If you’re visiting Walt Disney World in November or December and need to select an excellent restaurant or two (or 10!) for a festive feast, this record of the most effective eating places at Christmas is for you. We rank the highest eating choices imbued with the spirit of the season, providing particular leisure or menus, or nice environment for the vacations–together with Festivus (no higher place to air your grievances than the communal tables at Biergarten).
As we’ve mentioned numerous instances now, Christmas is our favourite time to go to (and if you happen to haven’t, learn our Ultimate Christmas Guide to Walt Disney World). We’ve skilled Walt Disney World yearly at Christmas-time since 2007, consuming at…I dunno…most likely ~100 completely different eating places within the course of.
In additions to the eating places themselves, this high 10 record is coloured by the “Christmasy-ness” of their respective places. That’s very true for those exterior the parks. So as a lot as we would like Olivia’s or Sebastian’s Bistro and discover it to be a properly familial expertise that’s becoming for the vacations…the island vibes of Old Key West and Caribbean Beach don’t precisely scream Christmas. (Speaking of which, take a look at our Free Self-Guided Yuletide Tour at Walt Disney World for resorts it is best to go to in the course of the vacation season.)
Now for a few caveats. First, most eating places would not have particular Christmas menus all through November and December. Frankly, we don’t know why–it certain looks like this could be a preferred possibility given all the reader questions we obtain about it–however they don’t. At greatest, you’ll discover a drink or dessert, and that’s principally at counter service eating places.
On Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, a handful of eating places do have particular menus, however even that record of places has shrunk over time. And oftentimes, these “special” menus are something however. One possibility we’re watching this yr is Whispering Canyon Cafe, which can supposedly provide a prix-fixe vacation meal for lunch and dinner on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day 2022. That’s going to be a suggestion on this record, anyway, so it could be value snagging an Advance Dining Reservation there if you’d like a meal on a type of two dates.
Another phrase of warning: desk service eating places might not be adorned for Christmas in 2022, with restricted exceptions. In the previous, it was frequent for all or most eating places to place up garland, bushes, and different decor for the vacation season. That didn’t occur in the course of the phased reopening, which wasn’t in the least stunning given the restricted nature of all the pieces, presumably extending to staffing shortages in Disney’s Holiday Services staff.
However, decorations have been additionally not put in in most desk service eating places final yr, whilst Christmas was nearer to regular at Walt Disney World. Even extra is returning for Christmas 2022, so it’s potential restaurant decorations are a type of issues, however we gained’t know till the vacation season begins. Regardless, we’re assuming they gained’t and are thus recommending eating places based mostly on their environment and different traits, slightly than decorations which will or might not be put in.
Also, we needed to share these ‘words of warning’ in case you’re a repeat Walt Disney World customer who likes a specific restaurant for its decorations–it’s possible you’ll not see them in Christmas 2022! With that out of the best way, on with the record…
Grand Floridian Cafe – The inside right here is dated and eclectic, giving it severe “eating at grandma’s house” vibes. Even although Disney may recoil at that characterization, it’s not essentially a foul factor. Grand Floridian Cafe is comfortable and comfortable, making it really feel like dwelling away from dwelling in a way. Of course, it’s additionally positioned at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, which is a high 3 resort in the course of the vacation season.
For us, the opposite cause Grand Floridian Cafe scores severe factors at Christmas is the menu. You’ve obtained consolation meals go-tos just like the meatloaf or strip steak, however our favorites right here–and two of our favourite menu gadgets anyplace at Walt Disney World–are the Buttermilk-friend Chicken and Lobster ‘Thermidor’ Burger.
The latter makes our record of the Best Burgers at Walt Disney World, and the previous would high our record of the most effective rooster at Walt Disney World, if we had one. This Buttermilk-fried Chicken is the head of consolation meals, with the tangy bacon French dressing making it greater than a one-note indulgence. Seriously nice stuff, and ideal for a heavy vacation meal earlier than absorbing the Christmas ambiance within the Grand Floridian foyer.
Citricos – Exact identical thought right here with this Signature Restaurant in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. There is totally nothing that’s Christmasy about Citricos. However, if you happen to’re like us, you may get pleasure from getting dressed up and doing a pleasant meal in the course of the vacation season, having fun with a sublime setting and getting ‘Christmas card caliber’ photographs after the meal.
There are quite a lot of choices that test all the proper containers for that, and actually, Citricos most likely wouldn’t be our first selection. (That can be Narcoossee’s, but it surely gained’t reopen till 2023. California Grill would even be up there, leapfrogging Citricos on Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights.) Nevertheless, Citricos has a terrific mixture of menu and ambiance exterior the restaurant on the resort itself.
50’s Prime Time Cafe – This is a sentimental choice, because it’s my mother and father’ favourite restaurant at Walt Disney World. When I used to be a child, we at all times dined right here on our annual journeys. So it jogs my memory of household at Christmas-time, making it really feel a bit like a house away from dwelling.
