Holding hands over a table in a quiet restaurant while you savor a delicious meal with the one you love…sounds perfect, right? Who wouldn’t want that while on vacation, especially since for a lot of people romance and spending time with your significant other is the main point of going on vacation in the first place!
Walt Disney World isn’t always the first place people think of when it comes to ‘romantic vacation getaways’, and what people don’t realize is they really DO cater to adults and couples as much as they do families, and when it comes to your restaurant options, there are a lot of places where you can enjoy a romantic, relaxing, quiet meal (well, relatively quiet anyway – there will most likely be families, children, and babies almost anywhere you go in WDW, it comes with the territory!)
So here are the Top Ten places to enjoy a romantic meal at Walt Disney World:
1.Hollywood Brown Derby – Located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and modeled after the original Hollywood Brown Derby in Los Angeles, it’s classy and classic, with it’s old time-y Hollywood decor and caricatures all over the walls. It’s really like stepping back in time to vintage glamour and old movie charm, and it has great food too! Be sure to try their signature Cobb salad with grapefruit cake for dessert
2.Coral Reef – Head over to the Future World area of Epcot for some amazing seafood, and a gorgeous view of their huge aquarium, its full of beautiful aquatic life and provides a perfect backdrop for your night of romance! All the seats have great views of the fish and other creatures (the seating is tiered to allow for optimum viewing!), but if you can snag a table right next to the action then that’s even better! Try an “appetizer for two”, the lobster ravioli, and the famous Chocolate Wave dessert and you are in for an evening you AND your taste buds will enjoy!
3.Tutto Italia – Grab an outdoor cafe table at this Italian restaurant in the Italy area of the Epcot World Showcase , and do some people watching while you enjoy a leisurely meal. The setting makes you feel like you are really dining in one of Italy’s villages, and the food is authentic Italian too, dishes like fried calamari, lasagna, risotto with lobster and shrimp, plus amazing cannolis and gelato for dessert. They also serve some delicious italian cocktails, as well as some strong but delicious coffee. As far as I am concerned, nothing says ‘amore’ like an amazing Italian dinner!
4.Bistro De Paris – Above Epcot’s other French table service restaurant, Les Chef De France, sits Bistro De Paris, a quiet, intimate place for you and your significant other to experience an amzing 4 course tasting menu (with or without wine pairings), or you can order off of the a la carte menu as well – choose from seared scallops, roasted duck breast, and grilled beef ternderloin, and finish off your meal with a warm raspberry souffle. Another element that adds to the atmosphere here is the decor, which is reminiscent of early 20th century Paris, and what can be more romantic than that?
5.Plaza Restaurant – The < ahref=http://www.chipandco.com/planning/guide-to-disney-world/around-the-disney-world/hollywood-studios/>Magic Kingdom is a magical, amazing place full of rides, restaurants, and attractions. It is my favorite park in all of WDW, and that being said, I must admit – it isn’t exactly the most romantic place in the World. It tends to be crowded, loud, and full of screaming children (and adults!) having temper tantrums. Romance is not totally lost at the Magic Kingdom though, in fact it can be found right on Main Street, at the Plaza Restaurant, where you can grab lunch or dinner from a menu that includes mostly sandwiches and burgers. The food may not be fancy, but it is delicious (especially the Plaza Club sandwich, that’s my personal fave!), and they have some of the best ice cream at Walt Disney World – you and your love can linger over a banana split and simply enjoy each other’s company, I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon at WDW
6.Flying Fish Cafe – This restaurant serves up some amazing sushi and fish dishes, as well as a pretty good New York strip steak. The best thing about this place has to be it’s location, its located at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, which is the most amazing place to take a post dinner stroll at night time – there are performers and lights and games and it is a beautiful setting for a romantic evening for two
7.California Grill – You definitely feel like a VIP as you ride the special elevator up to the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort and enter the beautiful California Grill with it’s amazing views of the Magic Kingdom and Cinderella’s Castle. If you are lucky enough to get a window seat and a later dinner reservation, you will get quite the show as the fireworks show appears right in front of you! The California Grill specializes in fresh sushi, brick oven flatbread pizzas, and they have an extensive wine list too
8.Narcoossee’s – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is home to this restaurant serving up an amazing selection of fresh seafood (like a super creamy lobster/corn bisque, crab crusted mahi mahi, and a delicious seared grouper served over stir fry vegetables and rice), along with some unique desserts – my personal fave being the key lime creme brulee! The restaurant sits on the Seven Seas Lagoon, so you’ll want to make your dinner reservations for after dark so you can take full advantage of the breathtaking view of the nightly Wishes fireworks show from the Magic Kingdom.
