Many of us have been there. We’re all set to go to Walt Disney World for the trip of a lifetime, and we can’t wait to share this experience with our kiddos!
But even though Disney is the Happiest Place on Earth, navigating its vastness with a toddler can be challenging at best, and a nightmare at worst.
And few parts of the trip are more challenging than meal times.
While we all agree that certain spots are inappropriate for small children — Victoria and Albert’s restricts patrons to the over 10 crowd — there are some choices that are better than others.
And you may be surprised to know…it doesn’t all come down to characters.
Below, we offer you a few choices from our picks for Best Spots to Eat with a Toddler — a brand new section in our just-released DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015. Pick up yours today for $4 off using code 2015 right here!
We Love Him — But There’s More to Eating at Disney with Kiddos Than Just This Guy!
Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
One of my favorite spots to dine no matter who’s with me is Sanaa. Located in Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, the restaurant is known for its exotic menu of African and Indian Fusion. And when I dine here, you know you’re gonna spy some incredible Butter Chicken on the table!
Tandoori Trio with Butter Chicken and Spicy Chicken
While the menu makes it a must-visit spot for guests who enjoy out of the ordinary cuisine, the restaurant is also quiet and rarely crowded — great features for guests who have a small fry in tow.
But the real attraction for toddlers is the view! Forget animatronics on the Jungle Cruise — look out the windows at Sanaa’s sweeping vistas and you’ll see the real deal!
View from Sanaa
Sanaa overlooks Sunset Savanna and spying a zebra, giraffe, or other exotic animal is practically guaranteed!
You Just Might View Some Animals While You Take in Lunch at Sanaa
Here’s another TIP: Keep in mind when you make your advance dining reservation that the animals tend to retire early, and it may get dark on the savanna earlier than you think. Planning lunch or an early dinner at Sanaa during daylight hours is your best bet for seeing the wild side of the restaurant.
Play ‘n Dine at Hollywood and Vine Restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Although there are puh-lenty of Character Dining options at Disney, some are better than others when it comes to entertaining babies and toddlers. We’ve chosen two in the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015, and Play ‘n Dine at Hollywood and Vine Restaurant is one of them.
So, what sets Hollywood and Vine’s Play ‘n Dine apart? The characters! While practically all other Character Dining options at Disney involve either some subset of the Fab Five or Disney Princesses, Hollywood and Vine’s Play ‘n Dine features the original characters from the Disney Junior lineup! That means that your kiddo will come face to face with friends like Pirate Jake, Doc McStuffins, and Princess Sophia!
Jake the Pirate Just May Try to Join You for Lunch!
Seeing these beloved characters up close and larger than life is completely magical for most kiddos. And the buffet menu features lots of kid favorites, too. Even picky eaters will enjoy the spread!
I Have Two Words for You: Chocolate. Fountain.
Here’s another TIP: If you’re interested in sharing a meal with the funner-than-fun Disney Junior Gang, be sure to book your advance dining reservation for breakfast or lunch. Dinner offers a bountiful buffet — but no characters. (Maybe it’s past their bedtimes or something.)
Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot
Finally, we come to another of our favorite spots for Disney dining with our small humans — Epcot’s Coral Reef Restaurant.
Coral Reef Dining Room
Coral Reef shares its view with neighboring attraction The Seas with Nemo & Friends, and the star of the show is the largest inland saltwater environment ever built! As you dine, you’ll experience the ever-changing waterscape of a thriving coral reef. (Check out a review of our recent lunch here.)
How Would You Like to Share Lunch with This Dude?
And thanks to the souvenir Fish Guides, a visit here can be as educational as it is fun! Besides, trying to identify all of the sea creatures will make the wait time go by in a snap.
Use Your Souvenir Fish Guide to Keep Kiddos Busy Until Their Food Arrives
For more Disney Restaurant suggestions that are great for Toddlers, be sure to order your copy of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015! We’ve got lots of suggestions that are guaranteed to keep your kid busy enough for you to shovel a bite or two of food into your mouth. Maybe even three! 😉
Ready for All of Our Best Tips?
We’ve got TONS of Disney World Dining Tips in our big, bold, 490-page DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 — and the guide is your ticket to planning your best Disney trip yet!
The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 20+ years of visits. We’ve done the research for you, so you’ll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family’s needs!
With sample dining itineraries, plus our “Disney Dining at a Glance” section, featuring “Where Can I Find?” options, you’ll have everything you need to plan the best vacation ever. Click here to get your copy of The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 E-book — and use code 2015 for an extra $4 discount for a limited time!
What’s your favorite spot for sharing a meal with a toddler in Walt Disney World? Join the conversation in comments below!
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We took our kids (ages 2 and 1) in 2014 and we ate at both Sanaa and Hollywood and Vine (for breakfast). They loved both places. They even loved Be Our Guest (but seriously, how can you not love that place). Can’t wait to take them in 2016 and try Coral Reef. I think they would enjoy seeing fish swimming around while we’re eating! Definitely going back to Sanaa as well. They loved looking out those giant windows.
O’hana doing the hula dancing is a favorite of our kids. As well as the sights and sounds up at the California Grill. Of course we have to go outside to watch Wishes!!!
Oh and Shannon above….your kids likely will enjoy the fish swimming, however will mom and dad like their meal at CR is the better question???
People probably know this already, but the buffet breakfast at Cape May Cafe (Yacht & Beach Club) is a fantastic character dining experience for toddlers and young children. And the food is pretty great too!
My son and my whole family loves the Garden Grill. He’s particularly fond of Chip and Dale, but Mickey and Pluto are there as well, and with such a small restaurant, you get to see the characters multiple times during your meal, and it’s not as echoingly loud as some of the bigger character buffets.