Because dining at Disney with little ones should be magical, not stressful.
This is for the parents who have toddlers that don’t quite understand yet how to stay sitting at a restaurant. The parents who get stressed out when thinking about sit down meals with their kids. When eating out at home, my husband and I will take turns walking our daughter around the seating areas, breaking out all the magnet tiles, and stacking sugar packets… all to keep her entertained. However, I am not wasting my precious luggage space packing all sorts of toys just for our dining reservations!
This is where Disney does what Disney does best keeping the most curious toddlers from wondering!
Over the years, I have tried many, many restaurants across the Disney parks, resorts and at Disney Springs. Here are my top 3 choices when I am planning my reservations, and why you and your toddler will love them. Quick serving, delicious food? Check. Built in entertainment? Check. Stress free meals? Check. A meal where you might actually get to enjoy your own food while it’s still warm?
Now that’s a win!
Roundup Rodeo BBQ: Hollywood Studios
This is my number one pick while dining in Disney World. The all you can eat family-style food, lively music, and cast member + guest interactions are all top notch.
From the moment you enter, you become immersed in Andy’s backyard as a toy. All the décor makes it seem as if you are shrunk down and seeing the backyard from a toy’s perspective. Children can even “ride” to their table on a stick horse!
Why it works for toddlers?
With our toddler’s short attention span, the family-style BBQ food is perfect for us because there is basically no waiting for food to arrive. Once you sit down and verify any allergies, the first course starts coming out within minutes…and keeps coming. Even the pickiest eaters will be able to find something to their liking during the courses (hello, mac & cheese). My toddler LOVED when the announcement came on saying “Andy’s coming!” and everyone would freeze. You really feel as if you are a toy in the movie and that alone helped keep my toddler in her seat the entire meal.
Raglan Road: Disney Springs
Out of the numerous options at Disney Springs for restaurants, we will always go back to Raglan Road. While the food is delicious authentic Irish cuisine and there is a shop to walk through while you wait for your table, it’s the Irish dancing and music that makes this restaurant unique.
The Raglan Road Irish Dancers perform daily (check the times on the website before you go) and you do NOT want to miss seeing them!
Why it works for toddlers?
My daughter’s eyes were wide open the whole meal, watching the insanely high kicks! Her eyes never left the dancers when they were performing, even as I was spoon feeding her dinner. There are a few different stages they perform on and she would turn around trying to watch from every viewpoint. Raglan Road does a great job of providing entertainment for the kids while still having an adult setting, including delicious drinks and food. If you are an Espresso Martini lover like me, do not skip getting one at Raglan Road!
Chef Mickey’s: Contemporary Resort
Chef Mickey’s, inside the Contemporary Resort, is a character dining buffet with Mickey Mouse and his pals.
While we only waited maybe two minutes to be seated inside, there was plenty to keep us occupied while we waited, with different stores and a sitting area available. Before Mickey and his pals make it to your table, there is so much to keep the children busy. My daughter’s favorite way to keep busy was watching the monorail ride by and waving at the passengers.
Why it works for toddlers?
Dining with toddlers is all about speed, and the buffet option helped to keep our toddler happy while waiting on the characters to arrive (not to mention, as many of those drool worth Mickey waffles as you want). The cast member serving us was also amazing, making sure we saw all of the characters, even going as far as to bring Daisy back around since my daughter missed her the first time.
We got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy. I was surprised at how long each character stayed at each table, we never once felt rushed to have our daughter talk to them or get our picture. It was so sweet how the characters went out of their way to pay special attention to our 5-month-old baby as well, making sure she was never excluded. As far as buffet character experiences go, Chef Mickey’s was 10/10 and our toddler is still talking about her breakfast with Minnie, even months later.
bonus tip
〰️
bonus tip 〰️
Any character meal is a toddler entertainment cheat code.
Even if you have a shy toddler, the character meals are great because they come to you, no waiting in line necessary. Also, do not be afraid to pack some small snacks to break out while you wait on your food!
My BIGGEST recommendation
Is to take advantage of the Advance Dining Reservations. I, your travel agent, will be ready at 6am on the opening day of your dining reservation calendar, to book whatever restaurants you will love. If you are torn between different restaurants, or unsure which is the best fit for your family, we at Triple the Magic Travel Co. are here to help! We have years of personal knowledge to call upon to help guide you and create the most memorable, magical, stress-free experiences at Disney. Reach out today and let’s build your trip together.
About the Author
This article was written by Megan Kaufman, travel agent with Triple the Magic Travel Co. From theme parks and cruises to all-inclusive resorts and family vacations, she is passionate about helping clients create unforgettable travel experiences without the stress of planning it all themselves. Ready to start planning your next adventure? Contact Megan today for personalized vacation planning services at no additional cost to you.
Email: wanderwithmegan@aol.com
Instagram: @wander.with.megan
Request a Quote: Walt Disney World Quote
