Restaurants

It should come as no surprise that Orlando has something for everybody when it comes to pleasing your palate, ranging from fast food to five-star restaurants and everything in between. The city overflows with more than 5,000 dining options, though it's usually noted for its many theme and chain restaurants. The arrival of the Mouse in Orlando launched an invasion of the area by fast-food joints, mostly in response to the number of families now flocking to see Mickey. Theme restaurants, focusing on everything from race cars and rainforests to superheroes and sporting goods, weren't far behind.

The local dining scene doesn't compare to that found in such metropolitan foodie hot spots as New York, San Francisco, or Las Vegas, but there are certainly more than a few places here that could easily hold their own against the competition (disbelievers can grab a chair at Emeril's at CityWalk, Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or Norman's at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes, among others). That said, keep in mind that Orlando is the undisputed king of U.S. family destinations, and restaurants generally do their darnedest to cater to their target audience.

As so many of Central Florida visitors spend the biggest chunk of their time at Disney, a good deal of this chapter deals with the restaurants at Disney. For those of you who find yourselves beyond the boundaries of Mickey's doorstep, there's no need to worry: I also cover what's cooking at Universal Orlando's best restaurants, the hottest dining spots on International Drive, and a fair share of other area dining rooms.

Note to parents: Keep in mind that most moderate to inexpensive restaurants have kids' menus ($4-$9), and many offer distractions, such as coloring books and crayons, in the hopes it will keep your little ones otherwise occupied until their dinner arrives. If you go to a place catering to children, expect the noise level to be high. They don't take a vacation from squeals of joy or fits of temper, so you shouldn't expect to either. On the plus side, if it's your kids who tend to turn up the volume, it's far more likely that their antics will go unnoticed when there are others around doing the very same things.

If dining with kids isn't your cup of tea, steer clear of any restaurant where Mickey and Minnie stop by to say "hi" during the meal. Character meals, no matter what restaurant they are in, are guaranteed to be filled with families, making them, at times, excruciatingly loud and almost unnerving to those not used to dining in a room full of children. As a general rule, the more expensive your meal, the less likely you'll be dining with a lot of little ones around. So if you prefer to dine in peace -- and can afford it -- consider a meal at some of the more expensive restaurants in the resorts, on International Drive, or around Orlando proper. Tip: Parents in need of a night off from the kids can arrange for in-room babysitting or supervised child care so they too can indulge in one of the area's finer dining options.

For additional online information about area restaurants, visit www.orlandoinfo.com, www.go2orlando.com, or the websites in the listings that follow.

A Balancing Act -- In an effort to promote better eating habits, Disney kid's meal menus have been revised; children's entrees now feature healthy options such as low-fat milk, 100% fruit juice, water, and sides such as unsweetened applesauce, veggies, and fresh fruit as standard kid's meal menu items. Soda pop and french fries are still available, but only upon request.

And all of the WDW restaurants (in the theme parks and at the resorts) are currently in the midst of transitioning to become entirely trans fat-free (a trend that is taking hold in restaurants all over the country -- and at other area theme parks).

Your Just Desserts -- After a day of pounding theme park pavement, a sweet treat is just the ticket. Just some of Disney's bestsellers include a warm berry cobbler (Artist Point), Strawberry Napoleon (Flying Fish Café), old-fashioned s'mores (50's Prime Time Café), Jack Daniel's mousse cake (Yachtsman Café), Key lime pie (Olivia's Café), grapefruit cake (The Hollywood Brown Derby), and a satiny crème brûlée (Disney's Grand Floridian). In their efforts to satisfy your sweet tooth, Disney's pastry chefs use slightly more than 700,000 pounds of sugar and 300,000 pounds of chocolate in a single year.

It All Adds Up -- If you plan on taking in one of Disney's many popular character dining experiences or dinner shows, plan on paying a bit extra if you find yourself dining during the holidays. Disney's added an extra $5 to the price of their character meals and dinner shows during select times throughout the year (including, but not limited to, the days and or sometimes weeks surrounding New Years, Easter, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and the Christmas holidays). For details (including the exact dates that Disney's holiday pricing is in effect) check out www.disneyworld.com or call 407/939-3463.

