In 2025, our team reviewed over 100 restaurants in Disney World!

Everything from character meals to pool bars to snack stands to signature dining was on our review list, and we had some incredibly memorable experiences eating our way around Disney World. But along the way, we also learned some important tips and lessons — today we’re here to share them with you!

The Spots That Pleasantly Surprised Us

Of course, one of the most important things we did in 2025 was try a bunch of new snacks and dining offerings. Several of those pleasantly surprised us!

One new addition to the menu at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in EPCOT this year was the Cinnamon Roll with Orange Cream Cheese Icing for $7.49. This was a delicious shock to us! That orange flavor was light and bright without being too overwhelming and paired wonderfully with the cream cheese and cinnamon. We’d definitely put this on our recommended breakfast options list for your next visit.

Another big addition to EPCOT this year was the adults-only lounge, GEO-82. Not only does this spot have a spectacular view of the park and a super cool location inside Spaceship Earth, but our reporters who reviewed this spot said it might have the best overall drinks and the #1 best charcuterie in all of Disney World. We said what we said!

Speaking of lounges, you know we’ve got to talk about The Beak and Barrel, Magic Kingdom‘s only bar! This pirate-themed space may be on the pricey end, but if you’re a big fan of the super-themed lounges they’ve been adding to the new Disney Cruise Line ships, this is as close as you’ll get to those on land. Honestly, worth a visit for the vibes alone! (You may just want to budget a little extra for this stop.)

Back to snack options, there’s a SECOND new cinnamon roll you need to know about in Disney World — the Mickey-shaped Bacon-Pecan-Caramel Cinnamon Roll is available at Westward Ho in Magic Kingdom for $8.49. This was gooey and sweet with crunchy pecans and lots of caramel. A much-needed addition to Frontierland for breakfast.

One of our other favorite breakfast spots in Magic Kingdom is Gaston’s Tavern, but now that restaurant is starting to level up its lunch menu as well! We loved the Ham and Gruyere Tart they used to serve here, but we might love the Ham and Gruyere Sandwich even MORE. This is cheesy and savory and has some lovely crispy edges on the toasted bread. It’s $10.79 and served with a side of chips.

Did we expect that one of our favorite snacks of the year would be on a pool bar menu? Absolutely not! But at Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill, we tried the Loaded Crab Fries for $11.79. They’re absolutely loaded with crab meat, cheese curds, bacon pieces, and crab bisque, and they are TO DIE FOR. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to get to this pool bar if you’re walking from Beach Club to Yacht Club along Crescent Lake, because we’ll be back for these again and again.

One of the big restaurant changes of the year was Shula’s closing at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, and Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina opening in its place. This fancy steakhouse has a French fry “bread service” and some of the most melt-in-your-mouth steak we’ve ever tried. Seriously, if you’re interested in adding a nice dinner to one of your vacation nights, this would be near the top of our recommendations.

Last on our list of notable new items (and one of my personal faves!) are the Pulled Pork and Pulled Chicken Arepas at The Smiling Crocodile in Animal Kingdom. The Smiling Crocodile had a bit of a tumultuous year with menu changes and weird hours, but now they’re open for lunch with two arepa options on the menu. Since these arrived and I ate them for a review, I’ve stopped by and ordered the chicken one FOUR more times for lunch when I’m in the parks. I can’t get enough.

But those are just the newbies with which we’re currently obsessed! What about the classics that have been around for years?

Classics We Loved Yet Again

To be the best in the business when it comes to Disney World dining, you’ve got to keep going back to spots you’ve already reviewed to make sure they’re still up to snuff. This means we rotate through restaurants — some popular spots get reviewed every six months while others get visited every year or two, or when there’s a menu change.  So, this section is all about the places that impressed us yet again in 2025.

First up, we have Swirls on the Water! We visit this snack spot at Disney Springs pretty frequently, because they change their menu with each season or major holiday. One of our go-to items here (and a must-try for classic Disney snack fans) is the Dole Whip Flight. The flavors will change frequently, but it’s a great way to sample unique Dole Whip creations you haven’t tried before in smaller portions.

The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers opened at Disney’s BoardWalk in 2024, and in 2025, The Cake Bake Shop Bakery was a spot that we visited several times. This is a great way to get some of the restaurant’s most spectacular desserts without making a dining reservation, and they have the most incredible cake slices with different seasonal flavors.

If you’ve been a fan of DFB for a while, you know we’re absolute suckers for Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in EPCOT’s France Pavilion. This bakery in the very back of the pavilion always seems to have a long line, and for GOOD reason. Their pastries are excellent, but some of our favorite eats are the savory options, from the Croque Monsieur to the Jambon Beurre to the Lobster Bisque. You’ll find us dining here for lunch fairly often.

