Citricos

The best meal of our entire stay was, hands down, Citricos. This restaurant features subtle Mary Poppins touches, including a private dining room adorned with a replica of her iconic parrot-handled umbrella and her handbag. The waiting staff were so kind—my daughter, who was dressed as Mary Poppins, was invited into the room to hold the props and take photos.

The Grand Floridian, which hosts Citricos, also has a PhotoPass photography studio onsite. The photographer captured the most amazing family portraits, including some magical shots with Cinderella's glass slipper.

The dining room at Citricos felt more intimate, quieter, and more special than the other premium restaurants we visited at Disney World. The food was excellent—my three courses included a delicately citrus-cured Hamachi, the famous and flavorful Malbec Guava-barbecued short ribs, and a beautifully presented profiterole trio. Later in the evening, the lights were dimmed slightly so we could watch the fireworks through the windows. While the music isn't piped in, it's still a wonderful experience to enjoy dessert while watching the fireworks explode in the distance.

Before our meal, we enjoyed a drink at the Enchanted Rose Lounge—the elegant, Beauty and the Beast–themed bar located just next door to Citricos. The entire dining and drinking experience at the Grand Floridian was flawless. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Previous Next

Cindarella's Royal Table

The hardest reservation to get was Cinderella’s Royal Table, located inside the castle at Magic Kingdom. At exactly sixty days out, we managed to secure a 7:00 PM booking. We finished dining around 8:30 PM and made our way down the spiral staircase, passing the iconic frosted window featuring Cinderella. After a brief delay for a fireworks test, we were let out. If you're not out of the restaurant at least 15 minutes before the fireworks begin, you’ll have to wait inside until the show ends.

The experience begins downstairs, where you join a short queue to meet Cinderella for a photo opportunity. A Disney PhotoPass photographer is on hand, and Cinderella, like the other princesses, will sign autographs. After that, you wait to be royally summoned up the stairs into the main dining room. Although we weren’t seated by a window, we could still see the carousel glowing outside. The dining room is tall and regal, with colorful banners flying in the circular dome overhead.

During your meal, three other princesses—typically Aurora, Ariel, and Merida visit each table for greetings and photos, much like other character dining experiences. Each guest is also given a keepsake magic wand, which is a lovely touch.

Food-wise, Cinderella’s Royal Table exceeded my expectations. The crispy pork belly was served on what felt like an entire greenhouse worth of tomatoes — perhaps too many, but I appreciated the chance to get some vitamins in, so I ate it all. The grilled filet mignon was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The desserts were both visually stunning and tasty - for example, the whimsical cheesecake shaped like wedges of cheese and the iconic “Clock Strikes Twelve” chocolate dessert.

This is definitely one of the more expensive dining experiences at Disney World, currently priced at $88 per adult and $52 per child. It is eligible for the Disney Dining Plan (requiring two table-service credits). While it’s not something we would repeat, it’s a truly memorable experience that we’re very glad to have done once.

Previous Next

The Boathouse

The Boathouse is located at Disney Springs, which is a must-visit in itself. It’s a huge restaurant with many rooms, including the coveted speedboat table. We seemed to get one of the best tables though – outside with a view over the Amphicars in the water and the exploding volcano from the Rainforest Café. The setting was just perfect.

The food is also very good. My crab cake was packed with meat and my wife’s salmon was perfectly cooked and served with a nice selection of broccoli. You have to order sides separately – I enjoyed my truffle fries, but they were an extra $13.50 on top of the $34 for the crab cake.

The key lime pie for dessert was gigantic. Ridiculously gigantic. I can eat a lot, but couldn’t get anywhere near to finishing this colossal calorie concoction. It’s a good key lime pie though, and you could easily share a single slice of it between four people.

Despite its scale, the food was done well, the service was great, and the atmosphere perfect. The Boathouse was a brilliant place to enjoy the first meal of our holiday on Disney property.

Previous Next

Sanaa

Sanaa is located at Kidani Village, part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. It’s a smaller venue compared to Jambo House but just as beautifully themed as the rest of the resort. We were lucky to get a table by the window, which offered wonderful views of giraffes and zebras roaming outside on the savanna.

Most people start with the Indian-style bread service, and for good reason — it comes with nine different dips and is extremely flavorful. For our main course, we chose the Potjie-inspired butter chicken and lentil daal. While the concept is great, the curry itself could have used more meat. That said, it’s one of the few places on Disney property where you can enjoy a curry, and the flavour was decent.

