[00:00:00] Dana Stanley: If the phrase hidden gem makes your ears perk up. Today we’re talking about my favorite underrated Disney World Restaurants, the ones that surprised me, where the food is better than expected, and everything feels very low stress, especially when it comes to making reservations. So if you have a last minute trip coming up this summer, this episode will be a great listen for you too.

[00:00:24] Dana Stanley: Hello and welcome to the Laid Back Magic Way podcast. I’m your host, Dana Stanley, creator of Laid Back Magic. As a mom of three, I know how tough it can be to find time to plan a Disney World trip. That doesn’t leave you feeling stressed or overwhelmed. That’s why I’m here to help moms like you create Disney vacations that feel even better than they look on paper here.

[00:00:45] Dana Stanley: We’re not chasing perfection, but creating our next favorite memories. So whether you’re brand new to Disney or looking to go deeper into the details, this podcast is your go-to for simple tips, mindset shifts, real life trip recaps, and expert insights to make your trip magical and manageable. New episodes drop every Monday, so be sure to subscribe so you never miss a moment.

[00:01:05] Dana Stanley: Okay, let’s dive in. I am going to go ahead and make the disclaimer a huge asterisk that I have not eaten everywhere in Disney World. Though it’s on my list, but when I was writing it all down for this episode, it came to 61%, 61.2% to be exact of all the table service spots that we have eaten at. So this will be a list of my favorite underrated restaurants from that 61.2% because obviously I have not eaten everywhere, but these are the ones that I have firsthand knowledge about.

[00:01:45] Dana Stanley: When I was deciding on what makes something underrated to me, it has to have all three of these criteria. One, it’s fairly easy to get a reservation IE, it’s not that popular, especially less than 60 days out. You’ll most likely be able to get a reservation here, and if you can’t, you’re most likely have a good chance getting it the night before or possibly joining the walkup list.

[00:02:11] Dana Stanley: Two, the food is good and I know that I can Google best Disney World food or highest rated Disney World restaurants and find similar lists. Typically, the higher rated restaurants are going to keep coming up. But for this list, I wanted to hit on the ones that I just don’t hear much about, or maybe I don’t see on like the best quote unquote lists.

[00:02:34] Dana Stanley: And three, my kids liked it or at least found something to eat. Or liked something about the experience, even if it wasn’t the food per se, that it was kid friendly in some way. And this will make more sense like as we get into it now, you’ll notice that only one of these restaurants is actually in. One of the four theme parks in Disney World.

[00:02:54] Dana Stanley: I really tried to get more on the list, but it makes sense because in the parks, they’re catering to such a much bigger crowd, so the food is at a bigger scale of being turned out. Some things are maybe cooked ahead of time and shipped in and just kind of plated. So typically not always. It’s not like a blanket thing.

[00:03:16] Dana Stanley: In my experience, the service and the food quality are usually better at the resorts versus one of the theme parks. A big thing I think is the resorts. You’re not being really like rushed out or at least I don’t feel that way with the exception of character meals usually a resort sit down. They’re not trying to like turn as many tables as possible and like get people in and out.

[00:03:40] Dana Stanley: At least that’s how it feels to me. And I think that makes a big difference on the experience as well. This is certainly not a list of my favorite restaurants or the best food because a lot of those would be on a overrated list or highly rated list that maybe you’ve heard of before. And it’s also like completely relative to what, in your opinion, makes the best restaurant from the price, the food, the ambiance, and the actual service of the cast members.

[00:04:11] Dana Stanley: But these are reservations where the pressure is much lower in terms of getting a reservation, getting there in general, and then the quality of food and service mixed with a little bit of the pricing too, makes these underrated to me. I’m gonna go through this list from the least expensive to the most expensive.

[00:04:31] Dana Stanley: Let’s kick things off with a spot that’s the most budget friendly and very underrated in my opinion. And that’s Sebastian’s Bistro at the Caribbean Beach Resort. I promise this is going to be your favorite bill of the whole trip, and when you’re coming off of like a character meal, it feels even better.

[00:04:49] Dana Stanley: It’s so easy to get a reservation. It still has a lot of Disney theming with Sebastian from The Little Mermaid, and it does have a lot of seafood, but I’m telling you, there’s something for everyone. The kids will find something to eat even if they don’t love seafood. The roles themselves that come with the meal.

[00:05:07] Dana Stanley: I actually like brought some back with me and we ate them at the playground afterward. Which leads me to one of the pluses is that since it’s at Caribbean Beach, you can hit their little playground on the property before or after dinner. And you know, when you have kids, there’s just something comforting about like a regular playground.

[00:05:26] Dana Stanley: And it’s on the Skyliner route, which is an easy popover from Boardwalk or Hollywood Studios. Epcot also worth noting the food is served family style, which is really nice. It’s a Caribbean inspired think cilantro, rice, mojo pork. Grilled chicken and for dessert you get some coconut, pineapple bread pudding.

