Not all Disney World restaurants are created equally.
There are fancy table service meals, quick fast-food type eats, character dining, and more. And, while going on a solo Disney World trip might sound like an absolute dream to you, some experiences aren’t always geared toward those traveling alone — especially when it comes to dining!
Some Disney World restaurants are better suited for solo diners, while others are best experienced with a group. If you’re traveling to Disney World alone, you might want to consider avoiding these restaurants that tend to make us feel awkward when flying solo!
Character Meals
Don’t get us wrong — there is absolutely nothing that says solo diners can’t do these things in Disney World, we’re just speaking from experience! We find character meals can be awkward when dining alone — especially if you’re interacting with face characters.
They can just be awkward interactions since you and Cinderella both know about her “friend” who is really running the show if you catch our drift. Spots, like Be Our Guest, 1900 Park Fare, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Akershus, can be uncomfortable because of this.
All You Care To Enjoy Meals
There’s nothing inherently awkward about booking a reservation at a table service restaurant that offers Disney’s version of all-you-can-eat, but you should be prepared for a LOT of food. Whether it’s a buffet or a family-style meal where servers bring trays of dishes out to you, just keep in mind most of the value in these meals lies in the amount of food you get.
Restaurants like ‘Ohana, Cape May Cafe, Chef Mickey’s, Whispering Canyon Cafe (which you might want to avoid for different reasons — but we’ll get to that later), and Roundup Rodeo BBQ might not be the best choice if you’re trying to keep meals light!
Interactive Restaurants
Remember when we said that not all Disney World restaurants are created equally? Well, some restaurants are designed to make you a part of the experience. If you’re someone who doesn’t love a whole lot of social interaction and being chided in a joking way, you definitely want to avoid these interactive spots.
50s Prime Time Cafe at Hollywood Studios is made to feel like you’ve stepped into a relative’s kitchen from the 1950s — and they treat you like a relative too! We’ve been put in time-out, made to eat all our vegetables, and yelled at for putting our elbows on the table!
Whispering Canyon Cafe is another spot where your servers will likely give you a hard time — but it’s all in good fun. If you ask for more of something, you best expect to get a whole lot more!
At the end of the day, feeling awkward when you’re dining alone at those restaurants is totally normal, but so is eating out by yourself! Disney does a great job of trying to make you feel comfortable, so don’t let fear hold you back from what you want to do or what you want to eat. Make the most of your solo trip — after all, you paid a lot of money to be there, and you deserve to enjoy yourself!
If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!
In the meantime, we’ll be on the hunt for the latest Disney World tips, tricks, news, and more, so stay tuned to AllEars for everything you need to know!
I Travel to Disney World Alone. These Are the 8 Restaurants That Don’t Make Me Feel Awkward.
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Do you travel to Disney World alone? Tell us in the comments.
Yes ? I love ❤️ travelling alone to Disney world
I travel alone occasionally or sometimes go a day or so before my family gets there & yes some restaurants seem a little awkward. But I must say, last October my family did not want to go to Storybook Dining At The Wilderness Lodge because there are 5 of them which makes it expensive, so I went by myself the day before they arrived & I had a blast! Snow White, Grumpy & Dopey were all great with it just being me & the manager took a gazillion pictures of me with Dopey, since he’s my favorite! I am a Mom of 2 grown kids & 6 grandkids & that was 1 of my most memorable times at Disney, & I have been there a lot. Now I think I might feel pretty awkward going to Akershus with the Princesses, but not Storybook Dining! It was truly amazing with awesome food & great times!