The biggest surprise was the desserts — they all looked stunning and tasted good as well. My favorite was the Giraffe Tower Mousse, especially with its rich peanut butter flavor throughout. For pure chocolate indulgence, the Wilde-best Wildebeest dessert perfectly hit the spot. Given the generous bread service, rice, daal, and curry, it might be tempting to skip dessert here — but that would be a real shame. The desserts at Sanaa are not to be missed.

Previous Next

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Roundup Rodeo BBQ is an all-you-can-eat dining experience, but everything is brought to your table family-style. The cheddar biscuits served as starters were delicious, especially when dipped into the sweet pepper jelly — they were a definite highlight.

The barbecue itself isn’t the best you’ll ever have, but it’s far from the worst. The salmon — probably the tastiest of all the mains — is included, but you’ll need to specifically request it. Audio clips from the Toy Story movies play throughout the meal, and everyone is asked to “freeze” when the "Andy's coming!" is announced. It’s a fun touch, though the experience would be even more magical with character dining — having Woody or Jessie wander around would really elevate the atmosphere.

The restaurant is fun and visually appealing, with large statues like Bo Peep and colorful décor covering the walls. The mini cupcake desserts were perfectly sized after such a big meal, and the Cupcake à la Forky both looked great and fitted the theme perfectly.

Overall, Roundup Rodeo BBQ exceeded my expectations based on some of the reviews I had read beforehand. I would definitely recommend trying it at least once, especially if you're visiting with children who have seen the Toy Story movies.

Previous Next

California Grill

California Grill is located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, where you can watch the monorail glide in and out of the building before your meal. After checking in, you take an elevator ride up to the top floor and enter the spacious restaurant with its open kitchen and sweeping views.

We didn’t get a table right by the window, which would have offered a panoramic view over Magic Kingdom. The restaurant itself is very open and noisy. For a meal costing over $400 for four people, I’m not sure it’s worth it for the food alone. However, the main attraction here is the fireworks viewing. Guests are invited onto a large outdoor terrace to enjoy an unobstructed view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks, with the music played over speakers. You can even catch a glimpse of Epcot’s fireworks in the opposite direction. It's a great option if you have a child who is sensitive to loud bangs, though the angle doesn’t allow for a clear view of the castle projections.

I chose the deluxe wine pairing, bringing my meal to $161 (compared to $89 without wine). It’s the only wine pairing option currently offered and includes three generous pours: a glass of Veuve Clicquot with the starter, an excellent Nickel & Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon with the main, and a Royal Tokaji dessert wine — each one crisp and very enjoyable.

For starter, I had the surf & turf roll sushi. Unfortunately, it seemed like it had been pre-prepared and left out a bit too long, as it was slightly dry. The oak-grilled filet of beef for the main course was much better — cooked well, nicely charred over the open flame, and served with creamy mashed potatoes and asparagus. All the desserts were excellent, and my daughter was especially delighted with her ice cream sandwich. In fact, all the children’s courses — including the chicken, green beans, and potatoes were very good.

This is another Disney restaurant I’m glad we experienced once, but due to the high prices, loud atmosphere, and large size of the dining area, it’s not one we’d return to. The Disney Dining Plan is currently not accepted at the California Grill.

Previous Next

Topolino's Terrace

We took a trip to Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort, where you can explore the hotel and see photos of Walt Disney, an old Mickey Mouse soft toy, lots of artwork, and plenty of Disney Vacation Club rental apartments.

When we arrived and checked in, we asked if we could get a window seat. Unfortunately, we were told the wait would be about 40 minutes. As far as I know, there’s no way to request a specific table in advance – it’s all handled when you go up to the check-in desk.

The first thing delivered to our table was a painter’s bucket filled with croissants and sweet treats. It’s a fun touch and was very welcome, especially since we were starving.

The real highlight, though, is the à la carte breakfast. The steak and eggs dish was excellent – easily one of the best meals we had on Disney property. The huge gluten-free waffle with dipping sauces was also a big hit. With the dining plan, you get one drink included – anything from a cappuccino to a Bellini.

A major part of the experience is the character interaction. Mickey, Minnie, and Daisy all come around dressed in their painter overalls. Like at any character dining, they’ll sign autograph books, pose for photos, and have a bit of fun – at one point, they spun my daughter around and accidentally knocked her headband over her eyes, which she will remember for a long time.

Topolino’s Terrace is a lovely restaurant overall. It’s not too noisy, the tables are well spaced, and it feels peaceful since you’re up at the top of the Riviera Resort. You can also step out onto the terrace and take some nice photos – the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios looms large in the distance.

