Planning our Fastpasses for our Walt Disney World trip was hard, and planning our meals around those passes was even harder! There are countless restaurants to choose from, but the most important thing to consider is your plans for that day. For example, if you plan on spending the morning at Magic Kingdom, you probably don’t want to make a lunch reservation at a restaurant in Animal Kingdom! It is tough to plan that far ahead for many people, but here are a few must-try Disney World Restaurants that we booked ahead of time.
Be Our Guest – Lunch
From what we read on countless other blogs, Be Our Guest is a must-see! This restaurant is located in Magic Kingdom and it was definitely one of our favorites. I ordered the French Onion Soup, which is a great option if you are looking for something on the lighter side. I like to save room for snacks! Brian ordered the Carved Turkey Sandwich, which is served on a baguette and it includes fries. We also each got The Master’s Cupcake: a chocolate sponge cake topped with Lumiere’s famous “Grey Stuff”.
There are 3 dining rooms to choose from and we chose The West Wing. This room is great if you are looking for somewhere darker, smaller and quieter than the others. This dining room is a popular choices so I wouldn’t plan on finding a clean, empty table. We waited by a table with dirty dishes on it for a few minutes before an employee came to clean it up. It was definitely worth the wait!
The most important point that is a MUST if you come to Be Our Guest for lunch is to order your food ahead of time online. We skipped a line that had to have been at least a 45-minute wait just by doing so. During lunch, you have to order your food before you sit down, so if you order your food online, you get to skip the ordering line and head straight to pay and to find a table. You can order your food up to 30 days in advance on the Disney World app, though we ordered in the day of our reservation. Think of doing this like a fastpass for your lunch!
Mama Melrose
We wanted to watch the Star Wars firework show at 9:30pm so we made a late dinner reservation at Mama Melrose prior to the show. Mama Melrose is one of the few table service restaurants located in Hollywood Studios. You receive bread free with your meal, which always makes me happy!
Their menu has a lot of options, including 10 appetizers and 12 meals to choose from. I chose Mama’s Italian Pasta: spaghetti tossed with roasted garlic, tomato, fresh basil, and an asiago-herb crostini. Brian chose the Seasonally-inspired Chef’s Selection, which included risotto and braised beef. We loved the food, the service and the ambience of the restaurant!
The Boathouse
The Boathouse is located in Disney Springs, which is similar to Disneyland’s Downtown Disney. Disney Springs may be out of the way for you depending on where your hotel is; we were staying at Saratoga Springs so we were only a short boat ride away! If you are far from Disney Springs I still recommend visiting it on a free day or evening as there is a lot to do!
We chose to eat at The Boathouse for our anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint. We asked to sit outside and they easily accommodated us. They bring free bread that was so good we may have asked for seconds (or thirds!). Their menu had a great selection; although their main selections include seafood, there are also options that do not include any fish. I asked the waiter what he recommends, so he marked up our menu with the most popular dishes (see the below photo!).
We shared the Original Lobster Bake which includes 1.25-lb whole Maine lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters, andouille sausage, red potatoes and corn on the cob in a lobster broth. I am not usually a seafood eater and I loved it!
Of course for dessert, we each got our own. Brian ordered the root beer float and I had double chocolate bundt cake. Although it was pretty, I thought the taste of the cake was ok! Overall, the scenery on their deck and the fresh seafood is a definite must-try!
Skipper Canteen
Skipper Canteen, located in Magic Kingdom, was a great change from all of the funnel cakes we had been eating! If you have ever been on the Jungle Cruise ride at either Disney World or Disneyland you know that the ride is known for their sarcastic and often cheesy jokes. Skipper Canteen is located very close to the Jungle Cruise ride and the waiters are required to also crack jokes with you!
Brian ordered the “Tasted Like Chicken, Because it is!”. This crispy-fried chicken dish is served with jasmine rice, vegetables and a chili glaze. I ordered the Perkins Thai Noodles; it’s a less silly title than many of the other menu items but it was delicious! This dish included rice noodles, chicken, tofu and seasonal vegetables that were tossed in a spicy soy-chili garlic sauce. This is known to be the spiciest item on the menu, so fair warning! It did have a kick to it but that is what made it so tasty. These menu items were a bit pricey at $24 each, but the ingredients were fresh, the flavors were great and the portions were good! I also had their Punch Line Punch, a tropical fruit juice with mango puree with a spiced rim on my glass, and it was also great!
One word of advice if you do plan on eating here is to bring a jacket. We came on a day where it was raining on and off, but they were running the air conditioning inside the restaurant like it was 110 degrees outside. It might have just been the day we went but I figured I should add this disclaimer!
Boma
The Animal Kingdom Lodge is far away from everything, so we made it a point to visit Boma on the day we weren’t visiting the parks. Boma is an African buffet that is open for breakfast and dinner. We chose to go during dinner time and had a good experience. It wasn’t my favorite, but when you come to buffets you usually come for quantity more than quality!
The breakfast buffet includes a mix of regular breakfast foods (pancakes, bacon and oatmeal) to more interesting options like plantains, quinoa and French toast bread pudding. There are so many options you may not get a chance to try everything you want; I was so full, I didn’t get a chance to try any pastries!
