the new kid-focused experiences coming this summer (have you heard about the new kid zones and character interactions?), this deal couldn’t have come at a better time!
BUDGET-FRIENDLY 3-DAY, 3-PARK SPECIAL TICKET 🎫
If you’re looking to maximize fun while minimizing costs, check out this specially priced ticket option! For just $89 per day (total starting at $267 plus tax), you can get a 3-Day, 3-Park Ticket valid for admission to:
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
EPCOT
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
This is PERFECT for first-time visitors who want to experience a variety of parks without the premium price of Magic Kingdom admission. And trust me, these three parks alone have enough amazement to fill several days of adventure–just make sure that you understand that if you want to visit Magic Kingdom, you will need to purchase an additional park ticket for Magic Kingdom separately. (Currently, pricing for a one day ticket to Magic Kingdom ranges from $139 – $164 for most of the days this summer.)
Photo: Brooke Hudson
SAVE UP TO 30% ON RESORT ROOMS
Planning a longer Disney getaway? You’ll be rewarded with bigger savings! Stay 5 consecutive nights or longer at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels between August 1 and October 11, 2025, and you can save up to 30% off room rates!
Even if you can’t stay quite that long, Disney is still offering savings for shorter stays during the same period. This is a fantastic way to experience the immersive storytelling that makes staying on Disney property so special!
Disney’s Contemporary Resort Photo: Disney Parks
Let me help you figure out the best offer for your vacation! Drop me an email today.
FLORIDA RESIDENTS: EVEN BIGGER SAVINGS! 🌴
My Florida friends, Disney hasn’t forgotten about you! Florida residents can save up to 35% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when staying 4 consecutive nights or longer between August 1 and October 11, 2025.
And yes, there are savings for shorter stays too! Just remember that your credit card or payment method must have a Florida billing address to qualify. (Disney is really tightening up the rules on Florida resident discounts!)
Photo: Disney Parks
Annual Passholders, there’s a similar offer available for you as well! Email me today with the dates you want to travel, and I’ll provide a no obligation quote for you.
Insider Tips for Maximizing These Deals:
Book ASAP! These offers have limited availability, especially for the most popular resorts and dates.
Be flexible with dates if possible. Try different arrival dates to find the best availability.
Consider value season travel. Late August and September typically have lower crowds and better availability for deals.
Don’t forget about Early Theme Park Entry! As a Disney Resort guest, you’ll get into the parks 30 minutes early every day – a HUGE advantage and in my opinion, adds a lot of value to your vacation. Of course, that does require you be willing to get up and get to the parks early! It’s less of an advantage if you’d rather sleep in on vacation!
Use the savings to splurge on special experiences. Maybe a dessert party with fireworks viewing? Or that character meal you’ve been eyeing?
Topolino Terrace Character Breakfast Photo: Linda Harkness
Disney Summer Savings 2025
Which of these amazing deals has you reaching for your credit card? I’m definitely tempted. Mom and I are going down in May for the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, but some of these deals are really selling me on a quick mid-summer trip! (Especially with Universal’s new Epic Universe park opening at the end of May. Disney for 3-4 days and a quick hop over to Epic Universe…sounds like it could be a plan.)
Let me know in the comments which offer you are most tempted by. And of course, if you have any questions about any of these deals, I’m always happy to help plan your perfect vacation!
There’s nothing I love more than helping plan a magical vacation. Email me today for a free, no obligation quote.
P.S. If you’re planning a summer Disney trip, be sure to check out my recent post about all the SPECTACULAR kid-focused activities coming to Walt Disney World this summer!
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is a Toy Story themed table service restaurant that opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in March 2023. We originally visited Roundup Rodeo BBQ in May 2023, not long after it opened. Despite originally vowing to never eat at Roundup Rodeo BBQ again, we found ourselves revisiting Roundup Rodeo BBQ a few weeks ago. Our experience this time was substantially different and I felt deserved an updated review.
We left Roundup Rodeo BBQ pretty disappointed after our initial visit in May 2023. While we loved the theming, we were really disappointed with the food during that visit. That original review can be found Here.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Photo: Disney Parks
When it came time to plan our big family trip for October 2024, we kept coming back to Roundup Rodeo BBQ. The theming was SO good and we knew that several family members would be excited to dine in Toy Story Land. We also had heard that Disney had made some changes to the menu based on guest feedback. While that doesn’t always mean good things when it comes to Disney, in this case, we felt things HAD to improve—we didn’t honestly think they could have gotten worse. With cautious trepidation, we made an Advanced Dining Reservation for dinner on our Hollywood Studios day. There were 10 people in our group the evening we had dinner at Roundup Rodeo BBQ.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ: Excellent Theming
The one thing that remained consistent between our first visit and our most recent visit was the theming of the restaurant. This restaurant is themed VERY well to Toy Story, and includes characters and storylines from all four movies throughout the restaurant. It’s very colorful and cheerful. This is a very family friendly restaurant—so the noise levels are high. Do not expect a calm or relaxing atmosphere at Roundup Rodeo BBQ. This is a high energy, fun experience—aimed at providing Toy Story fans (especially young fans) an immersive and memorable meal.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Photo: Brooke Hudson
The cast members are all outfitted in cartoon western wear, very fitting with the Toy Story Rodeo theming. One thing my mom pointed out—she felt the cast member seating us and our server did a better job this visit with bringing everyone into the Toy Story atmosphere, and in telling diners what to expect. She’s not a Toy Story fan, and felt lost during our first visit—not understanding some of what was going on. This time, the cast members explained that Andy or Sid might come into the backyard, and because we are all honorary toys, we have to freeze whenever that happens. This helped Mom feel more involved, even though she hadn’t seen the movies.
The audio playing throughout the meal seemed clearer and more understandable this visit as well. We also noticed some really fun action that played out around the restaurant involving different cast members acting as certain Toy Story characters. It was fun and the activity and audio cues were frequent enough to keep younger kids from getting bored, but not so often as to make you feel anxious or overwhelmed. (Everyone’s barometer for overstimulation is different however; your mileage may vary on this).
Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Interior Photo: Disney Parks
Roundup Rodeo BBQ: Pricing
One of the advantages that Roundup Rodeo BBQ has had from the start is that it is a relatively fairly priced meal for Walt Disney World. The menu is served family style, and is all-you-care-to-eat. The meal includes a beverage (fountain drinks, iced tea or milk), several different meats, multiple sides and dessert. When Roundup Rodeo BBQ first opened, the price for adults (age 10+) was $45 per person, and the price for children (ages 3-9) was $25. These prices have increased slightly. The current prices for adults is $49 per person and for children is $27. This is the same whether you go for lunch or dinner–so make that reservation whenever you can get it. There’s no price disadvantage to the dinner hour, and no price advantage to the lunchtime shift.
The majority of our family really took the “all you care to eat” to heart. I think most of us really got our money’s worth here. We made sure to go in hungry—and the improvements in the menu were definitely appreciated by pretty much the whole family. One of the single BEST improvements to the menu doesn’t show on the online menu–it only appears on the printed menu you get at the restaurant: you can get salmon upon request with your proteins. And the salmon was SO GOOD!! It really elevated the meal for us. Somehow, I didn’t manage to get a picture of any of the VERY fabulous salmon. But I did capture my other favorite item on the menu–and this is an original menu item– the biscuits with the sweet pepper jam. Oh my goodness. I wouldn’t be surprised if a black market sprung up somewhere just for these!! Really yummy!
The desserts were also beloved universally at our table–and between the 10 of us, we tried ALL of them.
Let me be clear: $49 is a lot of money for lunch or dinner—especially for a 10 year old person. However, this is a meal inside one of the most popular theme parks in the world. For theme park dining at a table service restaurant, $49 is one of the lower priced options you’ll find. And while this is not a character meal, it is very well themed. And there actually is quite a lot of entertainment happening. Overall, now that the quality of the food has improved (in my opinion), I think this is a very reasonably priced table service meal at Disney. I definitely recommend going in hungry if you can!
The Bottom Line — Roundup Rodeo BBQ Revisited
Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant Roundup Rodeo BBQ Photo: Disney Parks
I would definitely recommend Roundup Rodeo BBQ for a fun family dining experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. My recommendation does come with a few caveats, however. If your kids are SUPER picky eaters–make sure you look at the menu before making your reservation. $49 is a lot of money if the only thing your kid will eat is mac and cheese.
Be aware, this is a LOUD, boisterous and fun dining experience. If you have Toy Story fans in your group, they are likely to love it–but if you have kids with sensory issues or that get overwhelmed when there is a lot going on–this may not be the right dining experience for your family.
However, we found it to be fun and entertaining. The service was great, the food was really good, and our family REALLY enjoyed the all-you-can-eat aspect. I’d like to also personally recommend the Rattler Rum Punch for those that like a little alcohol with their boisterous family dining experiences. It was really tasty and had a nice little kick to it!