Previous Next

Boma - flavors of Africa

Boma – Flavors of Africa is a very popular buffet restaurant located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House. The layout and design of the area are brilliant. From the hotel lobby, you descend to the Victoria Falls Lounge, and then further down to the ground floor, where Boma sits across from Jiko. Given the size of the restaurant, a large buffet area is necessary — and it’s very well-organized and themed.

Some of the buffet staples include African-spiced beef striploin, Durban chicken, peanut rice, and the famous butternut squash soup. All were very enjoyable. The meats are seasoned with African spices, but the flavours are balanced and never overpowering. For dessert, the standout was the warm bread pudding, but Boma is also your chance to try as many of the viral Zebra Domes as you'd like.

Our waiter was extremely friendly and even surprised us with an extra plate of mini desserts, including some different varieties of Zebra Domes. Every now and then, a small procession of cast members passes through the restaurant playing African drums — an immersive and joyful touch that adds to the ambiance.

Boma may not be a life-changing buffet, but it’s a very good one. And with the rich theming and atmosphere of Animal Kingdom Lodge, the whole experience feels special.

Previous Next

Tusker House, Animal Kingdom

Tusker House, located inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom, is a hugely fun character dining experience. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Goofy all appear in their safari outfits, regularly dancing through the aisles and spending a generous amount of time at each table. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get the “Big Four” in your autograph book and on your camera roll—all in one go. Personally though, I was just grateful for the air conditioning!

The buffet is solid and varied. While it isn’t life-changing, it offers a wide selection of well-prepared dishes. Some items are spiced, but none overwhelmingly so. I especially enjoyed the bread selection paired with the flavorful dips, the green curry shrimp, and the spit-roasted chicken served alongside North African-style pilau rice.

There’s also a nice assortment of mini desserts, making it easy to sample a little bit of everything. All in all, Tusker House combines decent food with excellent character interaction, making it a very good dining experience.

Previous Next

The Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom

Breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and friends at The Crystal Palace inside Magic Kingdom was terrific. Pooh Bear stands in the middle of the room, and guests join a short queue to meet him. The other characters — Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger — visit each table. Eeyore is especially in character, which is brilliant, particularly when he sadly signs your autograph book.

The gluten-free selection for my daughter was met with joy, and the rest of the buffet was really good. It included Mickey waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, smoked salmon, chocolate chip pancakes and fruit. Everything was well prepared, and I think this was my favorite buffet experience of our entire trip.

If you or your children have any interest in Winnie the Pooh and friends, this is a must-visit dining experience.

Previous Next

Centertown Market - Caribben Beach Resort

We were really excited to try the Disney Skyliner gondolas, so after finishing our day at Hollywood Studios, we took the Skyliner to Caribbean Beach Resort. After a short walk, with a fun stop to play on the beach hammocks, we arrived at the quick-service restaurant.

The food at Centertown Market wasn’t anything special, and the counter service felt notably more abrupt than at other deluxe resorts. However, the roasted half chicken, chicken strips, and Mickey brownie were all adequate for a quick meal. Sitting outside and watching the sun set made the experience hugely enjoyable.

This was a great reminder of how wonderful Disney World can be—you can just hop on the cable car and enjoy a meal somewhere new, especially when using the dining plan.

Previous Next

Animal Kingdom Lodge

The restaurant we visited most often was The Mara at Jambo House. Breakfast was always reliable, with Mickey waffles or the Savanna Platter (scrambled eggs, potato barrels, sausage, and bacon) providing plenty of fuel for a day at the parks. The steel-cut oatmeal — made a little healthier by skipping the brown sugar topping — was a good alternative.

For a lighter dinner, we tried one of The Mara's combination bowls, which includes prawns, chicken and a mix of pilau rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, and sour cream. The Mara always had plenty of seating available, and the queues were never long, so we usually opted for counter service and didn’t use the mobile ordering option.

Previous Next

Olga's Cantina, Hollywood Studios

Olga’s Cantina, the Star Wars-themed bar, is busy and requires advance reservations. There’s a strict one-hour time limit or a two-drink maximum — whichever comes first. The space is dark and loud. We were allocated standing room by the bar, but thankfully a cast member provided my daughter with a stool.

The highlight is the novelty drinks, such as the “Fuzzy Tauntaun,” which numbed my lips, and the “Carbon Freeze,” which bubbled and smoked. It’s definitely worth a visit, but we probably wouldn’t return. It would be great if stormtroopers regularly made surprise inspections, and I found the DJ rather static — I expected more of an animatronic show.

Previous Next