9.Victoria and Albert’s – This is by far the ‘fanciest’ restaurant at Walt Disney World, and they are an 11 year recipient of the AAA Five Diamond Award, and their wine cellar is highly rated and award winning too, so when you dine at this restaurant in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, you really are getting the best of the best. The menu is different each night and is a 6 course ‘prix fixe’ menu of contemporary American creations. Amazing dishes like Holland White AsparagusAlaskan King Salmon, Minnesota Elk Tenderloin, Hawaiian Kona Chocolate Souffle have appeared on the menu, and at over $100 a person (plus an additional $60 per person for wine pairings), this is a truly special, once in a lifetime experience, and what better place to celebrate your love with your significant other than at the best restaurant at Walt Disney World?
10.Yachtsman Steakhouse – Head over to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort for arguably the best steak on WDW property, or if you aren’t into beef, try their king salmon or free-range chicken. But seriously, the steak is what you want to try when you come to this New England themed steakhouse. Enjoy a delicious and romantic meal in this elegant restaurant, and then share a creme brulee before taking a stroll around the beautiful Yacht Club Resort.
I included a variety of restaurants from around the World on the list, and I included both 1 and 2 Table Service credit meals so you can find something that suits your budget (not sure what a Table Service Credit is? Check out this information on the Disney Dining Plan to learn more)
Parents traveling with children to WDW are not out of luck when it comes to planning a romantic dinner for 2- Childcare/Babysitting services are available at various WDW locations – reservations are required so be sure to plan ahead!
This list may include some of the most romantic spots, and there are plenty of other places to have a romantic meal at WDW (heck even a character meal can be romantic with the right person!). So what are your fave spots to grab a romantic meal while vacationing at Walt Disney World??
Related articles
- Disney’s Magical Express – Helping Make Your WDW Vacation Easier (livinginagrownupworld.wordpress.com)
- Top 10 Table Service Meals at the WDW Parks (chipandco.com)
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I’d argue the point about the California Grill. Other than the staff, my husband was one of the few in suits, and likewise I was one of the few in what I would conisder to an appropriate dress. Flip flops, sleeveless T-Shirts, shorts, children running around like it was Chuck-e-Cheese; we honestly felt like we were in an out-take of ‘People of Wal-Mart’. The advertisements of this place as an intimate, classy, romantic dining spot were pretty much wrong.
We know this is Disney, but if you advertise a place as having a dress code, and being to a certain standard – enforce it. I know to expect boisterous kids at O’Hana, for instance, because that is the kind of place it’s advertised as. If you promise me a romantic intimate dining experience, then the last thing I want to see are people who look like they’d be more in place at a back yard bbq, and children running around free-range.
One of our favorite romantic meals isn’t really a meal. We get some baklava and mint tea from the little snack stand. Then we sit on the bench that sits just a few feet from it in the shade, and make fun of all the horrible things people wear! Its romantic because its fun. I guess we all have a different idea of romantic! :o)
Great list. Went to the Yachtsman for our 6th anniversary and it definitely had the perfect vibe/food for a romantic evening. Two that I’d add to the mix:
1. Chefs de Paris — If you’re looking for romance, definitely go upstairs at Epcot’s French pavilion, not downstairs. Completely different world up there … and they feed and treat you like kings and queens.
2. California Grill — Went there for our 5th anniversary. Felt very chic and elegant. Nice food and again, the wait staff treats you like you own the place. Best part of this is coming back later, getting a glass of wine and heading out to the rooftop to watch Wishes fireworks at Magic Kingdom!