Top 10 Restaurants for Free Dining
Free Dining is now available for summer and early fall, which means it’s time to start making Advance Dining Reservations for popular Walt Disney World restaurants now. Seriously, it’s essential. This post covers tips for making the best ADRs to get the most bang for your buck (so to speak) out of Free Dining.
The Free Disney Dining Plan at Walt Disney World is the most popular promotion of the year, and its popularity is based upon the tremendous value that it offers to guests, particularly those who plan well. To maximize your savings, you are going to need Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs), which can be made 180 days in advance, at the most popular restaurants far in advance.
For step one, make your ADRs as far in advance as possible. We cannot stress this enough: you will need ADRs if you’re visiting during Free Dining. This is because Free Dining veterans who book the promotion year in and year out make ADRs as early as possible, meaning that once your travel dates arrive, most of the best restaurants will already be fully booked.
You should at least make reservations for the restaurants you really want, and that are good choices from a value perspective during the Free Dining promo. Not sure which restaurants you really want that are good values?
Here’s our list, based on a slew of factors including value-for-credits, cuisine quality, theme, demand, and “other” (in one case)…
Storybook Dining at Artist Point
Storybook Dining at Artist Point is the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs character meal at Wilderness Lodge. It debuted a little over a year ago, and has remained one of the “hot ticket” and most coveted ADRs since. As with last year, we’d expect this to be very popular during Free Dining.
You can read all about the experience in comprehensive Storybook Dining at Artist Point Review. That includes a ton of food photos, thoughts on the character interactions, and how it compares to the old Signature Dining at Artist Point. We’d put this in the upper echelon of character dining!
Akershus
Objectively, dinner is the best pick at Akershus, and the reason it makes this list. That meal is ~20% more expensive than breakfast and one of the top restaurants on our Best Values on the Disney Dining Plan list. However, the “secret” value to breakfast is getting into Epcot before the park opens for an awesome, empty-park stroll and rope drop access to Frozen Ever After.
We tested this plan with doing breakfast at Akershus before Epcot opening, and while we felt the breakfast was not worth the money, the access was great. If you’re unable to score a coveted FastPass+ for Frozen Ever After, pre-opening breakfast at Akershus is a veritable Golden Ticket. It’s much better than waiting 2 hours in standby!
Crystal Palace (Dinner)
This one is all Sarah. It’s been a long time since we’ve done dinner at Crystal Palace and while I remember it being awesome, I think that opinion is partially clouded by the fact that we were on the high of just getting engaged the last time we did dinner there. At that time, I was young and had a wonder wife-to-be, so everything was magical.
Now I’m old and cynical (albeit with a wonderful wife!), and more skeptical of Crystal Palace. I can’t vouch for Crystal Palace at dinner aside from saying it’s an objectively good value (I do enjoy it at breakfast, and the lesser value is made up for by early morning Magic Kingdom time), but I’ll put it here at Sarah’s behest.
San Angel Inn
The #5 restaurant on our Best Themed Restaurants at Walt Disney World list, we consider San Angel Inn to be Walt Disney World’s Blue Bayou, with an experience here is every bit as good. I can’t say that we were overwhelmed by our last meal here as fans of Mexican cuisine, but the food skewing towards the Tex-Mex might be a good thing if you’re not used to authentic Mexican food.
We think San Angel Inn has improved in recent years, and the overall experience is excellent. If this doesn’t appeal to you, just about any of the 1-credit table service restaurants in World Showcase offer about the same level of value.
Whispering Canyon Cafe
I’m intentionally trying to limit the number of restaurants on this list outside the parks (surprisingly not that difficult given the best options at resorts are Signature Restaurants that require 2 credits, and are typically poor value as a result), but there are a couple that are worth diverting park time to try.
Whispering Canyon Cafe is an easy pick thanks to its rambunctious and fun atmosphere, plus the new skillets (including a plant-based one for the vegetarians/vegans out there). Read our full Whispering Canyon Cafe Review for other menu highlights and more!
Via Napoli
This can be a brilliant use of a credit or a terrible one depending upon how you play it, and it’s on this list to break that down, more than anything else. If you’re wanting pizza (as you should!) skip it. If you want one of the more expensive menu options and the “Ugly but Good” Sundae, it’s one of the best values on the Disney Dining Plan. If you use a credit on an individual pizza and lower-priced dessert, it’s not so good.
The larger pizzas require multiple credits (2 for Large, 4 for Metro), so don’t think you can beat the system here. It’s a great restaurant no matter how you slice it, but that pizza is tough to resist. If the traditional entrees don’t sound as appealing, we recommend Tokyo Dining or Biergarten, instead. Totally different cuisine, but comparable value and quality.
Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood & Vine
Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is the easy pick in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That might come as a surprise to some of you who experienced Hollywood & Vine during the “dark years” when this was one of the worst buffets at Walt Disney World. Now, the food is better than expected, and the character interactions are fantastic. We are especially big fans of Minnie’s Holiday Dine, as well as Minnie’s Halloween Dine.
Other sure-fire alternatives in Disney’s Hollywood Studios are Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (the ambiance there is unparalleled), but it’s only a strong value if you get the steak, and 50’s Prime Time Cafe. We are big fans of both of those restaurants.
Tusker House
With Tiffins being a Signature Restaurant, it cannot be recommended on the Disney Dining Plan (even though Tiffins is amazing!). In terms of value maximization, there aren’t really any table service restaurants at Disney’s Animal Kingdom fit the bill. The excellent Yak & Yeti is also relatively moderate on the menu front.
Still, this list isn’t all about value maximization, so we’re going to go with Tusker House here (Yak & Yeti would be a fine alternative). It’s not the greatest for character encounters, but the best food of any character dining location (and right up there with Boma as the best buffet at Walt Disney World) and incredible ambiance more than make up for that.
Coral Reef
So there are three Epcot restaurants on this list, and none of them are Tutto Italia, objectively one of the top restaurants on our Best Values on the Disney Dining Plan list. What gives? Well, that list is objective, and this also takes subjective factors into consideration.
Subjectively, we aren’t huge fans of Tutto Italia, and think maximizing value without consideration is pointless without taking quality into account. At Coral Reef, you get excellent value for your money, incredible ambiance, and a good meal. (That review is a bit older–we revisited Coral Reef last year and had another very good experience.)
‘Ohana (Dinner)
‘Ohana has great food, nice ambiance, and just this certain energy about it. I have difficulty articulating what makes ‘Ohana special, but it is, and I view it as a quintessential Walt Disney World experience. I can’t be the only one who feels that way, as ‘Ohana is one of the most difficult ADRs to score.
Cape May Cafe is potential alternative here in that it’s somewhat similar in nature to ‘Ohana at dinner (albeit not menu) and an objectively better value on the Disney Dining Plan. However, we prefer the experience at ‘Ohana.
HONORABLE MENTION: Breakfast Á la Art with Mickey & Friends
The newest character meal at Walt Disney World is Breakfast Á la Art with Mickey & Friends at Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera. This opened last December at Disney’s Riviera Resort, the new DVC property connected to several other resorts as well as Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios via Skyliner. (Point being, it’s easily accessible for many guests who aren’t staying here without jumping through a ton of inconvenient hoops.)
Breakfast Á la Art with Mickey & Friends at Topolino’s Terrace is only an honorable mention because, objectively, the bang for buck here is not tremendous. However, it’s subjectively an excellent pick–arguably the best character meal at Walt Disney World. This meal continues the trend that began with Bon Voyage Adventure at Trattoria al Forno and continued with Storybook Dining at Artist Point. Not so coincidentally, those ranked as the #2 and #1 options on our list of the Best Character Meals at Walt Disney World…until Topolino’s Terrace opened!
DISHONORABLE MENTION: Be Our Guest Restaurant (Dinner)
This used to be the toughest ADR to score for Free Dining and in general. However, Be Our Guest Restaurant has changed its menu and became a 2-credit Signature Restaurant. You can read about this in our Be Our Guest Restaurant Prix Fixe Dinner Review.
It’s now a poor value on the Disney Dining Plan, and should be avoided by value-seekers. The only reason we’re mentioning it is as a ‘heads up’ for those who didn’t hear the news or read outdated advice. Be Our Guest Restaurant used to be the second-best use of a Disney Dining Plan credit. Now, it’s not even in the top 30.
If you’re looking for something in Magic Kingdom, another good alternative is Skipper Canteen, which is a lot less popular, but almost as good. It just makes this list on its own merit because of that lower popularity and due to lower price points.
Obviously, there is a lot of “your mileage may vary” to this list. This list tries to balance value (even though you’re not paying for the Disney Dining Plan, you still want to squeeze as much value out of your credits as possible–otherwise why not just eat cheaply and go for a resort discount?), food-quality, and theme. In so doing, it features a lot of restaurants that wouldn’t make an objectively “best value” list (and skips ones that would). Hopefully, that makes it a good resource as you plan ADRs for Free Dining!
Now…wondering where to stay during Free Dining? Check out our Best Hotels at Walt Disney World for Free Dining post. Want more dining tips? Check out our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews.
