April 2011
There are many variables that affect whether table service meals are better in the parks or the resorts. Last time I looked at specialty dining such as character meals, signature dining, buffets, and unique and entertaining restaurants. Today, let’s evaluate table service meals by looking at the convenience factor and the time of day you’ll be eating, shall we?
Convenience
Transportation. Walt Disney World’s most common form of transportation, buses, connects resorts to theme parks, water parks, Downtown Disney, and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) only, making travel between resorts time-consuming. If you’re staying at a Value Resort without a table-service option, chances are it is more convenient to eat at the theme parks while touring that to travel to another resort to eat. Guests staying at a monorail resort (Grand Floridian Resort, Polynesian Resort, and Contemporary Resort) or one of the Boardwalk area resorts (Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts, Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts) have a wide variety of table service restaurants that are relatively easy to travel to. Other Deluxe and Moderate Resorts have at least one table-service restaurant on-site but you’ll likely not want to eat at the same restaurant day after day.
Flexibility. Generally, it’s more difficult to get an Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) at a theme park restaurant than at a resort restaurant; it’s a numbers game, really. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but if you’re not one to embrace planning your dining months in advance, eating at the resorts may be a better bet for you. You won’t have to worry about fitting your touring plan around your ADR times. Once you finish up for the day, you’ll be able to hop on a bus, monorail, or boat and have a better chance of getting a table at a resort restaurant without an ADR than in the parks.
Read More
This topic stumped me for a while since it clearly falls into the category of it depends. It’s always tough to make recommendations on matters of personal preference since a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. Even if the same approach doesn’t work for everyone, do some options have a slight edge over others for a majority of visitors? I endeavored to find out.
In trying to answer whether eating at table service restaurants in the parks or the resorts wins out, I decided to break down the problem. Let’s take a look at type of dining today. Next time I’ll analyze the time of day and convenience.
Type of Dining
Signature Dining. If signature dining is your pleasure, eating at the resorts wins hands down for number of options. There are eleven signature dining restaurants at the resorts compared to a paltry four in the theme parks. For the most signature dining choices, try the Grand Floridian Resort or Disney’s Boardwalk area.
Signature Dining in the Parks
Bistro de Paris (Epcot)
Cinderella’s Royal Table (Magic Kingdom)
Hollywood Brown Derby (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Le Cellier (Epcot)
Read More
I remember a time when Catholic Mass was offered at the Polynesian Resort’s Luau Cove. Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore. Today, religious services are only offered on Walt Disney World property on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. These services are typically offered in the Fantasia Ballroom at the Contemporary Resort. The 2011 Easter services schedule hasn’t been released yet but if history is any guide two Catholic Masses will be offered, one at 8am and the other at 10:15 am. A Protestant service is available at 9am. Due to expected large crowds, parking is restricted at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Polynesian Resort, and the Contemporary Resort. Guests can either take boat or monorail transportation to the Contemporary or board a shuttle bus bringing worshippers from the Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary Resort.
For religious services throughout the year, you’ll have to visit a nearby house of worship. I contacted Disney to get a list of local resources.
Read More