While that’s true for me for my very own private causes, it’ll most likely be true for you, too. Here you’re eating in Mom’s home (and Mom has not up to date the place for the reason that 50s!), by Mom’s guidelines, and with all your cousins and the remainder of your prolonged, mostly-functional, household. If you set your elbows on the desk or slouch, count on to be reprimanded!
Mom will, nevertheless, allow you to watch TV throughout your meal, and plenty of traditional sitcoms from the Fifties play on televisions at sure tables. 50’s Prime Time Cafe focuses on consolation meals, with the spotlight of the menu being the milkshakes. All of this makes it a enjoyable household setting for Christmas at Walt Disney World.
Biergarten – Every restaurant within the World Showcase at EPCOT is well-themed, however the spotlight of those is Biergarten. Offering genuine German buffets, Biergarten’s meals may be hit and miss. We’ve had wonderful meals some days, and underwhelming ones others. That’s not unusual of buffets at Walt Disney World, however Biergarten appears to have spottier high quality. (In basic, we’ve discovered that the busier Biergarten is, the higher the meals–and it’s at all times packed at Christmas-time.)
Regardless, the environment greater than makes up for the meals. Themed to be a nighttime Bavarian Village, Biergarten celebrates Oktoberfest yr spherical. Throughout the course of the meal, musicians carry out conventional German songs and encourage company to come back to the dance flooring to hitch within the enjoyable. Take the chance in the course of the downtime between the band’s units to air your grievances to household, buddies, and first-time acquaintances alike on the communal tables. (Or pull a Frank Costanza and shout them over the oompah band.)
Typically, that conventional village will get decked out for the vacations, and the Bavarian-style oompah band provides some vacation songs to it’s mixture of conventional people music. Consequently, Biergarten is at all times our high choose for Christmas in EPCOT, and particularly for Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. The jovial Christmas environment, music, and worth for cash is all powerful to beat. Oh, and the German delicacies is wealthy, hearty, and meat-forward, making it the proper festive feast! Read Our Christmas Feast at Biergarten Restaurant for what the vacation time expertise is like there.
Whispering Canyon Cafe – This zany restaurant in Wilderness Lodge focuses on hilarity and hijinks, skillets and shenanigans, enjoyable and meals. It’s a type of uncommon eating places at Walt Disney World that gives each an distinctive present and nice meals–not only one or the opposite. Guests are introduced proper into the wry humor of the present, which may be very amusing for many, however may not be as enjoyable for the shy.
The Signature Skillets are the standout and extremely really useful in case you have large eaters in your social gathering because of being an all-you-can-eat dish. These positively have ‘holiday feast’ vibes, and there are a number of completely different varieties, providing one thing for everybody. (The Traditional skillet might be probably the most Christmasy, however I’d suggest the Pig.)
Whispering Canyon Cafe additionally excels in vacation ambiance. Since it’s an open-air restaurant with views into the hovering Wilderness Lodge foyer, eating right here throughout at Christmas-time is an superior technique to benefit from the decorations and iconic foyer tree. Our “perfect” go to to Wilderness Lodge at Christmas entails reserving a late ADR right here, requesting a lobby-side desk, having fun with our feast, after which crashing into a snug fireplace seat whereas recovering from meals coma afterwards. Holiday perfection. Read extra concerning the skillets and shenanigans at Whispering Canyon Cafe.
Liberty Tree Tavern – Over in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom is Liberty Tree Tavern. Thematically, this restaurant seems like colonial period America, very like what you’d discover in Williamsburg, Virginia. Upon nearer inspection, you’ll discover a treasure trove of particulars, together with eating rooms that every pay homage to a distinct Founding Father of the United States. Beyond that, a number of wealthy woods, heat lighting, and comfortable particulars–like an outdated timey inn.
This distinctly patriotic desk service spot serves up a standard family-style Thanksgiving dinner that’s nice for households. The menu is sort of a smorgasbord of things you could possibly discover in your desk at Thanksgiving, and similar to these, most of those dishes might move as one thing home-cooked by grandma. Perhaps that’s all it’s worthwhile to find out about Liberty Tree Tavern?
Right now, the family-style all-you-can-eat Bill of Fare Patriot’s Platter is your unique menu possibility at Liberty Tree Tavern (nicely, there’s additionally a plant-based possibility). The Bill of Fare is an actual re-creation of the primary Thanksgiving feast, proper right down to the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake and Coca-Cola.
Be Our Guest Restaurant – If the Hallmark Channel and Netflix have taught me one factor, it’s that you simply discover love in surprising locations at Christmas–normally together with your ostensible enemy who evolves and turns into good within the final 5 minutes of a film. If they’ve taught me two issues, it’s that no setting is extra good for Christmas than a fortress.
And so it goes in Magic Kingdom, the place two in-castle eating experiences add a sure swakiness to the season. Of the 2, our desire is Be Our Guest Restaurant inside Beast’s Castle. The menu is one a part of this, because it affords quite a lot of choices that test the proper containers for Christmas. (See our Prix Fixe Lunch & Dinner Review of Be Our Guest Restaurant.)