Roundup Rodeo Beverages Photo: Disney Parks
I think Roundup Rodeo BBQ fills a need that it was supposed to fill: good, fun, entertaining themed dining in Toy Story Land. Good food that appeals to most (especially with the changes they’ve made over the last year) at a reasonable for theme park dining price.
I suggest you check it out on your next Disney vacation–especially if you’re a Toy Story fan or have Toy Story fans in your traveling crew.
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
Walt Disney World has decided to start 2024 off with a BANG! They are offering FREE DINING to Disney+ subscribers! This is the first time Disney has offered Free Dining since before the pandemic closure in 2020. In fact, the Disney Dining Plan in its entirety has been missing since then as well. We already had the good news that the Disney Dining Plan was back for 2024, and can be booked with your Disney vacation for trips starting January 9, 2024. But Free Dining? I wasn’t sure we’d ever get Free Dining offers again, given all the price increases and other changes since Walt Disney World reopened after the pandemic. But at long last, Free Dining is BACK! (at least, for Disney+ subscribers!).
Photo: Disney Parks
What is the Disney Dining Plan?
Let’s start here. Because it’s been years since the Disney Dining Plan was offered, many of you may not be familiar with the Disney Dining Plan. Basically, the Disney Dining Plan offers a way for resort guests to prepay for most of their meals during their trip as they pay for the rest of their vacation. Since your vacation balance is paid in full by the time you go on vacation, if you include the Disney Dining Plan, you’ve also already paid for most of your meals by the time you go as well. A lot of people like the security of knowing their meals are already paid for and they find it easier to control their spending during their vacation. After your resort and your park tickets, meals are easily the most expensive part of your Disney vacation. There are ways to save money on food on your Disney vacation, but that’s a topic for a different blog!
Photo: Disney Parks
Is there only one Disney Dining Plan?
There are actually two different Disney Dining Plans. Both Disney Dining Plans are linked to your resort reservation. Whichever Disney Dining Plan you purchase, you are buying it for each person on your reservation staying in your room, and for the number of nights on your reservation. For example, if you are staying at Art of Animation for 4 nights, and you have two adults and two children ages 3-9 in your room, you would be purchasing 2 adult 4 night Dining Plans and 2 child 4 night Disney Dining Plans.
The Standard Disney Dining Plan includes:
One quick service meal per night
One table service meal per night
One snack or non-alcoholic beverage per night
A refillable resort mug
Important things to know about the Standard Disney Dining Plan:
Beverages are included with each meal
Guests under 21 years of age may order non-alcoholic beverages; guests 21 years old or older may substitute beer, wine or cocktails
Children ages 3-9 must order from the children’s menu where available
Plans must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up).
Meal credits expire at midnight on the day you checkout of your resort
Meals are non-transferable between members of your party
Resort refillable mugs are fillable at any self service beverage station at any of the Disney Resort Quick Service locations
Resort refillable mugs cannot be refilled at beverage stations inside any of the theme parks
Photo: Disney Parks
What’s Included in Each Meal?
Quick Service Meal: Quick Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Quick Service meal location. One Quick Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
Table Service Meal: Table Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Table Service meal location.
At breakfast, one Table Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
OR
One Full Buffet (prix-fixe) or Family-Style Meal (prix-fixe)
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
At lunch or dinner, one Table Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One dessert
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
OR
One Full Buffet (if available) or Family-Style Meal
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
Photo: Disney Parks
What Beverages are Included?
Alcoholic Beverages: Guests 21 or older may choose either one non-alcoholic beverage or one single serving mixed cocktail, beer or wine (where offered) as part of your meal.
A single serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Beer or Cider
Sangria or Wine
Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
Non-alcoholic Beverages: Guests 10 or older may choose a non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) as part of their meal.
A single serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Milkshakes
Fresh Smoothies
Premium Hot Chocolate
Soda, Coffee or Tea
Left to right, non-alcoholic drinks: Carbon Freeze, Oga’s Obsession provision and Cliff Dweller can be found at Oga’s Cantina. (Photo: Kent Phillips/Disney Parks)
What Counts as a “Snack”?
At most outdoor carts, Quick Service meal locations and select merchandise locations, snacks may include items like:
Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
Popcorn scoop (single-serving box)
Piece of whole fruit
Single-serve bag of snacks
20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola® products, including Dasani® water
20-ounce fountain soft drink
Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk or juice
Cup of soup
Add on toppings or sauces (e.g. side of cheese dipping sauce)
Photo: Brooke Hudson
What’s NOT Included?
Items served in a souvenir container (like popcorn or drinks)
Products that are larger than a single serving (for example, a box of donuts or a jar of peanut butter
Items that are considered merchandise (like bottle straps, glow cubes or bottle toppers)
Special dining events offered at some Table Service restaurants
More Magical Ways to use Table Service Meal Credits:
Character Meals: Table Service meal credits CAN be used for Character Dining. Character meals are usually buffet or family style meals and offer opportunities for your family to take photos and/or get autographs from various characters. Note: Disney PhotoPass photographers do NOT go around with the characters at Character meals, so plan on using your own camera or phone for all photo ops.
Chef Mickey’s Character Breakfast Photo: Brooke Hudson
SOME Character Meals require TWO Table Service meals credits per diner, per meal. These include:
Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Castle
Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (at lunch and dinner only require two credits; breakfast is one credit)
Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White
Fine/Signature Dining: Some of Walt Disney World restaurants offer more of a “fine dining” experience or are higher end than your average Table Service restaurant. Each meal at one of these restaurants will require TWO Table Service credits per diner, per meal. Each meal will include:
One entrée
One dessert
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
Fine dining/Signature dining restaurants do have a dress code. Guests are expected to dress in attire that reflects the restaurant’s upscale and sophisticated aesthetic. No swimwear is allowed.
Photo: Disney Parks
Many restaurants are considered “Signature”. Be sure to check before making your reservations so you are not surprised by the two meal credit requirements.
Here are just a few examples of Signature Dining Restaurants at Walt Disney World:
California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Tiffin’s at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Flying Fish on Disney’s Boardwalk
The BOATHOUSE at Disney Springs
Jiko at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Dinner at Be Our Guest Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom: Dining at Be Our Guest requires two Table Service meal credits for each meal.
Be Our Guest: The Beast Does a Walk Through (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Dinner Shows: Your party can enjoy family style meals along with live entertainment at a dinner show. Advanced reservations are required for any dinner show. Two Table Service meal credits will be redeemed for each person dining at a dinner show.
Pizza Pickup: You can stop by select Quick Service restaurants and pick up a “Pizza Meal”. Each Pizza Meal will use two Quick Service meal credits. A Pizza Meal includes:
1 large pizza
2 single serving non-alcoholic beverages (or alcoholic beverages, where available, for guests 21 or older)
Pizza Meals are available at the following Disney World Resorts:
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
What Does the Standard Disney Dining Plan Cost?
The Standard Disney Dining Plan is $94.28 per adult, per day. For children ages 3 -9, the Standard Disney Dining Plan is $29.69 per day.
Note: Prices for the Standard Disney Dining Plan are subject to change at any time, as are the participating restaurants and Disney Dining Plan rules. Once you’ve purchased, you’re locked in, but until then–anything can happen.
Dessert at California Grill Photo: Brooke Hudson
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan includes:
Two quick service meals per night
One snack or non-alcoholic beverage per night
One refillable resort mug
Important things to know about the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan:
Beverages are included with each meal
Guests under 21 years of age may order non-alcoholic beverages; guests 21 years old or older may substitute beer, wine or cocktails
Children ages 3-9 must order from the children’s menu where available
Plans must be purchased for the entire length of stay and for the entire party (ages 3 and up).
Meal credits expire at midnight on the day you checkout of your resort
Meals are non-transferable between members of your party
Resort refillable mugs are fillable at any self service beverage station at any of the Disney Resort Quick Service locations
Resort refillable mugs cannot be refilled at beverage stations inside any of the theme parks
Photo: Disney Parks
What’s Included in Each Meal?
Quick Service Meal: Quick Service meal credits can be redeemed for breakfast, lunch or dinner at any Quick Service meal location. One Quick Service meal credit will entitle you to:
One entrée
One non-alcoholic beverage (or alcoholic beverage, for guests 21 or older)
What Beverages are Included?
Alcoholic Beverages: Guests 21 or older may choose either one non-alcoholic beverage or one single serving mixed cocktail, beer or wine (where offered) as part of your meal.
A single serving alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Beer or Cider
Sangria or Wine
Mixed Drinks and Specialty Cocktails
Photo: Brooke Hudson
Non-alcoholic Beverages: Guests 10 or older may choose a non-alcoholic beverage (including specialty beverages where offered) as part of their meal.