[00:05:46] Dana Stanley: Yes, it’s as good as it sounds, but actually our favorite meat and colton’s favorite thing was the salad that comes with your meal. It’s called like the spice necklace salad. I believe it was good. Had a really limey dressing. We really liked that a lot. Now let’s head over to the boardwalk for another spot that’s easy to book, especially for bigger families or groups.

[00:06:07] Dana Stanley: And that’s Trattoria al Forno. Am I saying this is like the most amazing Italian food? Heck no. But here are the things that do make it on the underrated list. It’s easy to get a reservation, yes, but also pops up a lot for groups of eight or more, which isn’t an easy thing to find. Sometimes with large groups you have to split up your tables, so that’s like a huge perk.

[00:06:30] Dana Stanley: And the place is consistent. It’s never going to be like the best meal I’ve ever had on our vacation, but it’s never a bad one. The bread service and steak are surprisingly decent. My kids like the pizza, and then after dinner you can go on the boardwalk and watch some of the entertainers or go next door, get ice cream so you can kind of make it like a whole night and not just dinner.

[00:06:53] Dana Stanley: This is a great alternative. If you can’t get a reservation for via Napoli in the Italy pavilion and Epcot that can get really hard to get in. This is a great alternative, if not better than via Napoli. And if it works with your plans, it’s not that big of a deal to hot from Epcot over to the boardwalk.

[00:07:11] Dana Stanley: Next up is a spot that continues to win over my whole family time and time again, and I am so scared to say it because I know my husband listens to the podcast and he makes fun of how I say it. But I wanna say Sana. Okay, someone let me know if I’m saying this right. Sanaa at Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge, I was actually shocked when I found that the average price for Sana was more than Trattoria al Forno.

[00:07:39] Dana Stanley: So just like further proving that Trattoria al Forno is actually like really reasonably priced. So put that in the little pro column for that guy. But moving on, this continues to be one of our favorites and it just. Really makes me happy because it’s hard to find a lot of flavor, I feel like in Disney World, and I want flavor.

[00:07:57] Dana Stanley: I want a little bit of spice and just something that I can’t get back at home. I’m usually not like dying for a cheeseburger, you know what I mean? I think any of the food in Animal Kingdom and the lodges are my favorite for that reason, and that’s just like my personal preference. This spa is one of my favorites.

[00:08:15] Dana Stanley: The bread service is very popular for good reason. You can’t go wrong with non, and then they have 10 dipping sauces that go from no spice to very spicy, which is where you’ll find me dipping in like the nine and 10. Also, you might get a table right next to the windows where you can see the animals on the Savannah, and if not, you can visit before or after dinner and see the animals.

[00:08:37] Dana Stanley: And that alone makes this place a huge hit with the kids. Next up is actually the cheapest character meal in all of Walt Disney World, and that’s at Cape May Café at the Beach Club. This is like a perfect pick if you’re staying around Crescent Lake. And you also don’t care about Mickey per se, and if you do, I totally get it.

[00:08:56] Dana Stanley: I really wish Mickey was here, but that’s what also makes it less popular, which is a win for us. It’s a character breakfast buffet style where you’ll see Minnie Donald, Daisy. And I think sometimes goofy as well. They’re all in like their kind of like beach outfits, which is really cute. Again, no Mickey, so just be aware of that.

[00:09:19] Dana Stanley: And there’s only characters for breakfast. They have the Mickey waffles, they have sausage and eggs and all the things that you want for breakfast Also at a very reasonable price. I really like Cape May Cafe on a day that you’re headed to Epcot or Hollywood Studios, but you’re not necessarily. In a rush to make early entry, or maybe it’s a travel day and you’re headed home.

[00:09:41] Dana Stanley: I really like Cape May Café for that. If you’re already in Epcot and want something low key, that still is really good. Spice Road table is kind of like the definition of underrated to me because it can be very like unassuming. You can kind of just like walk by it. Or if you do notice it and you think, well, it’s Moroccan food, like my kids won’t eat that.

[00:10:00] Dana Stanley: But if you’re the type of family that loves snacking and like trying new things and sharing food, and also eating outside, this is a perfect spot. Everything’s top of style. So like small plates, you can order a bunch for the table and just kind of pick at it. My girls love the hummus. They like the spicy shrimp.

[00:10:20] Dana Stanley: They have non, again, if you’re getting a theme of my taste, but they also have a whole list of Spanish wines that you can even buy from the bottle. Last time we were there, we were with my in-laws. We decided to get a bottle of red. It was delicious. The cast member was like very knowledgeable and friendly, and I just love being able to eat dinner outside, especially at night.

