It’s time for my third article in the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? series!  So far,  The Drinks & Snacks: Park Edition and The Counter Service Parks Edition have been covered.  Now, it’s time that I post the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? The Table Service Parks Edition.

When I was planning my family’s first trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, I was almost overwhelmed with all of the choices that were available to us.  Back in 1998, there weren’t as many guidebooks and the Internet wasn’t as popular as it is today.  Boy, how I wish that Magical DIStractions had been around back then! Lucky for you, Magical DIStractions is here and the site has all the information that you need to help plan your Walt Disney World trip.

It is my hope that this Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? series will assist you in deciding where to eat and, even better, what to eat when you visit Walt Disney World.  Today, I’m going to be talking about the table service restaurants found in the four theme parks as well as the Downtown Disney area.

As I said in the Counter Service Park Edition article and, as I will say in the future,  some of the information written here is the same as in previous articles.  This is for informational and clarity purposes only. Rest assured, the information in this edition is all new.

If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, most items listed here are considered a table service credit.  Alcoholic beverages are not included on the Disney Dining Plan but can be ordered and paid for out-of-pocket.

Members of the Magical DIStractions team often write about our dining experiences in the Walt Disney World theme parks, Resorts and Downtown Disney.  You  may notice that some of the food choices listed here have pictures and/or links to those articles and are highlighted in green.  Just click on the link and it will take you to the full review.  I’ve made it easy as I possibly could for you to find the articles and to navigate the website.

Okay, so enough with the disclosures, let’s talk table service options!

The ABC List of Table Service Options in the Parks

All American Picnic Burger:  This flavorful burger is on both the lunch and dinner menu at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The All American Picnic Burger is a flame-broiled Angus patty topped with a grilled hot dog, sauerkraut, and sautéed onions with a pickle spear.  It really is a picnic all rolled into one incredible burger.  You can choose either french fries or cucumber salad as your side dish.  Click here for a review of the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater.

All American Picnic Burger Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

Buffets:  Are you looking for a table service restaurant that will have something that everyone in your party will enjoy?  Want to eat your fill for one price?  You are in luck because there’s at least one buffet in each of the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.  Most even have characters such as the breakfast and lunch buffet at Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Camarones a la Diabla: Diablo style shrimp with poblano rice on a bed of yuca puree and cascabel chile sauce.  This dish is just one of the entrees served at San Angel Inn Restaurante in the Mexico area of Epcot’s World Showcase.  You can request the gluten free version as well.  For a full review of the Camarones a la Diabla and other dishes, you’ll want to read  San Angel Inn Restaurante-A Real Mexican Experience.

Camarones a la Diabla

Dim Sum Basket for Two: Yak & Yeti Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a large menu and one of the items on the appetizer list is the Dim Sum Basket for Two: Pork pot stickers, shrimp siu mai, chas su bao, and pork sie mai steamed on a banana leaf with soy lime dipping sauce.

Eclair a l’Orange: The dessert menu at one of the Magic Kingdom’s most popular restaurants, Be Our Guest, includes several scrumptious desserts.  The Eclair a l’Orange has a custard filling with zested orange and chocolate ganache.  Try the eclair! It’s delicious!

Fried chicken:  Downtown Disney has a multitude of restaurant choices but if you are looking for down-home Southern style food, look no further than Crossroads at House of Blues.  The fried chicken is marinated in buttermilk, adobo spice and is served with garlic mashed potatoes and housemade coleslaw.  As you will see in the Crossroads at House of Blues: Funky & Fabulous at the Same Time! article, the decor is funky and the food is fabulous!

Fried chicken House of Blues-Picture by Lisa McBride

Gratin de Macaroni:  A visit to Epcot‘s World Showcase wouldn’t be complete without dining at one of the restaurants in that area of the park.  The France Pavilion has two table service restaurants with one of those being, Chefs des France.  The Gratin de Macaroni is a baked macaroni with cream Gruyere cheese which is a cheese known for having a distinctive but not overpowering taste.

Harvest Inspired Farmer’s Salad:  The Garden Grill restaurant in The Land Pavilion  at Epcot serves its meals family style meaning that all of the items on the menu are brought to your table and are replenished as needed by the wait staff.  One of those dishes is the Harvest Inspired Farmer’s Salad made with fresh lettuce, chopped cucumber, crispy bacon bits, sliced egg and cherry tomatoes.  Perhaps best of all, some of the veggies you eat—including the cucumbers, Swiss chard, eggplant and sweet potatoes—may have even been grown in our Living with the Land greenhouses! (Excerpt from Walt Disney World website)  The restaurant slowly rotates and guests are afforded a glimpse of  scenes in the Living with the Land attraction.