A single serving non-alcoholic beverage includes items such as:
Milkshakes
Fresh Smoothies
Premium Hot Chocolate
Soda, Coffee or Tea
Photo: Disney Parks
What Counts as a “Snack”?
At most outdoor carts, Quick Service meal locations and select merchandise locations, snacks may include items like:
Frozen ice cream novelty, popsicle or fruit bar
2 scoops of hand-scooped ice cream
Popcorn scoop (single-serving box)
Piece of whole fruit
Single-serve bag of snacks
20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola® products, including Dasani® water
20-ounce fountain soft drink
Single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, hot tea, milk or juice
Cup of soup
Add on toppings or sauces (e.g. side of cheese dipping sauce)
What’s NOT Included?
Items served in a souvenir container (like popcorn or drinks)
Products that are larger than a single serving (for example, a box of donuts or a jar of peanut butter
Items that are considered merchandise (like bottle straps, glow cubes or bottle toppers)
What Does the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan Cost?
The Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is $57.01 per adult, per day. For children ages 3 -9, the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan is $23.83 per day.
Note: Prices for the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan are subject to change at any time, as are the participating restaurants and Disney Dining Plan rules. Once you’ve purchased, you’re locked in, but until then–anything can happen.
Photo: Disney Parks
Do the Disney Dining Plan credits come day by day?
Something to be aware of: all your Disney Dining Plan credits are available to you once you check in. You don’t have to use them each day if you don’t want to. Theoretically, if you like to eat table service meals for breakfast AND dinner, you could use all four table service meal credits in your first two days. Certain table service restaurants are considered “Signature” restaurants, and each meal there uses TWO table service meal credits. I have had clients that purchased 4 day Disney Dining Plans that used all their credits up in the first two days. I have also had clients that purchased 4 day Disney Dining Plans scrambling to use their snack credits up before they left for the airport.
Photo: Disney Parks
Planning and Organization Required
Using the Disney Dining Plan does take some planning. If you are purchasing the Standard Disney Dining Plan, I highly recommend you make reservations for your Table Service meals before your trip. (Note: If you book your trip through me, I take care of this for you). If you don’t make reservations before your trip, you run the risk of not being able to get into the table service restaurants you want to. Having a table service credit on your Disney Dining Plan is NOT a guarantee that you can actually get a table at a table service restaurant of your choice. This is a common misconception and can be very disappointing and frustrating for hungry guests inside a theme park discovering there is no availability at any of the Table Service options at that theme park that night.
Photo: Disney Parks
There is always some table service restaurant somewhere on property where you can get in, but it may not be in the theme park or resort where you want to eat when you want to eat. Planning ahead sets you up for success. You can always make changes during your trip if you want to and if there is availability–but if you don’t make reservations before your trip, you definitely run the risk of not being able to dine where you want to dine.
Use them or lose them!
It is important to keep track of your Disney Dining Plan credits to make sure you don’t waste any or forget to use them. You’ve paid for these credits! The larger your party, the more difficult this can be–especially if you have older kids that you might split off from for meals. If this feels too complicated and you don’t want to have to pay attention or remember to use your credits, then the Disney Dining Plan is NOT for you. But with a little pre-planning, you can maximize the value of your Disney Dining Plan and not lose track of your credits. If you book your trip with me, I’m happy to help you with this.
Photo: Disney Parks
How do you use the Dining Plan?
Using your Disney Dining Plan is super easy. In fact, most Table Service restaurant servers will ask you before you order if you are using the Disney Dining Plan. You’ll just present your Disney Resort ID (Magic Band, Magic Band+, Disney Magic Mobile Pass or Key to the World card) to your server or cashier.
If you are dining with another family or group that is also on the Disney dining plan, you’ll want to make sure your server knows which meals should be redeemed on which Disney Resort ID.
You can redeem your meals and snacks in any order during your stay, until the number of meals and snacks associated with your package has been depleted. All unused meals and snacks and the ability to use your Resort-refillable mug expire at midnight on your package reservation checkout date.
Roundup Rodeo Photo: Brooke Hudson
How to Keep Track of Your Disney Dining Plan Credits
Your Disney Dining Plan is linked electronically to your Resort reservation. You can check your Disney Dining Plan credits in one of three different ways:
Use your My Disney Experience app to view your remaining meals and snacks.
Check your dining receipts. Each receipt will print your remaining meals and snacks as of the time on that receipt.
You can ask at Guest Relations or your Resort Concierge to look up your remaining meals and snacks any time.
What About Gratuities?
Gratuities are NOT included in the cost of your Disney Dining Plan, except for at Cinderella’s Royal Table and dinner shows.
An 18% gratuity will automatically be added to your bill for parties of six or larger.
You will need to provide an additional form of payment if you add a gratuity and haven’t provided a credit card at check in to charge incidentals and other charges to your room.
For guests traveling from outside the United States, a 20% gratuity based on the total pre-tax cost of the meal is standard for Table Service meals. Servers in the United States are generally paid a very small hourly rate and the majority of their income comes from guest paid gratuities. The last time the Disney Dining Plan was offered, Disney would print the cost of the meal on the receipt, along with suggested gratuity amounts to make it easy for the guests. I am assuming they will do something similar this time around.
But What About FREE DINING???
Ok, so now we’ve covered both available Disney Dining Plans, how they work and how much they cost. Periodically, Disney will run different “Free Dining” promotions where guests can get Free Dining by booking a particular type of full price reservation.
La Creperie de Paris Dessert Crepe (Photo: Linda Harkness)
Currently, Disney is offering Free Dining for Disney+ subscribers. There are some important requirements to take advantage of this offer:
Guests much purchase a nondiscounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option
Offer is valid for arrivals most nights between July 1, 2024 and September 30, 2024
Packages purchased for select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels or Select Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels will include the Standard Disney Dining Plan
Packages purchased for select Disney Moderate Resort Hotels or select Disney Value Resort Hotels will include the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan
Offer is available for booking beginning January 3, 2024
Is Free Dining a Good Deal?
Short answer? Sometimes. The key phrase to pay attention to is “NONDISCOUNTED package”. Another important phrase: “Theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option”. Keep in mind that if you are purchasing a four-night package, this means you are also purchasing a four day Park Hopper ticket–which is more expensive than the one park per day theme park ticket.
If you’re an Annual Passholder, this is not a good deal for you. If you are a Florida resident, you most likely can get better Florida resident discounts than the dollar amount associated with the Disney Dining Plan you would get as part of this package. If you’re in the military, you can often get better discounts than Free Dining.
In fact, there are often better discounts available during the same period of time. Generally, if Disney is offering Free Dining in any capacity at all, it usually means they’re not as fully booked up for that time period as they would like to be. That’s why they’re offering Free Dining–to book more rooms and more tickets. It’s important to evaluate any other available discounts to determine if Free Dining is really a good value for your party.
If you are a Disney+ subscriber and you’d like to travel to Disney between July 1 and September 30 and would like to get a quote for this Free Dining offer, please contact me. At the same time, I can check for other available discounts for you. Disney is verifying Disney+ subscriber status and there are a couple of extra hoops to jump through to take advantage of this discount, but if this fits with your travel plans, Free Dining COULD save you money.
Photo: Disney Parks
Bottom Line: Advantages and Disadvantages of the Disney Dining Plans
Advantages
You are able to prepay for the bulk of your meals before your vacation
Eliminates the guesswork of how much you’ll spend on food during your vacation
Reduces the amount of cash or credit you need to have on hand throughout your vacation
Easy to use–as long as you have a credit card attached to your Resort reservation for incidentals and other charges to the room, you will not need to provide a form of payment for any of the meals on your Dining Plan. You’ll just use your Magic Band, Magic Band+, Key to the World card or Magic Mobile to access your Dining Plan credits. Any gratuities can be charged to your room.
The My Disney Experience App shows your available meal credits.
Accepted by most Disney Table Service, Quick Service and mobile cart locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort
Enables members of your traveling party to get meals and snacks without incurring out of pocket costs
Great food can be found at the new Regal Eagle Smokehouse at the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT (Photo: Disney Parks)
DISADVANTAGES
The Standard Dining Plan requires some planning ahead, to ensure you have reservations for Table Service restaurants during your trip.
Can be challenging to make sure all your credits are used if you aren’t paying attention.
May or may not be a good value for your family, depending on how your family chooses to eat while on vacation.
Linked to the length of your Resort reservation. If you are staying for seven nights and want the Disney Dining Plan, you will be buying the Dining plan for all seven nights, for all members of your party staying in that room on that Resort reservation.
Cannot mix the two different plans. You can either buy the Standard Disney Dining Plan OR the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan. You can’t buy the Quick Service Disney Dining Plan for the first five nights of your trip and the Standard Disney Dining Plan for the last two nights of your trip (unless you are changing Resorts and/or have a different Resort reservation for that last two nights.
