The Magic Kingdom is arguably the most popular of the Disney Parks, especially among children. You can definitely spend multiple days there, even if you are there from open to close.
If you are visiting the park for the day, you’ll need to get lunch at some point. I find that lunch is a great time to get out of the sun and off your feet for a brief rest before returning for more fun, especially on a hot day.
There are lots of options for lunch at the Magic Kingdom, depending on what you’d like to eat, how much you want to spend, and the dining experiences you are looking for. There are kiosks with delicious snacks, quick service restaurants where you can eat some great food in a short amount of time, and table service restaurants where you can enjoy some rest time while you eat.
Because I usually want to rest at lunch, I enjoy having a table service or quick service meal. That way, we can sit out of the sun and rest our feet before heading out for more theme park fun. Regardless of what kind of dining experience you want to have, here are the best lunch options at the Magic Kingdom including the best restaurants.
Keep in mind that you will need to have valid park tickets to enter the Magic Kingdom. It’s best to have an advance dining reservation (ADR) for table service restaurants. An ADR alone, however, won’t get you into the park – you will also need to have a park reservation. If you want to eat at a quick service restaurant, you won’t need (or be able to get) a dining reservation.
Disclosure: I’ve been on complimentary/discounted trips to Walt Disney World, but all opinions are my own. I’ve also paid my own way many times.
The Best Lunch: Magic Kingdom
Casey’s Corner
This classic baseball-themed quick-service restaurant is at the end of Main Street USA. It is an extremely popular restaurant, offering traditional baseball foods like french fries, various hot dogs, Coca-Cola drinks, and corn dog nuggets.
Casey’s Corner offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Because it is a busy, popular spot, it can get very busy and seating can be limited. Arrive early or late for lunch to avoid the crowds and long line.
Columbia Harbour House
Located in Liberty Square across from the Haunted Mansion, the Columbia Harbour House is a nautical-themed, counter-service restaurant with a New England flair. I especially love this quick-service restaurant for lunch, because it has a large indoor seating area, including some tucked away on the second floor.
Menu items include many popular seafood items, including shrimp, New England clam chowder, lobster rolls, and fried fish. It’s a good idea to review the menu before you go because it doesn’t contain many traditional fast food items – it’s mostly seafood.
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace has always been one of my favorite places to eat at the Magic Kingdom. Over the years, it has transformed into a buffet restaurant. Now that character dining has returned, it’s home to Winnie the Pooh and friends for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Crystal Palace is a beautiful restaurant inspired by an old-fashioned greenhouse. It offers both lunch and dinner. I love to have lunch there because it’s centrally located, has lots of great food options, and is a great place to relax.
The buffet at the Crystal Palace includes a section with kid-friendly food, as well as soft-serve ice cream. It also includes meats, salads, and pasta. I’m never hungry after dining at the Crystal Palace.
If you do decide to have lunch at the Crystal Palace, you’ll probably want to have a lighter dinner. It’s a very filling lunch.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
One of the most popular restaurants, due to its location right in Cinderella Castle, is Cinderella’s Royal Table. This gorgeous eatery offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Cinderella’s Royal Table has traditionally been a character dining location where you can meet the princesses. However, character dining has not yet returned to this location.
The prix fix menu is expensive, so this isn’t a place I would eat just for the food. You should want to dine in this specific location.
The lunch/dinner menu includes pork, chicken, fish, and beef. It’s a prix-fix menu, so you’ll get to choose something from the appetizer, entree, and dessert menus. There is also a kids’ menu with plenty of kid-friendly items.
Plaza Restaurant
As my kids have gotten older, we’ve enjoyed eating in the Plaza Restaurant, along the end of Main Street USA. This table-service menu is a little more low-key than the other table-service restaurants at the Magic Kingdom. But as a table-service restaurant, it is still a nice place to sit, rest, and relax.
The Plaza Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. The menu includes casual entrees such as sandwiches and burgers. It’s less expensive than some of the other Magic Kingdom table service restaurants, and the food is more casual.
Be Our Guest
Be Our Guest restaurant, one of the newest restaurants at Walt Disney World, is a gorgeous venue offering a prix fix lunch. In my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful restaurants at Walt Disney World, and it’s worth eating there just for the experience. There are three rooms – a grand ballroom, the west wing, and the rose gallery.
The menu is French-inspired and includes things like octopus, French onion soup, and filet mignon. The kids’ menu includes chicken, mac and cheese, and beef tenderloin.
Be Our Guest is pretty expensive, so like Cinderella’s Royal Table, it’s best to eat there if you really want the experience. If you are just looking for something to satisfy your hunger, there are other, less expensive options available at the Magic Kingdom.
Snack Options at the Magic Kingdom
While I generally recommend taking a break for a full lunch during a busy day at the Magic Kingdom, there are plenty of snack options if you’d prefer to just grab something on the go. If you do this, make sure you still take a break and drink lots of water. Here are some of the best snacks:
- Aloha Isle: Have you heard of the infamous Dole Whips? These delicious soft-serve treats can be found at Aloha Isle, which is located in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom. I prefer the float version, which also includes pineapple juice.
- Gaston’s Tavern: Grab a turkey leg and a cup of LeFou’s Brew (frozen apple juice with marshmallow and passion fruit/mango foam) at this tavern named after the villain in Beauty and the Beast.
- Sleepy Hollow: Get unique treats including funnel cakes, corn dogs, and waffle sandwiches at this snack shop in Fantasyland.
What is the best lunch at the Magic Kingdom in your opinion?