Imagine That! -- Disney's latest addition to its lineup of unique dining experiences is Dine with an Imagineer! The dinner series offers guests an opportunity to dine with, and learn from, Disney's Imagineers. Each week a different presenter shares their experiences and expertise as guests are treated to an impressive meal (lunch is served at Disney's Hollywood Brown Derby while dinner is offered at the casual yet upscale Artist Point in Disney's Wilderness Lodge). The dinner program is offered on every other Thursday at 5:30pm at a cost of $89 per adult ($110 with wine pairing) and $40 per child, lunch is available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11:30 at a cost of $61 per adult and $35 for children ages 3 to 9. If you're staying at a WDW resort, your lobby concierge can make arrangements or you can call tel. 407/939-3463 to make reservations (up to 60 days in advance with a credit card, a 48-hour advance cancellation policy applies).

Advance Reservations at WDW Restaurants

Walt Disney World's Advance Reservations system, while similar to a reservation, is not nearly as rigid. Essentially, the system guarantees that you will get the next available table that will accommodate your party after you've arrived at a restaurant (which should be 5-10 min. prior to the time you've reserved). In other words, a table isn't kept empty while the restaurant waits for you. As such, it's likely that you'll end up waiting anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, even if you arrive at the time you scheduled your meal. You can arrange Advance Reservations 180 days in advance at most full-service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Disney resorts, and Downtown Disney. Advance Reservations can also be made for character meals and dinner shows throughout the World. To make arrangements, call tel. 407/939-3463; groups of eight or more can also call tel. 407/939-7707.

Nighttime dinner-theater shows can be booked up to 180 days in advance as well, a notable change from the previous time frame of 2 years. Be aware, however, that these dinner shows require full payment in advance and that cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to the time of the show to avoid penalties. Note: Since the Advance Reservations phone number was instituted in 1994, it has become much more difficult to obtain a table as a walk-in for the resorts' more popular restaurants. I strongly advise you to call as far ahead as possible, especially if you're traveling during the peak seasons. It wouldn't hurt to mark your calendar and enter the phone number into your speed dial either. Amazingly, some restaurants, especially the dinner shows and character meals, can book up quite literally within only a minute or two of the phone lines opening (7am EST) on that 180th day out.

If you don't make your dining plans in advance, you can take your chances by making your Advance Reservations once you have arrived in the parks. You can always head directly to your desired restaurant to see what's available.

• In Epcot at Guest Relations on the east side of Spaceship Earth.
• In the Magic Kingdom via the telephones at several locations including the Walt Disney World Railroad station just inside the entrance, and at City Hall near the front of Main Street U.S.A.
• In Disney's Hollywood Studios via the telephones just inside the entrance or at Guest Relations near Hollywood Junction.
• In Animal Kingdom at Guest Relations on the left near the entrance. (Note that Rainforest Cafe here is a verrry popular place, so the sooner you call for Advance Reservations, the better.)
• In Downtown Disney at Guest Services in the Marketplace and at West Side.

Also, keep these restaurant facts in mind:

• All Florida restaurants and bars that serve food are smoke free.
• The Magic Kingdom (including its restaurants) serves no alcoholic beverages, but liquor is available at Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios restaurants and elsewhere in the WDW complex. And the selection of liquors and wines available at many of the hotels is both varied and extensive; Disney World, the largest single-site purveyor of wine in the world, employs more sommeliers than any other organization on the planet -- more than 500 of them, including one advanced and one master sommelier.
• All sit-down restaurants in Walt Disney World take American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and the Disney Visa Card.
• Unless otherwise noted, restaurants in the parks require park admission.
• Guests staying at Disney resorts and official properties can make restaurant reservations through Guest Services or the concierge.
• Nearly all WDW restaurants with sit-down or counter service offer children's menus with items ranging from $4 to $7, though in a few cases they're $9 to $12. Some include beverages and sides.

On a Budget?

Magic Kingdom: Try a turkey leg from a cart ($5.75), fruit and snacks ($1-$3) at the Liberty Square Market, a hot dog at Casey's ($6), pastries at the Main Street Bake Shop ($2-$6), or a frozen fruity treat at Aloha Isle ($3-$4).

Hollywood Studios: Grab a burger and fries ($7) at the Backlot Express, sweets ($2-$4) at the Starring Rolls Cafe, or fruit and snacks ($1-$4) at Anaheim Produce.

Animal Kingdom: The pot stickers at Yak & Yeti's outdoor outpost ($7) are a good bet, as are the pizzas at Pizzafari ($6) and sweet treats at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery ($2-$4).

Epcot: Head to the Kringla Bakeri og Café for dessert ($3-$6), or snack on a bratwurst or apple strudel at Sommerfest ($4-$6).