Requires more spending before your trip–you’ll need to have your entire trip–tickets, Resort AND dining all paid for prior to your trip.
Gratuities are NOT included in your Disney Dining Plan purchase. For Table Service meals, you will need to either charge gratuities to your room, or provide another form of payment.
Questions?
Hopefully, we’ve answered any questions you may have about either of the Disney Dining Plans and about the current Free Dining promotion. However, if you have any questions we haven’t answered, please comment below or email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
Work with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
One of the advantages of working with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner like me is that I can check on all the available discounts, if any, during the time you want to travel, and help you to get the best available deal based on your needs. Another advantage is that if new discounts become available later that could potentially save you money, and you haven’t yet paid your final balance, your Disney Vacation Planner can go in and apply those new discount for you. Remember, working with a Disney Vacation Planner doesn’t cost you anything–Disney pays their planners to serve their guests. The guests do not pay anything to work with a Disney Vacation Planner–and we can help in so many ways. If you’d like more information on this, or would like a no obligation quote, please contact me at Brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.
Hollywood Studios has needed more table service dining options for a long time. We were very excited when Disney announced that Toy Story Land was getting its own Western themed table service restaurant, Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Roundup Rodeo BBQ opened in April fully booked, and it remains a popular table service option. This is likely to be a hard to get table service reservation for months, if not years, to come.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Photo: Brooke Hudson
Most of the preliminary reviews I read for Roundup Rodeo BBQ were positive if not glowing. We went into this meal primed to love it. We were excited to have a new option for lunch or dinner, and I was thrilled to have secured a dinner reservation for our first planned Hollywood Studio visit of the trip.
The Good
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is themed perfectly to Toy Story Land. It fits right in, and the decor feels very similar to Toy Story Mania or Slinky Dog Dash. The design and decor of the restaurant itself, as well as the exterior waiting area and entrance to the restaurant area, are really well done and very cute. The colors are bright and cheerful, and there is a LOT to look at.
Linda in Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Photo: Brooke Hudson
The final design looks a lot like the original concept art Disney gave us when they first announced Roundup Rodeo BBQ was coming. You can check that out Here orHere.
We absolutely loved the theming. If you aren’t aware, the premise of Roundup Rodeo BBQ is that Andy has assembled all his toys in the backyard for a Rodeo. There are audio tracks playing throughout your meal that feature Toy Story characters announcing various Rodeo events or activities. A fun element is that every so often the Green Army Men will announce that Andy is coming, and all cast members in Roundup Rodeo BBQ (and lots of participating restaurant guests) freeze.
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Another good thing we liked about Roundup Rodeo BBQ is the price point. Adults are $45 per person plus tax for all you care to enjoy, and children 9 and under are $25 per person plus tax, again for all you care to enjoy. The food is served family style, and guests are welcome to request more food if they desire. Meals include biscuits with jam, three salads, four meats, dessert and a soft drink, tea, coffee, milk or juice. Specialty beverages are available for an additional cost.
The Bad
You can review the full menu for Roundup Rodeo BBQ Here.
Unfortunately, as happy as we were with the theming and the price point, we were disappointed by the food. Specifically, we really did not like the entree options for this meal. Disney has elected to go with hickory smoked for the entree meats, and hickory smoked is a very strong flavor. I have no doubt that the meats themselves are of high quality; however the hickory smoked flavor overrode the taste of the meats themselves. If you are a fan of hickory smoked, I’m sure you will love these meats.
Here are the meats you get with your meal: (Note there’s a plant based option that you can order instead of the meats—we did not try that option.)
Enjoy a Platter of all the Following House-Smoked Items
Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs | Buttercup’s Beef Brisket | There’s a Sausage in my Boot – Fire-grilled Pork Sausage | BBQ Chicken – with Style!
Photo: Disney Parks
While I normally really enjoy barbecue, I have to admit that the overpowering hickory smoked flavor of these meats was NOT something I liked. Rodeo Roundup BBQ provides three different BBQ sauces for guests to add to their meat selections, and I tried all three. All three sauces were flavorful and tasty on their own, and offer BBQ flavors popular all over the United States. One sauce was sweet (my favorite), one was tangy and the third had more kick.
I was hoping that adding the sauce would temper the overpowering hickory smoke flavor—this was most successful with the chicken, but it still didn’t make this a successful meal for us.
The ribs, in my opinion were inedible. They were very hard, almost a beef jerky texture. The beef brisket was cooked well, but again that hickory smoke flavor was so strong, the brisket was difficult to enjoy. We had suggested to our waiter that he leave the fire grilled pork sausage out of our meat basket, since neither one of us are big fans. Our waiter was insistent that we should try it—he said it was SO good, and that we really needed to try it. So we did. It was good, I’ll agree, but the andouille sausage I’d had the day before at Tucker House was better!
The Ugly
Photo: Disney Parks
I’m sorry to say that we found the sides even more disappointing than the meats were. We were told to choose four options from the various side options available. Sides offered include:
Mean Old Potato Salad
Homestyle Red-skinned Potatoes
The Married Spuds
Loaded Potato Barrels
The Claw! Veggie Slaw
(Plant-based)
Force Field Fried Pickles
Campfire-roasted Vegetables
(Plant-based)
Slinky Doooooooooog’s Mac & Cheese
Buckin’ Baked Beans
(Plant-based)
Cowpoke Corn on the Cob
Grilled Street Corn
The four choices we chose were Force Field Fried Pickles, Cowpoke Corn on the Cob, Campfire Roasted Vegetables, and Mean Old Potato Salad. Of these, the best was the Mean Old Potato Salad, but it was kind of boring.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Mean Old Potato Salad
The biggest disappointment was the Cowpoke Corn on the Cob. The description on the menu said “Grilled Street Corn”. We weren’t expecting the corn to have so much “stuff” on it. When we asked the waiter, he explained that it was “Mexican Street Corn”. I have had Mexican Street Corn before, but it was nothing like this. I’m sure there are lots of different ways to make the dish, but I’m not sure this preparation is the best choice for such a large and varied audience that includes so many children. I could see a lot of kids refusing to eat this corn. The waiter told us that the corn can be ordered as just buttered grilled corn on the cob—that would likely be more appealing to a wider audience.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Cowpoke Corn on the Cob. Photo: Brooke Hudson
We ordered the fried dill pickles just to try them — we weren’t expecting to love them, but we wanted to try them. I thought they would be crispy, but they were soft and kind of soggy. We didn’t like them at all, but I can imagine that they would appeal to some people.
The campfire roasted vegetables were just ok. We had high hopes for these as we both love roasted vegetables, but they were kind of soggy and not very flavorful.
We will most likely not be returning to Roundup Rodeo BBQ for a table service meal in the future, unless we hear they make changes to the menu. While we loved the theming, the atmosphere and most of the cast members we talked to, the food just was not enjoyable for us.
I loved the biscuit with the sweet pepper jam, and could have cheerfully eaten more of those—they were buttery soft, warm and scrumptious. Another highlight for me was my adult beverage. I tried the Rattler Rum Punch and loved it!
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Rum Rattler Punch. Photo: Brooke Hudson
We both got Billy’s Chocolate Silk Pie for dessert—that was a perfect sized portion, and all the dessert options looked terrific.
I’m glad we tried it, and we really enjoyed the environment and the theming. I’m also really happy that there is an additional table service restaurant available in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and specifically in Toy Story Land. While I’m sure Roundup Rodeo will appeal to many families—please keep in mind the strong hickory smoke flavor—if your family does not like that flavor, this meal will not be the success it could otherwise be.
You Might Love it!
As I said at the beginning, I really wanted to love Roundup Rodeo BBQ. I’m sad that I didn’t love it—and I’m even more disappointed that I didn’t even like it enough to return. Please keep in mind that these are my opinions, and your mileage may vary. Anecdotally, I did talk to a few other guests during our trip that had also tried Roundup Rodeo BBQ, and they shared similar thoughts and opinions—but that could absolutely have gone the other way, I’m sure.
Photo: Disney Parks
So, here’s the big question: Have you tried Roundup Rodeo BBQ? What did you think? If you haven’t tried it yet, do you plan to? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Happy Dreaming,
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
I have some good news for you today! Walt Disney World has finally announced when character dining is returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table. Cinderella’s Royal Table was one of the most popular character dining experiences in Walt Disney World for many years. As you may recall, when the parks reopened after the pandemic closure, character greetings and character meals did NOT return. Cinderella’s Royal Table table service restaurant DID reopen for meal service, but without characters. The restaurant has been open again for more than a year, but until today, there has been no sign of the character dining element returning.