Irish Coffee: One of the yummy desserts served at the Coral Reef Restaurant is the Bailey’s and Jack Daniels dessert. The Bailey’s and Jack Daniels dessert is served in a tall glass and has a whipped topping. The Coral Reef restaurant is located to the right of The Seas with Nemo and Friends building.  The restaurant has one of the most unique views of any found at the Walt Disney World Resort.  A full review of Coral Reef, complete with pictures of the restaurant and more entrees, posted to the site in January, 2015. Coral Reef Restaurant-Where Guests Dine with the Fishies!

Irish Coffee at Coral Reef-Picture by Lisa McBride

Jungle Steak and Shrimp: Just outside of the gates at the Animal Kingdom park is Rainforest Cafe where guests can feast on entrees such as the Jungle Steak and Shrimp.  When ordering this entree, you get not only a 7 oz. flat iron steak stopped with butter but also tender shrimp scampi and Caribbean Coconut Shrimp served with your choice of a side.  There’s also a Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney Marketplace.  To read more about this rumble in the jungle restaurant, there was an article posted recently: Amazonian Delights at Rainforest Cafe! It’s a Jungle in There!

Kid’s Cheese Pizza:  The Disney Company recognizes the fact that kids can sometimes be finicky eaters (as can many adults).  In order to accommodate those tiny taste buds, counter service and table service restaurants have a separate children’s menu with some of the more basic foods that kids like.   The Sci-Fi Dine In Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios serves a kid’s cheese pizza with their choice of a side item such as a fresh fruit cup.  Like the Coral Reef Restaurant, The Sci-Fi Dine In Theater is really unique and feels like an oasis in the middle of a busy theme park. 

Kids Pizza Sci-Fi

Lobster and Crab Crepes:  If the thought of dining in the one and only Cinderella Castle isn’t exciting enough for you, one glance at the menu will make you even more giddy at the prospect.  Look at how Cinderella’s Royal Table menu describes the Lobster and Crab Crepes: warm cheese-filled crepes topped with spinach, sautéed lobster, and blue crab meat with a poached egg perched on top and draped in Hollandaise sauce.  How decadent they sound!  For those who may think that a meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table is just for the little Princesses, that thought will be tossed aside when you read Cinderella’s Royal Table-Not Just for Girls.

lobster and crab crepe Cinderella’s Royal Table-Picture by Mary Ellen Kopp

Margarita Flight:  Want to try three margaritas at once?  Look no further than the Hollywood Brown Derby  in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  For a review of Hollywood Brown Derby’s Margarita Flight and more frosty beverages, you’ll want to read  Mary’s Frosty Beverages Picks at Walt Disney World Resort.

Margarita Flight at Hollywood Brown Derby

New York Style Cheesecake:  The Plaza Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom park is known for it’s scrumptuous desserts, most notably their ice cream dishes.  But, the New York Style Cheesecake that’s on their dessert menu ranks high on the list too.  The cheesecake is creamy, and smooth, and rich, and dense, and absolutely delicious!

Out-of-this-World Turtle Cheesecake:  While we are on the subject of desserts and cheesecake, let’s talk about the Out-of-this-World Turtle Cheesecake on the menu at the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater.  The smooth as silk cheesecake is sprinkled with Heath Bar, pecans, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, and topped with whipped cream.  It really is an out-of-this-world dessert!  Another “O” dessert served at the Sci-Fi is the Orbiting Oreos Milkshake that’s talked about in the Sci-Fi article linked above and here.

Orbiting Oreo’s Milkshake

Polla a las Ragas:  Remember the reference to the “other dishes” in the Camarones a la Diabla description above?  Here’s one of the others.  The San Angel Inn Restaurante’s menu includes another fantastic entree, the Polla a las Ragas.  Polla a las Ragas is a grilled chicken breast served over red peppers, onion, cream sauce, poblano rice, and queso fresco.  As with the Camarones a la Diabla, you can also order the gluten-free version of Polla a las Ragas.

Pollo a las Rajas

Quattro Formaggi Signature Pie: Via Napoli, the table service restaurant located in the Italy pavilion in Epcot‘s World Showcase, is the restaurant to visit if you want an authentic Italian pizza while at Walt Disney World.  The pies are made with special water and imported flour and baked in one of the restaurant’s three wood-fire ovens.  The Quattro Formaggi Signature Pie is a white pizza with mozzarella, parmesan, fontina and provolone cheeses.  Should you wish to have the red sauce added as my son did, the waiter or waitress will let the Chef know.

Pizza Via Napoli-Picture by Lisa McBride

Reuben Sandwich:  Earlier, I talked about The Plaza Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom being known for the luscious desserts.  While that’s definitely true, the sandwiches there are also popular as they are made fresh to order and are large enough to replace the calories burned while walking the parks.   The Reuben Sandwich is made from thinly sliced corned beef on grilled marble rye with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing.  The sandwiches, which are on both the lunch and dinner menu at The Plaza, are served with one of three sides: broccoli slaw, homemade chips or French fries.  Magic Kingdom Table Service Dining gives much more information about dining in the Magic Kingdom park.