[00:10:42] Dana Stanley: And you have the water and it’s just an easy reservation to get. Most people just kind of walk right by. But don’t give it a chance. Now here’s one that surprised me and that’s why it made it on the list, and that’s Rosa Mexicano over at the Dolphin. Again, best Mexican of my life, no, and I do know it’s a chain.

[00:11:03] Dana Stanley: There’s actually one like not far from us in New Jersey. I put it on the list though because I liked it more than I thought I would, which to me is like a solid sign of underrated ness under underrated ness. This was a new to US restaurant back in July, and it was just very convenient since we were kind of stranded on the boardwalk for Hurricane Milton.

[00:11:25] Dana Stanley: I’m like, oh, poor us. But it doesn’t get a lot of love because it’s not like Disney owned. So I feel like it just doesn’t get mentioned a lot by Disney, which makes sense. And while it feels a little more upscale. Like the actual interiors feel very nice. There were a ton of kids in there when we were there.

[00:11:45] Dana Stanley: I have a video of my 4-year-old doing like her famous wiggle that she does when she eats something she likes and it was for their mac and cheese. So all good there. The tableside, guac, we got that. That was really good. Entertained my 1-year-old, which is always a plus. I actually ran into a friend while I was down there and she lives locally and agreed.

[00:12:04] Dana Stanley: It was kind of like the spot that they go to when they’re in the mood for Mexican food. You know, I’m a big fan of my margaritas. Ours were really good. And so the big thing about this place is that you can easily get a reservation from their website directly. Like not Disney’s website, but just the Dolphins website.

[00:12:23] Dana Stanley: If you don’t already know, there are a lot of restaurants in Disney World that aren’t operated by them, especially the ones in Disney Springs. And those usually have a reservation system outside of the main, my Disney Experience app. Getting a little fancier. Now we’re actually going back to tapas talk, and this is great for like vintage Disney fans and also Rooftop View lovers, and that’s Toledo at Coronado Springs.

[00:12:51] Dana Stanley: I really like this restaurant. I wanna go back, same type of vibe that I was talking about with Spice Row Table, where you can just like order a bunch of small plates and share and pick. It feels a little more upscale, especially like the location, but it’s still very like approachable. It’s not stuffy.

[00:13:08] Dana Stanley: The menu is rooted in Spanish cuisine and the view is lovely, and it’s one of the best like nice dinner options that a lot of people don’t talk about. So the best part of having dinner here is visiting the Dalia Bar. So this isn’t actually at Toledo, it’s on a different floor, but if you can just pop into the bar, you can see old photos of Dolly Salvador, Dolly with Walt Disney.

[00:13:32] Dana Stanley: They’re such cool photos of them together in Spain back in the fifties. Even if you don’t have time for like a drink, ’cause you have the kids with you pop down there just to see the photos. If you’re like into that, just feel like if you’re like a vintage Disney fan, that is a must. And finally, let’s end with a classic, the creme de la creme that somehow still flies under the radar.

[00:13:54] Dana Stanley: And that’s Jiko again at Animal Kingdom Lodge. This is one we keep coming back to because it’s consistently good from the food to the service to, I’d go here for more of like our nice dinner. Fun fact, last time we were there, I spilled an entire glass of red wine, like a full glass all over their beautiful hardwood floors.

[00:14:15] Dana Stanley: And I wanted to die. I think everyone who saw what happened, assumed that the baby did it, but he didn’t. It was 100% my fault, but the waitress was so sweet, very graciously brought me another glass. No problem. Just every time we’ve gone the service and attention to detail from like filling your water glasses and making sure you have clean forks, that type of thing, it’s just a really nice place.

[00:14:41] Dana Stanley: They have a really big wine list here. It’s like a true signature dining experience, but it still feels accessible to families, especially again, with seeing the animals before or after dinner. And the food has flavor, which I keep saying again and again. It has those African spices and just things that I can’t get at home.

[00:15:00] Dana Stanley: So that’s my list. Not the best restaurants, not the fanciest, but the ones that snuck up on us. I press us and have always made our trips better. So if you want to eat well at Disney without like stressing about booking those dining reservations 60 days in advance, or spending like hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a character buffet, these are the spots that I would go to.

[00:15:23] Dana Stanley: I’d love to hear if you’ve been to any of these, or if there’s one you think I missed or one that you think I’d like Now that you know my taste buds a little bit more, message me on Instagram and we’ll swap like underrated dining spots. Until next time, thank you so much for joining me on this episode of.

[00:15:40] Dana Stanley: A laid back Magic Way podcast. If you enjoyed today’s episode and it was helpful for you, it would mean the world to me. If you’d write a quick review, your reviews, help more moms like you find the show, and I read every single one of them seriously, thank you in advance. You can find me on Instagram at somewhere worthwhile, and I’d love to hear from you there.

[00:15:59] Dana Stanley: DM me if you have any questions about this episode or what you’d like to see in future ones. Until then, keep planning for your next favorite memory and I’ll see you next time.