Sleeping Beauties at Cinderella’s Royal Table Photo: Disney Parks
Today, Walt Disney World announced that character dining is returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table on February 28, 2023. The first advanced dining reservations for this character meal will open on December 28, 2022.
Disney Princesses Returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table
Many Walt Disney World visitors, adults and children alike, love to see Disney Princesses during their vacation. The easiest way (and most economical way) to catch a glimpse of your favorite Princess is to watch the afternoon parade at the Magic Kingdom. During this parade, you get to see many of the Princesses, along with their beaux.
You can also see Disney Princesses during the finale of Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios each night. Many of the Princesses are featured on water barges that pass in front of audiences near the end of the show.
Select Disney Princesses are also available for traditional Character Greetings. However, the popularity of the Princesses can often mean really long waits to see your Princess.
A Princess themed Character Meal is a great way to combine meal time with Character Greetings, giving your family the chance to take pictures with the characters and sign autographs. Character Dining has been GRADUALLY returning to Walt Disney World over the last few months, but the Princess dining options are few and far between and they’ve been among the last to return.
Storybook Dining with Princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at EPCOT
Character dining featuring Disney Princesses returned to EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion in early November 2022. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall features Storybook Dining with Disney Princesses, and is a very popular Character Dining experience for Disney Princess fans of all ages.
Dancing Princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Photo: Disney Parks
Current pricing for Storybook Dining with Princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is $63 plus tax and gratuity for adults, and $41 plus tax and gratuity for children. Coffee, tea and fountain beverages are included at this price. Specialty beverages including cocktails, beer, hard cider and a variety of wines are available at an additional cost.
Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall Photo: Disney Parks
Character Dining Returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table
Finally, diners wanting to see their favorite Disney Princesses during a meal at Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom can do so! Beginning on February 28, 2022, the Disney Princesses will be back, visiting each table for pictures, interaction and photographs. You might even get a visit from your Fairy Godmother!
The Fairy Godmother at Cinderella’s Royal Table (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
There is something so wonderful and magical about Cinderella Castle. I’m willing to admit this is one of my absolute favorite Character Meals, and I’m so happy it’s returning. This is one of the pricier Character Meals, so it’s not something we try to do every trip, but it is a very special experience.
Prior to going upstairs to be seated for dining, guests do have a brief moment for photos with Cinderella in the downstairs area of the restaurant. Cinderella returned early this year, in a distanced capacity. Later, the rules relaxed slightly. Cinderella is NOT one of the Disney Princesses that visits your table during your meal, as she’s busy downstairs greeting her guests.
Cinderella at Cinderella’s Royal Table Photo: Brooke Hudson
Cinderella’s Royal Table is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Character Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table is NOT buffet style, like you will find at most Character Meals.
Cinderella’s Royal Table, 2013
Breakfast
Breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table inside Cinderella Castle is a lovely way to start your day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. If you can get an early reservation, you can even get into the park before it officially opens! One of my absolute FAVORITE things to do in Walt Disney World is to get into one of the parks early, and see it without the massive crowds we’ve all gotten so used to.
Another benefit of choosing breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table is that pricing for breakfast is significantly lower than for lunch or dinner. You can have the Character Dining experience inside Cinderella Castle at the best possible price. Keep in mind–Character Meal pricing is generally much higher than you would pay for a regular non-character meal. You are paying “extra” for the atmosphere and for the entertainment of seeing the Characters.
Current pricing for breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table is $45 plus tax and gratuity for adults and $29 plus tax and gratuity for children. Coffee, tea, fountain drinks, hot cocoa, juice or milk is included with your meal. Specialty cocktails are available for an additional fee.
At this time, the lunch and dinner menus and pricing are the same at Cinderella’s Royal Table. It’s a bit of a heavier meal, so if you are planning lunch here, I would suggest going very light on breakfast, and planning a lighter dinner as well. Especially during the warmer months, you may find this lunch best followed by a return to your resort for an afternoon nap or swim.
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Current pricing for lunch or dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table is $67 plus tax and gratuity for adults and $39 plus tax and gratuity for children. your meal includes coffee, tea, fountain beverages, hot cocoa, juice, lemonade or milk. Specialty cocktails are available for an additional fee.
Cinderella’s Royal Table is one of those table service restaurants that you will never get access to if you don’t have a reservation. You MUST make reservations in advance, and this is one of those reservations I would try to get the very minute your 60 day window opens up. This is a hard reservation to get under normal conditions. Now that Character Dining is returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table? I suspect it will be even more difficult than usual!
Photo: Brooke Hudson
Remember: If you get the reservation, you are also required to have both a park ticket and a park reservation for Magic Kingdom for that day. Without those two things, you won’t be able to get into the park at all to use your reservation!
How to get that Reservation
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I am a big planner. I’d rather spend time before the trip, making our plans and strategizing, planning ahead than to stand in really long lines during our trip, or not know where we are going to eat and when. Your preferences may be different. BUT if you are someone who wants to checkout Character Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, this is one reservation you absolutely MUST plan for.
Staying on Property
If you are staying on Disney property, your reservation window opens up 6o days before your first night in a Walt Disney World resort. On that day, you will have the ability to make dining reservations for THAT first day, 60 days out, plus the duration of your stay at that resort, up to ten days. Be ready to book online (or call, if you’d rather) at 7am Eastern time on that 6o days out morning. Work on your reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table first if you really want to dine there. Be prepared to try alternate meal times, even alternate days. Trust me, it is actually easier to rearrange all your park reservations than it is to get this reservation!
Cinderella’s Royal Table Entrance Photo: Brooke Hudson
Staying off Property
Don’t worry if you aren’t staying on Disney property–you still can try making this hard-to-get reservation at 60 days out. The only difference is that you can only make reservations for that one day on the 60th day out. If you were staying on property, you could try for every day of your trip at 60 days. Staying off site, you are going to be trying one day at a time. You can still be successful though! Try breakfast, lunch and dinner for the day you are trying to reserve. If that day doesn’t work, try the next day, and so on. Hopefully you will get lucky!
What if it Works? What if it Doesn’t?
If you succeed, kudos! Feel like a champion, brag to all your Disney loving friends…and work on the rest of your desired reservations! If you aren’t successful, you can try checking every few days to see if anything has opened up. Good windows to try are 45 and 30 days out–if people are cancelling their whole trip, they are likely to do it no later than 30 days out. It never hurts to keep trying. Sometimes people will have booked “extra” reservations that they will later cancel, or sometimes a big party will become a smaller party. You never know what may happen.
If this is a reservation you really want, good luck! I hope you get it!
Cinderella’s Royal Table Photo: Brooke Hudson
Note: another strategy to consider if you DON’T want to do all the planning and reservations yourself–work with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner like me. If you book your Disney Vacation through me, I will help with park and dining reservations for no additional costs to you. I also offer detailed itineraries and personalized trip plans for a nominal fee.
Are you Excited to see Character Dining Returning to Cinderella’s Royal Table?
I’m curious if any of you are happy to see Character Dining returning to CRT? Please comment below if this is something you’ve been looking forward to.
Mom and I had a wonderful dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table during our Mother/Daughter trip in May. We got to see Cinderella, but no other Disney Princesses at that time. I probably won’t pull out all the stops to get that reservation again this year, as it’s a little too soon for a return visit.
I might try to see if I can get breakfast–that would be a different menu and a different experience. But most likely, May will be too soon. I bet those reservations will be really tough for the first few months, at least. If not this year, there’s always next year.
What about you? Are you going to try and get that reservation?
At long last, Disney has provided us with an update about a Toy Story Land table service restaurant announced way back in May 2019. Roundup Rodeo BBQ will be the first Toy Story Land table service restaurant. Disney now plans for Roundup Rodeo BBQ to open in Spring 2023. They aren’t committing to an exact date just yet, but I’m confident we will get an announcement in February 2023, if not sooner. I’m betting Disney will want to have this Toy Story Land table service restaurant up and running in time for spring break crowds in March and April 2023.
Concept Art for Roundup Rodeo BBQ
Roundup Rodeo BBQ
Disney originally announced that a table service restaurant was planned for Toy Story Land way back in 2019. Click here to read our original post about the announcement.
At that time, we hoped that Disney planned to open this restaurant in late 2020 or early 2021. Unfortunately, this project was one more project pushed back significantly by the pandemic and subsequent theme park closures in 2020. When the parks reopened, the halted construction projects were slow to resume. Projects that DID resume seemed to progress much more slowly than similar projects had in the past. No doubt, Disney was more cautious in light of the financial impact the park closures had on the bottom line.
Gradually, we have seen many of these projects finish and open, like Cosmic Rewind and Space 220 at Epcot. Other projects are taking longer than planned but are starting to show signs that they will be completed soon. For example, the long awaited Magic Kingdom attraction TRON Lightcycle/Run has been testing with actual people for the last week or two. (More on that coming soon).