Steak Fajita Bowl:  Splitsville Luxury Lanes is a 50,000-square-foot bowling and dining complex where you’ll enjoy family-friendly fun in an upscale, modern atmosphere. Splitsville is one of the newer restaurants to have opened in the Downtown Disney area which is undergoing a complete transformation and will have a new name, Disney Springs.  When you think of bowling alley, you probably don’t think great food.  But, once you take a look-see at the menu, you’ll quickly realize where the “luxury” portion of the name comes from.  One of the items on the menu at Splitsville Luxury Lanes is the Steak Fajita Bowl: Grilled marinated steak is served with sautéed red and green peppers, onions then drizzled with tataki sauce. Served with sushi rice and cilantro.

Photo by Danielle Voss

Tofu Salad with Wonton Chips:  Guests who have an advanced dining reservation at Nine Dragons in the China Pavilion of Epcot‘s World Showcase have a variety of appetizers and entrees to choose from.  The Tofu Salad with Wonton Chips is just one of ten appetizers served at Nine Dragons.  The tofu is seasoned with Nine Dragon’s own sweet blend of spices and is served with wonton chips.    At this time, the Tofu Salad with Wonton Chips is on the lunch and the dinner menus.

Ugly But Good Dessert:  If you have dinner at Via Napoli in Italy in Epcot’s World Showcase, you’ll want to try the Ugly But Good Dessert which has been on the menu the last three times we have had dinner at Via Napoli.  The Copa di Brutti Ma Buoni (Ugly But Good) is my husband’s  favorite. It may be “ugly” but the  cherry and vanilla gelato sundae with a cookie sure is good!

Ugly But Good Via Napoli-Picture by Lisa McBride

Volcano:   The Sparkling Volcano  dessert is a great way to end a wild meal at the Rainforest Cafe at either Downtown Disney Marketplace or Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  There is great fanfare involved when the volcano is delivered to your table. As the name implies, the volcano comes out sparkling and the wait staff  shout “VOLCANOOOOOO” .  The Sparkling Volcano is huge and is enough for a small family. The rich chocolate brownie cake is stacked high, served warm with vanilla ice cream,  whipped topping and topped with caramel and chocolate sauces.

Waffles:  Waffles come in all shapes and sizes at the Walt Disney World Resort.  Most that are served at the buffets (see B above) are shaped like Mickey Mouse and light and airy just as a waffle should be.  Top them with butter and syrup or eat them all by themselves.  No matter how you like your waffles, they are sure to be on your own ABC list of foods to have when at Walt Disney World.

eXtra Special Treat:  Just as was written in the Wear These in Disney and Guests May BADGE-r You article, “Disney Parks love to help Guests celebrate!”  Oftentimes, the way that the cast members help guests celebrate is by bringing an extra special treat to the table after the meal.

Birthday Cupcake

RoYal Feast:  Restaurant Marrakesh has several combination meals on their menu and one of those is the  Royal Feast.  Guests have their choice of one appetizer: Jasmina Salad – Lettuce, tomato, olives, feta cheese in mustard vinaigrette or Seafood Bastilla – baked layers of thin pastry filled with grouper, shrimp, mushrooms.  For their entrees, the choices are: Lemon Chicken – braised half chicken with garlic, green olives, and preserved lemon or Roast Lamb Meshoui – lamb shank braised in natural juices OR Couscous with Seven Vegetables – National dish – steamed tiny semolina pasta served with seasoned vegetables.  Assorted Moroccan Pastries are served for the dessert.   Restaurant Marrakesh is located in the Morocco Pavilion in World Showcase at Epcot.

Zeppole di Caterina: I reviewed the Ugly But Good dessert above but there’s also another dessert served at Via Napoli that’s on our “we must eat this every time we go to Walt Disney World” list.  The Zeppole di Caterina, also referred to as “little balls of deliciousness” by our family, are ricotta cheese fritters, served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.   The order is large enough to share but I must warn you that, if you do, don’t be surprised if you find yourself ordering more.

Zeppole at Via Napoli-Picture by Lisa McBride

That’s it!  That’s the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? The Table Service Parks Edition!  As I told you all in the Drinks & Snacks Parks Edition and the Counter Service Parks Edition, the foods listed here are a very small sampling of what’s available at the Walt Disney World Resort restaurants.

**DIStracted tip: Advance Dining Reservations are recommended at all table service restaurants on Walt Disney World property.  For more information about Advance Dining Reservations, click here.

The entire Magical DIStractions team is dedicated to providing you with the most accurate and up-to-date information that we possibly can. However, Walt Disney World is constantly expanding and changing. There is a possibility that you might not find some of the items listed when you arrive at Walt Disney World but, with so many onsite restaurants to choose from, you’re sure to find an alternative.

Don’t forget that this is only the third article in a series of many.  The links to the prior two are posted above.  My family and I will be off for our 21st trip and two week adventure to Walt Disney World soon and I’ll be gathering information and taking pictures to include in future articles in the Where in Walt Disney World Can I Find? series.

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