Another DFB fave? Wine Bar George at Disney Springs! This has one of Disney World’s best brunches, and their Mac and Cheese Bites are one of our favorite small bites out there. The vibes are perfect for a chill dinner with friends or a relaxing way to enjoy your day off from the parks.

Okay, we’ve got to keep telling you about this hidden gem breakfast in Disney World, because people are not giving it enough hype. Ale & Compass at Yacht Club Resort has an excellent breakfast option where you can enjoy Continental Breakfast-style eats alongside made-to-order entrees. It’s one of the more affordable sit-down meals you can try in Disney World, too.

The EPCOT Resort area is a pretty spectacular dining hub, because another spot we reviewed again this year and loved was Beaches & Cream. This soda shop has classic sandwiches and sides, plus some of the most spectacular ice cream creations on property. Our team fave is the No Way José, which has peanut butter, hot fudge, chocolate, vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and chocolate morsels, whipped cream, and a cherry.

Our last entry in this category is another one I personally reviewed — lunch at Steakhouse 71! This restaurant has fast become a fan-favorite since it opened for Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021. Some of our go-to entrees here are the grilled cheese and the stack burger, and of course, you can’t stop by without ordering some of their signature chocolate cake!

But not everything we ate in 2025 was spectacular…there were some things we’re not super eager to try again.

Eats We’re Not Eager to Try Again

After years of being empty, a new snack spot opened in the old funnel cake stand at Disney’s BoardWalk. The menu is pretty standard fare, though we were intrigued by “Salt Water Taffy Popcorn.” This turned out to be a prepackaged mix that mostly tasted like sugar and a trip to the dentist. Fun color-wise, but not nearly as exciting as it sounds.

One rather chaotic meal we had in 2025 was Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort. While I felt that the food quality had improved for breakfast since the last time I was here, the experience was kind of wild. The character interactions were rushed, and so was the meal. I’ve been to other character meals with Mickey and friends in Disney World that were more relaxed (and where I got to see the characters multiple times). I also found that it seemed like there were constantly other guests in your personal space with the way the booth tables are set up. It’s a classic meal that’s great to do just to say you did, but it’s not the #1 experience for character dining either. 

There are a few different “burger and chicken tenders” quick service restaurants in the Disney World parks, but probably the least of them is Backlot Express at Hollywood Studios. With some other, more interesting dining options nearby, my dry, unseasoned burger wasn’t something I care to enjoy again. They have one or two decent items on the menu, but I would rank most other Hollywood Studios quick service spots higher. (However, they DO have plastic cheese!)

Lessons We Learned in 2025

One of our reporters visited Frontera Cocina at Disney Springs in 2025, and she described it as “the closest thing to truly authentic Mexican food I’ve ever had at Disney World.” This has been one of the most underrated dining locations in Disney Springs for years, but it’s owned by Chef Rick Bayless, so you know the quality is top-tier.

Another spot where our reporters stopped? Jiko. The reviewer described this one as the “crowned jewel of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge dining,” and we couldn’t agree more. Boma and Sanaa are truly spectacular, but Jiko’s experience is just on another level. Really, you can’t go wrong with any restaurant at this resort.

You know we’re huge fans of Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, and that’s nothing new, but in 2025, we tried a new venture — ranking ALL the desserts on the menu. Our reporter said it was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever been asked to rank.” To see the results, click here!

I’ve reviewed Tony’s Town Square Restaurant for the blog now two years in a row, and y’all, this place has STEPPED UP. Personally, my big takeaway is that the appetizers are the menu’s strong suit. I would highly recommend the garlic bread with Parmesan fondue or the foot-long mozzarella sticks. They’re not new, but they’re not talked about enough!

Another spot people aren’t raving about enough? The Daily Poutine at Disney Springs! I’ve loved their basic menu here for years, but in 2025, I got the chance to try several of their seasonal treats, and every single one of them hit for me. If you love fries loaded with toppings, you might want to pick this over some of the more well-known snacks in Disney Springs. 

Last but not least, I’ve got to mention Maya Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. I went here for a dinner dining review, and the fish tacos were excellent, the Pork Osso Bucco was to die for, and the atmosphere was perfect for a romantic date night. Warm lighting, windows that give a great view of sunset, and a live guitarist performing Disney love songs almost made me sad that I was doing this meal alone. Not enough couples are choosing this spot!

So there you have it, some of the biggest takeaways from our 2025 roundup of dining reviews! We went to dozens more spots than were mentioned here, so if you want to be in the loop with all our reviews, check our webpages for every Disney World restaurant — we’ll have all our reviews listed there.

If you want to see all our restaurant reviews, make sure to keep following us here on the blog!

See the Best Restaurants in Disney World in 2026 Here!

Which of these Disney World restaurants are you eager to try? Tell us in the comments!