Where is Roundup Rodeo BBQ located?
This new Toy Story Land table service restaurant will be located off to the right near the main Toy Story Land entrance. If you’ve been in the parks over the last couple of years, you may have noticed the construction walls running on the right as you approach the Toy Story Land sign and the giant Woody. (Don’t feel bad if you didn’t notice them or pay any attention–Disney doesn’t WANT you to notice them. They want you to stay in the magic and not see any construction going on until the new attraction, shop or restaurant are completed!)
Photo: Disney Photopass
Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant: Will this be a Character Meal?
No. Disney has been VERY clear that Toy Story Land’s Roundup Rodeo table service restaurant will NOT be a character meal. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were occasional Woody or Jessie sightings at this new table service offering, but don’t count on seeing any characters in person at this restaurant.
Be Our Guest: The Beast Does a Walk Through (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
At Be Our Guest, the combination quick service and table service restaurant themed to Beauty and the Beast at the Magic Kingdom, the Beast occasionally will stroll through the dining rooms, allowing guests to catch a glimpse. Generally, he will stop and pose for a few moments to allow for photos and then he moves on.
I could see Disney doing something like that with this new Toy Story Land table service restaurant–but probably not at the beginning, and maybe not ever. It’s a great way to attract additional guests, but let’s face it: A new table service restaurant themed to Toy Story Land? That’s a guaranteed winner! I’m guessing this will quickly sell out as soon as the reservation windows open. Unless the food turns out to be terrible or something, this will likely be a very hot commodity for at least a couple of years.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Concept Art
What’s the Story for Toy Story Land Roundup Rodeo BBQ?
One of my favorite things about Disney is the Imagineers. There is a story for absolutely EVERYTHING at Walt Disney World. The details and theming are elements that keep fans coming back year after year, generation after generation.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is no exception. The Imagineers have crafted a story that enables this new table service restaurant to fit right in to the Andy’s Backyard concept for all of Toy Story Land.
Andy has decided to build a rodeo restaurant for all his toys. He’s used his Woody’s Roundup toys, his imagination and lots of his other playthings to create a fun atmosphere for toys, kids and even grown-ups to enjoy!
Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Interior Photo: Disney Parks
Disney has released a couple of photos of the interior of Roundup Rodeo BBQ, which makes me even more optimistic that this new Toy Story Land table service restaurant really is on track to open early sprint 2023.
I love the bright colors of Toy Story Land, and was happy to see that even though Disney Imagineers are going with a Western theme for this restaurant, they are still bringing in the familiar colors, characters and elements that we all love from other parts of Toy Story land.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Interior Photo: Disney Parks
Disney promised that we will find lots of fun elements in Roudup Rodeo, including game boards featuring characters from the Toy Story films, a steam train supported by colored pencils (shown in the photo above), a cardboard box with hand drawn (by Andy of course) audience members, and comic strips featuring Woody’s adventures on the dining room ceiling!
What will we eat at this new table service restaurant?
One of the most important question that comes up whenever we talk about Disney and a new restaurant is “what is the food going to be like?”
The short answer? We aren’t really sure yet. Disney has been pretty vague so far, other than putting BBQ in the name of the restaurant. I don’t think I’m walking out too far on a limb when I say I think we can expect to have western and BBQ themed food!
Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant Roundup Rodeo BBQ Photo: Disney Parks
Seriously though, all Disney has told us so far is the the food will be barbeque inspired comfort foods, served family style. They’ve also said there will be platters of house-smoked meats, a roundup of sides and some miniature sweet surprises. Beyond that, Disney isn’t telling. YET.
I’m sure as we get closer to this new table service restaurant opening, we will get menus. As soon as I hear more about the food, I will update you all.
What will it cost?
The next question is of course, “what is the price point for this restaurant?” Unfortunately, Disney is also keeping quiet on this topic as well. At least for now. However, based on theming and the location, I’m fairly certain the pricing for this Toy Story Land table service restaurant will be moderate. I don’t think Disney is going for high end, white glove service for Roundup Rodeo. I’m expecting to something in line with the Regal Eagle quick service restaurant in America at Epcot. (See our article about that location here.) The Regal Eagle is quick service, so Roundup Rodeo BBQ prices will likely be a bit higher, but hopefully it will stay in this general range. Of course I will keep you all posted as I learn more.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Interior Photo: Disney Parks
What do YOU Think?
Are you excited about this new table service offering in Toy Story Land? Some of the challenges for guests in Toy Story Land are the lack of shade and lack of seating. I’m pretty happy that an air conditioned table service restaurant is coming–I like to take a little time at lunch (or dinner) to sit in the air conditioning and relax and eat. We like to recharge our batteries and since we are from the midwest, that Florida heat and humidity can really run us down sometimes. So I am ALWAYS a fan when I can make reservations as part of my planning, and guarantee my family a chance to sit down in A/C and enjoy a meal.
I’m already reworking my plan for our annual Mother/Daughter Flower & Garden Festival trip to make sure I can try and get us a reservation at Roundup Rodeo BBQ. After all, we have to do a review for all of you, don’t we?
Please let me know in the comments below if you will be adding this to your “Must Do” list or if you’ll wait and see how it turns out.
If you want to get planning on a trip for 2023 to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios and investigate this new Toy Story Land table service restaurant for yourself, please contact me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com for a no-obligation quote.
La Creperie de Paris is one of the newest additions to EPCOT’s table service restaurant offerings. Located in the “new” section of EPCOT’s France pavilion, La Creperie de Paris offers guests both a quick service option and a table service option.
La Creperie de Paris (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
Counter Service
Crepes A Emporter by La Creperie de Paris is a quick service window connected to La Creperie de Paris. At this quick service window, you’ll be able to enjoy both savory galettes and sweet crepes, as well as soft serve ice cream and ciders and wines.
The line for the quick service Crepes A Emporter at La Creperie de Paris (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
We observed fairly long lines for this quick service window every time we were in the vicinity. It’s definitely a tasty and popular option, and worth the visit to this “back of France” area. The new Ratatouille attraction is located back in this area of the France pavilion, and that is the main reason most guests flock to this area. (Note: There are also new bathrooms back in this area–I like knowing where all the non-restaurant bathrooms are located!).
There is not much seating anywhere in this area, and crepes are not the easiest thing to eat while standing; however, if you are wanting something a little different to eat or for dessert, the offerings here are quite tasty.
My nephew Vinnie absolutely LOVED the dessert crepes here, and visited this quick service window several times during our October trip.
Quick Service Menu: Crepes A Emporter at La Creperie de Paris
Galettes (Savory Crepes)
Cream of Brie Cheese Galette $9.95
Ratatouille Galette (Tomatoes, Zucchini and Eggplant) $8.95
Overall, we found this quick service location to be good option. Every crepe we tried was tasty, and we thought it was positive that there were a couple vegetarian options here.
Our favorite crepe overall was definitely the Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread Crepe. This crepe was so tasty! It’s very rich, though, so you’ll want to make sure you have some water or an alternative beverage. (If you can get a scoop of vanilla ice cream for your crepe, that helps a LOT with the richness AND adds a lovely cold element on a hot day. We discovered that wonderful combination at the table service restaurant, though.)
Photo: Brooke Hudson
I am not kidding when I tell you there really isn’t anywhere in this area to sit and enjoy your crepe. That is the only real negative I have about this quick service location. Much of the area back here is absorbed by the Ratatouille queue; there are a few planters with ledges where people frequently sit…but it’s not nearly enough room for everyone waiting in line at any given time. There are a few tables on one side, and a few high top tables with no seating where you can at least set your food and drink down, but you can’t sit. There is not a lot of shade in this area, either, so on a hot day, you would probably not want to stand around in the sun to enjoy your crepe and your drink. But if you can stake out a shady spot and some seating, this quick service location is a definite winner for us.
Table Service: La Creperie de Paris
I much prefer eating at table service restaurants at Disney to quick service, I must confess. I like knowing we will be able to sit down, in air conditioning, and be able to get a decent rest while we enjoy our meal. After trying out the quick service window for Crepes A Emporter at La Creperie de Paris during our October family trip, I knew I wanted to check out the table service option for our spring Flower & Garden trip.
La Creperie de Paris (Photo: Brooke Hudson)
I made all our dining reservations at the same time, 60 days out from our trip. Fortunately, I was able to get every reservation I wanted with little difficulty. For the purposes of this review, I have gone online several times to check availability, and while I can rarely find same day reservations, I can usually find something a few days out. Weekdays are easier than weekends, of course, but I suspect with a little planning ahead, you should be able to secure a reservation for La Creperie de Paris.
Decor
This restaurant has a pretty modern feel to it. It’s all beiges and whites, and fairly clean and simple feeling. I think they were going for a French Bistro feel here, and my mom, who has been to several French Bistros in her travels, says this effort is successful. We got a table right in the windows, so that was fun for us. Avid people watchers, we loved the opportunity to people watch both inside and outside the restaurant.
