Finding an exemplary dining experience or dish isn’t a given at a resort like Walt Disney World, where efficiency can trump flavor. But the sprawling complex boasts a wide variety of standout dishes for those willing to look for them. These are meals people remember for years, clamoring for their return should they ever disappear and stalking the recipes online. We found all of the resort’s most spectacular restaurants and dishes — from hulking pieces of meat to hall-of-fame citrus cakes, hoisin spare ribs to bowls of cheese soup — and compiled them, Eater-style, into this Disney 38. Anyone planning a trip to Orlando should consider this a cheat sheet for the best and brightest across the parks.
Updated, May 2022:
Disney has expanded its culinary offerings with celebrity chefs, global cuisines, and new upscale ventures in the years since Eater’s guide was first written, but the resort is still adjusting to a new normal with its culinary program following its temporary closure during the COVID pandemic. Character dining is slowly returning, some dishes remain missing, and select restaurants have not yet reopened. But there is still plenty to indulge in and imbibe throughout Walt Disney World, including many of our time-tested favorites. Rest assured: You’ll still be eating well at this vacation paradise.
Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it also poses a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.