Planning other aspects of a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts…
Do you agree with our list of the top ADRs for Free Dining at Walt Disney World? Do you have any favorites that didn’t make our list? Any other spots you’re considering? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments!
We have different tastes! While I like Whispering Canyon Cafe, that’s the only 1 I can agree with so far. O’Hana was not something I would want to repeat, perhaps my expectations were too high as everyone else seemed to elevate it to rock star status for taste and show. Not sure many places could live up to that kind of build up from others! Personally, we could eat at Narcoossee’s every night, and 1900 Park Fare every morning for character dining breakfasts. No need for sit down lunch, just a dole whip please! Breakfast 10:30-11am ish, dinner around 5. The only other restaurant I would like to try is Victoria and Alberts, but not sure if they accept the dining plan. I could just stay at the GF, go to MK and back to the GF. If I never made it to any other park or resort, I would still be happy. Both are my favorites because the atmosphere is just perfect for me. *sigh* *takes a mental vacation to the GF and MK as it is much cheaper and faster to do so* *also zero crowds* Thanks for your articles as they are the most fun emails I get!
I love (yes love) eating at Storybook dining at Artist Point. The appetizers were a delight. The main meal was delicious and the desserts were charming. What makes it my new favorite is the atmosphere and the character interaction. I have read reviews of the evil queen being too much for younger children but I found her to be true to character. This could be a great education moment.
We had a very enjoyable Minnie’s Halloween buffet at Hollywood and Vine in October 2018. Food was good, service was good, characters were great! Cinderella’s Royal Table (June 2019) was definitely worth it for my daughter’s 45th birthday! (We’ve been going to WDW since she was 4.). Food, service, characters all excellent.
I give VERY high marks to Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen (they should just shorten that name since it’s too long, and everyone calls it “Jungle Skipper” anyway). I ate there when it first opened and several times since. Food and service have been excellent every time. One time, our party of four adults split 3 Deluxe TS credits, so what an exquisite variety of apps, entrees, and desserts we had. I think we may even have exchanged one dessert for a side salad and just split two desserts then. As adults enjoying a very leisurely meal, we ordered wine above the 3 credits, and the server even gave us one on the house! Jungle Skipper is hands-down the best TS restaurant at Magic Kingdom and rates among the best for value, service, and food anywhere in WDW.
As for Be Our Guest, I haven’t been there for dinner since the “upgrade,” but I’ve had lunch there several times. To me, the food is decent enough with good-size portions, but the food is also nothing to write home about. I’ve gone several times solely to take others to experience the atmosphere in the West Wing. If I had to sit in the Ballroom, i would not be happy…too loud, no atmosphere, might as well be in a cafeteria.
Okay, I’m not sure why this posted twice. Maybe because I edited it. Oh, well. SOrry about that.
I give VERY high marks to Jungle Navigation Co LTD Skipper Canteen (they should just shorten that name since it’s too long, and everyone calls it some variation anyway). I ate there when it first opened and several times since. Food and service have been excellent every time. One time, our party of four adults split 3 Deluxe TS credits, so what an exquisite variety of apps, entrees, and desserts we had. I think we may even have exchanged one dessert for a side salad and just split two desserts then. As adults enjoying a very leisurely meal, we ordered wine above the 3 credits, and the server even gave us one on the house! Jungle Skipper is hands-down the best TS restaurant at Magic Kingdom and rates among the best for value, service, and food anywhere in WDW. Oh, and not that you asked, but if I don’t eat at Jungle Skipper while at MK, I usually stick to counter service…can’t beat Pecos Bill for that, and it’s shareable!
As for Be Our Guest, I haven’t been there for dinner since the “upgrade,” but I’ve had lunch there several times. To me, the food is decent enough with good-size portions, but the food is also nothing to write home about. I’ve gone several times solely to take others to experience the atmosphere in the West Wing. If I had to sit in the Ballroom, i would not be happy…too loud, no atmosphere, might as well be in a cafeteria, and the food does not make up for it.
We did Ohana this past August and were so disappointed. The bread and meats were dry. For us, not worth the trip to the Polynesian.
We did enjoy La Hacienda de San Angel in Epcot. My husband and I agree it was the best meal we had while there, so worth a visit for anyone who enjoys Mexican..
We are traveling the end of the month and have the 2020 dining package. So disappointed they excluded many of the World showcase restaurants. San Angel and Via Napoli from this list are not accepting dining plans this year, disappointing as San Angel is a favorite!
I don’t know where you heard that but according to both the app and the website both of those restaurants are accepting the 2020 Disney Dining Plan and the 2020 Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. They might have just been updated late.