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Bonus: One thing we really liked at La Creperie de Paris was that we got real menus! Disney is still using the online menus at most table service restaurants where you scan a QR code with your phone and look at the menu on your phone. I miss real menus! La Creperie de Paris uses their paper menus as your placemat, and I like it!
Service
Service was very good here. We both felt the absence of the international program for EPCOT though. We’ve always loved that the EPCOT restaurants were primarily staffed with team members from the country the restaurant was themed to. That program was paused when Walt Disney World closed in 2020 due to Covid, and it has restarted only very recently. As a result, there are very few international cast members back in EPCOT at this time. While each of the service team members we met was terrific, I missed being able to talk to and learn from the international cast members in the restaurants.
The service was a bit TOO good, in fact. We felt a little rushed. We hadn’t finished our salads when our savory crepes arrived, and our dessert crepes arrived before we had finished our savory crepes. However, on the positive side, my water glass was pretty constantly refilled — It was a hot day and I was very thirsty.
We were celebrating my mom’s birthday, and our server brought out some VERY tasty french vanilla ice cream for her birthday. Mom suggested we add the ice cream to our hazelnut chocolate dessert crepes and WOW was that amazing! We both decided this was our favorite way to enjoy the hazelnut chocolate crepes by far!
Table Service Menu: La Creperie de Paris
Appetizer or Side Dish
Soupe du Jour (Soup of the Day) $6.75
Salad Maison (Mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, and vinegarette) $6.75
Prix Fixe Menu * (My recommendation for this restaurant)
Choice of Soup of the Day or Salade Maison; choice of one Galette with a glass of Hard Cider, Soda or Juice; Choice of one Dessert Crepe $34.95
Add a Shot to Any Crepe (Grand Marnier, Rhum or Calvados) $7.00
Cidres (French Hard Ciders)
Brut $29.00 (Bottle) $5.95 (Glass)
Demi Sec $29.00 (Bottle) $5.95 (Glass)
Doux $29.00 (Bottle) $5.95 (Glass)
Rose $40.00 (Bottle) $7.50 (Glass)
Vins (French Wines)
Chardonnay $36.95 (Bottle) $7.95 (Glass)
Carbernet Sauvignon $36.95 (Bottle) $7.95 (Glass)
Merlot $36.95 (Bottle) $7.95 (Glass)
Rose de Provence $69.50 (Bottle) $14.95 (Glass)
Divers (Miscellaneous)
Biere Kronenbourg (Beer) $9.50
Champagne Malard $17.55
Mimosa $12.00
French Martini $15.75
Sodas, Jus (Imported Soft Drinks)
Evian $7.50
Perrier $8.50
Jus de Pomme (Apple Juice) $5.00
Limonade (French Sparkling Limonade) $5.75
Orangina (French Orange Soda) $6.25
Hot Beverages
Espresso $4.75
Cappuccino $5.25
The (Tea) $4.50
Cafe (Coffee) $4.25
Our Thoughts
We liked our La Creperie de Paris lunch very much. I highly recommend the Prix Fixe Menu, which includes soup or salad, a savory buckwheat galette, a dessert crepe and a glass of hard cider, soda or juice for $34.95. Both of us felt this was a good value, especially for a Disney table service restaurant. Definitely choose the cider to maximize your investment. Note: There is also kids Prix Fixe Menu for $14.00 that includes a savory galette and a dessert crepe.
At this time, La Creperie de Paris does not accept any discounts. No DVC discount, no passholder discounts, etc. This is pretty common for newer restaurants when they first open. Most likely this table service restaurant will offer discounts at some point in the future, but while it is still new and very popular, discounts are unlikely to materialize.
Overall, we both our enjoyed our meals. The salads were fresh and light, and the perfect size for an appetizer. The weak link for both of us were the savory buckwheat galettes. They were good, don’t get me wrong, but they were not great. We both felt the flavor of the buckwheat crepe itself was a bit boring. Mom and I also each felt our galettes were too dry and needed more sauce.
We enjoyed the environment, it was relaxing and comfortable. The host seated us almost immediately after we checked in, and we had a great seat in the front windows. Each of us enjoyed our hard ciders; mom had the Brut, which is dry and really liked it. I tried the Doux, which was sweeter. I would definitely order this again. The highlight of the meal for both of us was the dessert crepes. We each had the Hazelnut Chocolate Spread dessert crepes, and we’d eaten about a third of our crepes when the server brought my mom’s “birthday” ice cream. We both agreed that while the crepes was VERY good with whipped cream, the ice cream took it to a whole other level. It became OUTSTANDING.
La Creperie de Paris Dessert Crepe (Photo: Linda Harkness)Mom and her dessert crepe with her “Birthday” ice cream!
I would definitely recommend you check out this table service restaurant. Our meal was filling but not too heavy, and we felt recharged and ready to head back out into the 90+ degree heat of the afternoon, very satisfied with our meal.
Have you tried La Creperie de Paris or Crepes A Emporter by La Creperie de Paris for yourself yet? If so, what did you think? Please comment below, I’d love to read your thoughts!
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
In this week’s Disney Parks News Update, we have GUNS confiscated on Disney property, refurbishment updates, LOTS of food news, scary clowns and more! Please watch this week’s Disney Parks News Update video below.
EPCOT currently looks a little bit like a construction zone, as EPCOT Future World is in the midst of a major overhaul. There are a number of projects in progress around EPCOT’s Entrance and throughout Future World. Among these projects is the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster, scheduled to open sometime next year. We are happy to report that construction appears to be moving ahead on all these projects. We don’t have completion dates or opening dates for any of the work going on, but we are hopeful that Disney is on track with their plans to have this work complete in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary next October.
Frozen Ever After
Frozen Ever After (Photo: Disney Parks)
A VERY popular attraction, Frozen Ever After, is closing for refurbishment in a couple of weeks. Don’t worry—it’s only for a few days. The attraction will be closed from November 2 – 6, 2020. This is likely just for cleaning and general maintenance; this is not enough time for Disney to do any major overhauls. Not to mention, this is still a fairly new attraction. It really shouldn’t need any major refurbishment yet.
We’ll be in the park the following week, and will let you know how the attraction looks when it reopens!
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Art of Animation Resort (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is reopening at long last on November 1, 2020. If you aren’t familiar with the Art of Animation resort, it is a very popular Value Resort, and one of our favorites. Check out our blog post about this resort here.
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During the shutdown, Art of Animation got some minor refurbishments, including new flooring and updates in the lobby area. The rooms themselves got minor updates to furnishings and room details.
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Art of Animation, it is located on the Skyliner line, and it’s a worthwhile stop to check it out. All the themed icons from Cars, The Lion King, Finding Nemo and the Little Mermaid make terrific backdrops and props for unique family pictures.
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The Big Blue Pool, Art of Animation’s largest pool, did not get it’s refurbishment done during the closure, however. As a result, the Big Blue Pool will be closed for refurbishment from January 1, 2021 through early April 2021.
Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts
Guests are encouraged to use the Flippin’ Fins Pool (Little mermaid area) or the Cozy cone Pool (in the Cars area) during the closure. The Schoolyard Sprayground play area is NOT being affected by the closure.
Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts
Guests staying at Art of Animation during this time should expect to see or hear construction during their stay; however, construction does not occur between dusk and 9 am, so your rest time should not be impacted.
If you have a reservation during this time and are concerned about this refurbishment, please reach out to your travel agent (or me!).
Boardwalk Inn: Luna Pool
A highlight for me personally in this week’s Disney Parks News Update is about the CLOWN over at the Luna Pool at the Boardwalk Inn.
The pool at the Boardwalk Inn, the Luna Pool is currently being refurbished while the Boardwalk Inn is closed. The pool area at the Boardwalk Inn is themed to the turn of the 20th century Coney island. The area has a sort of “Circus-y/Old timey amusement park” vibe.
Boardwalk Inn Luna Pool Area (Photo: Disney Parks)
The centerpiece of the pool area has always been a giant clown face. The mouth of the clown is a waterslide. I’m not a giant fan of clowns to begin with but this clown? Totally creeps me out. In fact, I’ve avoided booking there for my family because of the creepy clown.
Boardwalk Inn Luna Pool (Photo: Disney Parks)
I mean, look at that thing. Don’t you think it’s a little creepy? (OR A LOT CREEPY???!!!)
Here’s the big news: locals have reported that the giant clown head has been REMOVED as part of the Luna Pool refurbishment!!! It has been seen being taken away from the pool area (although no one actually saw it dismantled, thrown in the trash or burned in a ceremonial cleansing so we do not know for sure it is not coming back). The area where the clowns head WAS is still covered with tarps, but work is continuing.
