The Best and Worst Dining at Disney with a baby or toddler
The Crystal Palace
The best
Having an opportunity to eat alongside of Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, Eeyore and Piglet is pretty darn magical, if you ask me. And I’d say my toddler feels the same. We absolutely love The Crystal Palace at Disney’s Magic Kingdom for an amazing character breakfast with our besties from the Hundred Acre Wood.
It’s an american style buffet with the normal breakfast foods, and though there’s no unique standouts in terms of offerings, it’s always a hit for the kids because there’s something for even the pickiest eaters (who doesn’t love Mickey waffles?) and the character meetings are super special here. Don’t forget to bring your signature books, mugs, t-shirts or whatever you want to have the character’s sign. It will be a memory that lives on forever, and makes it well worth the investment, which is $30 per child aged 3-9 and $48 per adult.
Between the Victorian charm, the topiaries and glass dome ceiling, this place really is so beautiful and scores a 10/10 on ambiance inside Magic Kingdom and a 8/10 in terms of character dining goes (docking a few points as much as we love Pooh & friends, they’re no Mickey & Minnie).
Also worth noting is Yak & Yeti at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which is a table service dining option and a bit more affordable compared to a character dining experience. We absolutely love this beautifully decorated, super unique dining option in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Yak & Yeti is a family favorite and I’m so glad we chose this dining option when we traveled with our 9-month old.
If your baby is getting fussy at any point during the meal, this is the best restaurant to walk around and take in all of the Imagineers thoughtfully designed pieces and explore all the details – seriously, it’s like walking through a museum. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has so much charm and beauty and this restaurant encapsulates the vibe.
When it comes to food, Yak & Yeti will please even the pickiest eater in your family while you can indulge in the most adventurous dishes in all of Animal Kingdom. The Firecracker Shrimp is incredibly tasty as a starter and every entree our table ordered was absolutely divine. Even our 9-month old chowed down on the chicken lo mein.
As far as atmosphere goes, it’s super spacious with two floors and multiple dining areas. On those hot Florida days, it’s a great escape to enjoy a spectacular meal without sitting on top of the people next to you.
The whole family will leave either spot, Crystal Palace or Yak & Yeti with full bellies and you will leave happier than you came - either route you take, you’re in for an all-around great experience.
The worst
Too dark for baby at Sci-Fi
Sci-Fi Dine-In at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Despite the car seating being the most fun, the lighting here is pretty atrocious and have you ever fed a baby or toddler in the dark? That wasn’t something I considered when booking our dining reservation for Sci-Fi. I recently learned that the lighting at the pic-nic tables are a bit better than the cars, so if you’re interested in seeing what you’re eating or if you’re set on eating here with a baby or toddler, you may want to opt for the picnic table seating. Also, if your kids are a bit older, they will probably love the experience at Sci-Fi and so will you - just wouldn’t recommend it when you have babies or toddlers who need assistance while eating.
Here are a few products that have helped tremendously when dining during our Walt Disney World vacations.
Busy Baby Silicone Mat (or the mini size)
Reach out if I can help plan your next Disney trip or drop your own Walt Disney World advice in the comments below! 🫶🏻
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