The larger cause why Be Our Guest Restaurant ranks extremely is for its particular results. The important one is snowfall exterior the ballroom, which actually makes the principle eating room really feel like a wintry escape. This is doubly true if Be Our Guest Restaurant decorates for Christmas, placing up a tree and garland contained in the ballroom. There’s no assure of that taking place in 2022, but when it does, this can be a high choose.
P & J’s Southern Takeout – You should take the boat from Magic Kingdom over to Fort Wilderness if you happen to’re visiting in November and December. It’s a must-do. For one, you’re visiting throughout two of the busiest months, so it’ll be a welcome reprieve from the noon chaos and crowds of Magic Kingdom. Fort Wilderness is the precise reverse of that. For one other factor, the tenting crew at Fort Wilderness goes arduous for the vacations. Lots of inflatables and custom-made decorations across the campsites.
As for consuming, there are a handful of choices. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a superb choose, and extremely really useful if you happen to’ve by no means performed it. However, that’s a dinner present and is unquestionably taste-specific (the leisure, that’s–the meals is for everybody). Our regular go-to can be Trail’s End, which we completely love, or slightly, liked. Currently, it’s serving a family-style menu that doesn’t do a lot for us.
That leaves P & J’s Southern Takeout, which has develop into my go-to sleeper restaurant at Walt Disney World over the course of the final two years. In Biggest & Best Value Holiday Feast at Walt Disney World, I clarify why I like–and suggest–it a lot. (In reality, I’m presently engaged on an inventory of the Best 22 Restaurants at Walt Disney World and actually, actually need to embrace P & J’s as one of many two Magic Kingdom resort space choices…however I’ve been “advised” that’s a horrible thought that may name the credibility of my whole record into query. Yikes!)
Jiko – Lots of consolation meals feasts on this record, which is nice. That’s what Christmas is all about. (How else do you clarify Santa Claus’ portly look? One night time of cookies isn’t doing that a lot harm.) Okay, so it’s additionally high quality time with household, buddies, tacky Hallmark motion pictures, and extra.
Again, certainly one of our favourite methods to have a good time the season is with date nights wearing our vacation finery at good eating places. The sort of place that requires my most opulent ugly Christmas sweater, not simply the cheapo Amazon ones. Don’t get me flawed, I nonetheless order indulgent, meals coma-inducing dishes and crash on a sofa within the foyer afterwards whereas gazing up at that wonderful Christmas tree. To that finish, I actually like Jiko. Here, you will have wild boar, lamb shank, quick rib, and extra on the menu. And it’s fancy. Perfection.
Story Book Dining at Artist Point – This restaurant has a ton going for it in the course of the holidays. It’s in Wilderness Lodge, the most effective resort at Christmas. The setting is an enchanted forest meets rustic National Park eating room, two issues that really feel Christmasy to me. The menu is approachable however upscale with earthy choices, which additionally strikes me as seasonally-appropriate. Then there are Snow White characters, and…uh…snow is correct there within the identify!
Look, I don’t know why Story Book Dining at Artist Point is a very good possibility at Christmas. It simply is. The temper and environment strike the proper notes, and your loved ones gained’t remorse doing this as certainly one of your vacation meals.
Minnie’s Holiday Dine – It’s a lot simpler to elucidate why this character eating expertise at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Christmasy. This model of Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is obtainable solely in November and December, and is expressly holiday-themed. Walt Disney World describes it as follows: “Deck the halls at a dazzling dinner party filled with holiday cheer and the joy of the season!”
At Minnie’s Holiday Dine, you’ll meet Santa Goofy and different characters dressed of their vacation finery, which means distinctive Christmas costumes for Minnie and Mickey Mouse, plus different character buddies. This Christmas-themed character meal at Hollywood & Vine is a ton of enjoyable. Minnie’s Holiday Dine will as soon as once more be a buffet and provide character hugs, autographs, high-fives, and so forth. for Christmas 2022. We completely love this, and share our ideas and photographs in our Minnie’s Holiday Dine Review. We’ll be doing it once more this November!
There you will have our high selections for Walt Disney World eating places at Christmas-time. Several of those most likely come as no shock, however hopefully we’ve included a number of distinctive picks (and ones with simpler availability!) to offer you some meals for thought when deciding in your vacation ADRs. No matter the place you dine, the Christmas ambiance at Walt Disney World is infectious, and also you’ll discover lots to maintain you within the vacation spirit throughout your time within the parks!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about lodges on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To get monetary savings on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips publish takes a novel have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for all the pieces it’s worthwhile to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you will have a favourite restaurant in the course of the vacation season at Walt Disney World? Thoughts on any of the choices on our record if you happen to’ve dined at them throughout Christmas-time? Considering certainly one of these or a distinct desk service restaurant? Do you favor fancy meals or consolation meals feasts in the course of the holidays? Do you agree or disagree with our record? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!