Dare we hope that the clown is gone for good? Could the Imagineers have something new and creative for that area that doesn’t terrorize small children (or ME)??? I do not know, unfortunately. We will definitely scope out the pool area when we visit next month; hopefully we will be able to give you a more definitive update then. But for now? I’m happily booking a reservation for my mom and I at Boardwalk for May, assuming the clown will be GONE.
Food News
We have lots of FOOD NEWS in this week’s Disney Parks News Update!
ABC Commissary
Over at Hollywood Studios, the ABC Commissary has reopened with a brand new menu. Some old favorites are still there, but the menu has had a major overhaul. Tacos and curry rice bowls have taken center stage. New items include Pork carnitas tacos, Shrimp tacos, curry rice bowl with shrimp and a plant based curry rice bowl with tofu. Two new chicken sandwiches also join the lineup. Kids can choose from a Pork taco, grilled cheese sandwich, a turkey sandwich or their old favorite, uncrustables.
ABC Commissary (Photo: Disney Parks)
Minnie’s Halloween Dine
Also at Hollywood Studios, we have a new menu for Minnie’s Halloween Dine over at Hollywood and Vine.
Photo: Disney Parks
This meal does feature character appearances. The characters will parade through the dining area and wave and let you take pictures. However, they won’t be stopping at your table for individual pictures as you are probably used to from character meals pre Covid.
This is a fixed price, three course meal, featuring a salad, entrée and dessert.
Photo: Disney Parks
Entrée choices include prime rib, roasted turkey breast, macaroni and cheese with shrimp, Salmon, Pork osso bucco and plant based pan seared king trumpet mushrooms.
Photo: Disney Parks
Desserts include your choice of apple blueberry pie, banana crème pie, chocolate smores pie, vanilla crème brulee and a plant based cherry lemon pie.
Photo: Disney Parks
Cocktails, wine and beer are available for an additional price. Beer starts at $7.50, Wine by the glass starts at $10, and cocktails start at $13.
In the past I have NOT enjoyed Hollywood & Vine, however, I have to admit this sounds pretty good. We may have to check this out for ourselves!
Chef Mickey’s
Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts
Next up in Food news: Chef Mickey’s Character Dining is coming back! One of the most popular character meals on property, Chef Mickey’s will soon be visited by Chef Mickey himself (and a few of his friends!).
Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts
Starting on December 16, 2020, Mickey and Minnie and their friends will be back at Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It’s not quite the same—this is NOT a buffet at the moment, and the characters will not be coming to your table. However, the characters will “pop up” at surprise intervals and parade through the dining rooms, waving at guests for pictures. Reservations for Chef mickey’s character dining open up October 17.
Photo: Disney Parks
Its important to note that Chef Mickey’s IS currently open. Right now, it’s an all you care to eat family feast WITHOUT characters. Pricing for adults is $25 and kids are $14 (plus tax). However, once the characters return, pricing will jump to $42 for adults and $27 for kids (plus tax).
Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts
In addition to the characters joining diners, there are three new entrees being added to the menu. Mickey’s celebration pancakes, a loaded potato cheese casserole with smoked bacon crumbles and chives and finally, Goofy’s Banana Bread French Toast—which looks and sounds like a heart attack on a plate.
Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts
It will probably taste AMAZING though. If you plan to check out this very popular character dining experience, reservations are HIGHLY recommended (really, required).
Updated Mask Warnings
New mask warning signs appeared throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks last week. These signs more specifically state that guests must wear their masks properly, at all times, and further state that guests who do not wear their masks will be asked to leave the parks.
In addition to the new signs located throughout the parks, Disney has added an audio announcement about the mask policy that plays in the parks several times each day. Finally, they’ve added the message to the My Disney Experience phone app. Disney is very serious that guests understand this policy.
I know there has been some confusion on this: Florida was recently moved to Phase 3, which means the Florida state government is no longer requiring masks in all public places, and the state has rescinded the fines for not wearing a mask. HOWEVER, it is important to recognize that each business has the right to establish and follow their own protocols, based on what they believe is safest for their guests or customers.
Disney is SERIOUS about their Mask Policy
Completely separate from what the state dictates, Disney has their OWN policies. Disney has determined, based on their research and advice from scientific advisors and guidelines from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) that masks help prevent the spread of Covid-19 (and other airborne spread diseases). Disney is requiring all guests over the age of 2 to wear masks at all times while in the theme parks, and while in public areas of Disney resorts.
Photo: Disney Parks
I understand this is a hot button topic for some people. Bottom line: If you aren’t willing to wear a mask during your Disney visit, do not visit Disney.
If you don’t wear a mask, you will not be permitted entry to the theme parks. If you remove your mask (other than while dining), you will be asked to leave the theme park. It’s very simple. If your aren’t comfortable wearing a mask during your Disney theme park visit, do not visit Disney until masks are no longer required. Hopefully, sometime next year. Disney has a very good refund policy right now, due to the challenges raised by Covid-19, and I am confident they will work with you to cancel or reschedule your trip.
Walt Disney World Theme Parks Capacity
In last week’s Disney Parks News Update, we talked about capacity at the theme parks. We expressed our belief that Disney has been quietly increasing capacity at the theme parks. This belief is based on anecdotal and observational evidence. The theme parks are feeling more crowded. We are seeing much longer lines for attractions. It’s getting more difficult to social distance in main traffic areas throughout the parks. Park reservations are fully booked up, and then Disney releases more availability for certain days, especially weekends. In general, it just “feels” like the parks are getting more crowded every week.
Bob Chapek, Disney CEO
However, Bob Chapek, Disney’s CEO told CNBC this week that Walt Disney World theme parks are still capped at 25% capacity. He also stated that the parks will remain capped at 25% capacity until the CDC guidelines change.
We have to assume that Bob Chapek knows what he’s talking about. He’s the boss of all the bosses, and while he’s not in the trenches admitting guests into the park, we figure he’s heavily involved with the decisions related to capacity. Especially as those decisions will affect the overall profitability of the theme parks dramatically, right?
We’re NOT at 25% Capacity?
So what could explain the discrepancy between what we (and many others who have visited over the last few weeks) are feeling and what Bob Chapek tells us must be true?
1) It’s likely that when the parks first opened, they were not any where near 25% capacity. Perhaps they opened at 5 or 10% and hovered there for a while. We saw lots of pictures and comments that the parks were like ghost towns, and all the attractions were walk-ons during the first couple of months. That has certainly changed. So perhaps what we are seeing now is truly 25% capacity?
2) Another factor in longer lines could be staffing related. If Disney is staffing fewer cast members on attractions, perhaps some “lanes” are closed in attractions? This could slow down the movement of guests through those rides, resulting in longer lines and more congestion?
I’m not sure. It sure seems like the crowds we are seeing, especially in Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom, are higher than 25% capacity. But we don’t work at the parks, and Disney is fairly tightlipped about what they consider FULL capacity to be. So the short answer right now? We don’t know. We will update you next month with our perspective when we are actually there ourselves.
Assault Weapons at Disney World?
Our final story this week is a troubling one. We have learned, courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel as well as several other news outlets, that a Disney guest brought an AR-15 rifle and 9 mm handgun with him on his Disney vacation!
The guest, a 43 year old man from Palm Beach Gardens, checked into the Polynesian Villages Resort over Labor Day Weekend. When the guns were discovered in his luggage, Disney contacted the local sheriff. The man had a concealed weapons permit, and therefore was not arrested.
However, Disney does not allow weapons of any kind on property, so Disney confiscated and held the man’s arsenal for him until the end of his vacation. He stated he brought the weapons because he was worried about his family’s safety during the social justice protests in the Orlando area last month.
Personally, I think if you are worried enough about the safety of your family that you need to bring an assault rifle, a hand gun and more than 100 rounds of ammunition with you to DISNEY WORLD where there are THOUSANDS of unarmed adults and children, perhaps you should postpone your vacation until a time when it feels safer for you to visit.
Again, Disney is being extremely flexible with cancellations, refunds and rescheduling. I would never want anyone to feel unsafe, but we can’t have assault rifles and other deadly weapons making their way onto Disney property.
To be clear: Disney does not allow guests to bring weapons of any kind onto its property. If you have issues with this policy, please contact Disney directly.
Disney Parks News Update: Final Thoughts
That’s it for this week’s Disney Parks News Update. It’s good to see that in some ways, things at the parks are starting to look a little more normal. However, it is a sign of the times that we are seeing stronger mask warnings from Disney, and that we had a story this week that included the word “assault rifle”. I’m hopeful that we will have more stories about things getting back to normal as time goes on.
Thank you for reading!
Happy dreaming!
Brooke
Ready to Plan Your Next Disney Vacation? I’m ready to help! Email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com
