Visiting Disney World with a toddler is absolutely magical. Your little one is sure to enjoy seeing their favorite characters, riding all of the amazing toddler-friendly rides, and seeing the hustle and bustle of the parks. That said, there are some things that can make visiting with a toddler a bit more difficult. One of the most common struggles parents have is with dining with a toddler in Disney World.
Yes, Walt Disney World is excellent at accommodating families and young children, but that doesn’t change the fact that toddlers tend to be wiggly, impatient, and picky eaters. Fortunately, there are ways to make feeding your little one in Disney World a bit less challenging.
One way to do this? Choosing the best Disney World restaurants for toddlers.
Below we’ve listed our absolute favorite toddler-friendly restaurants on Walt Disney World Resort property. Choose from this list and you can’t go wrong.
Related: Tips for Visiting Disney World as a Solo Parent
Chef Mickey’s
An absolutely perfect choice for kids of all ages (as well as kids at heart), Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort (just a short monorail ride from Magic Kingdom) is a super fun option that is sure to keep your little one entertained. You see, this is a character meal during which Mickey Mouse and his pals make an appearance and interact with guests (from a distance). Additionally, the monorail passes over this restaurant, adding an extra bit of entertainment, especially if your toddler is a fan of trains.
The breakfast here is served family-style, meaning you will receive platters of food to split amongst your family members. Meanwhile, the dinners are brought out individually. There are plenty of kid-friendly foods served during both breakfast and dinner, meaning even a picky toddler won’t go hungry.
Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast
Another great Disney character dining option is found at Topolino’s Terrace in the Riviera Disney resort. Here, the characters (Minnie and friends) only make an appearance at breakfast time, so you will want to make sure to snag a morning reservation-something that can be hard to do, so be sure to be ready to reserve as soon as your booking window opens!
Here, meals are served on individual plates, and the breakfast food is some of the best on property. They have plenty of “fancy” options for the adults, but they also cater to the kids by offering things like Mickey waffles and sausage.
Related: Planning a Resort Day at Disney’s Riviera Resort
Garden Grill
Garden Grill is an Epcot restaurant located in “The Land” building, and it’s easily one of the most entertaining Disney restaurant locations on property. This is thanks to the fact that the entire restaurant rotates throughout your meal, taking you through various scenes such as a rainforest and a desert. On top of that, the meals served here are character meals, and guests are visited by Mickey in his farmer attire, as well as a few other classic Disney characters.
Family-style dining is the name of the game here, and the foods served are traditional comfort foods. This means your toddler will almost certainly find something they enjoy, and can eat as much as they wish.
Hollywood and Vine
Perhaps the best meal on property for tiny Disney fans, Hollywood Studios’ Hollywood and Vine rotates through different character dining experiences throughout the year. All of them feature characters that Disney-loving toddlers would recognize, and the Disney Junior Play n’ Dine meal that is offered much of the time is especially perfect for these little ones thanks to the Disney Junior characters that pay guests a visit.
Adult entrees here include things like a Toasted Open-Faced Salmon Bagel and Hazelnut Spread-Stuffed French Toast for breakfast, and Carved Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast and Spice-Rubbed Pork Loin for lunch and dinner. That said, the kids menu keeps it simple with things like Mickey waffles, roast beef, and mac and cheese.
Tusker House Character Breakfast
The last character dining experience on our list is found at Tusker House in the Animal Kingdom Disney park. This delicious Disney dining spot is a fan-favorite for a reason, and we were so happy when we saw it was back. It’s perfect for little ones because it features characters like Donald, Daisy, and Goofy, as well as a fun and exciting atmosphere.
The family-style breakfast here is pretty simple, but is well done. Yummy breads (including super fun Zebra Bread), Jungle Juice, fresh fruit, and a skillet with sausage, bacon, eggs, potatoes, and Mickey and Simba waffles are sure to fill you up and keep the kids happy. Meanwhile, the lunch and dinner menu has plenty of options for more adventurous eaters, while still giving the kids some familiar choices.
Coral Reef Restaurant
Moving on to the first option on our list without characters, Coral Reef is an absolutely wonderful pick for those with toddlers. Why? Well, because the whole restaurant is underwater-or at least that’s what it seems like. Here, you are seated very near an enormous aquarium, allowing you to dine with the fishes, something little ones find novel and entertaining.
This is a seafood restaurant, so you can expect plenty of fish and shrimp options. That said, vegan options, a steak, and of course, classic “kid food” options are available as well, so you and your toddler are bound to be happy with your meals.
Rainforest Cafe
Finally, there is the Rainforest Cafe. This restaurant is not actually Disney-owned, but there are two of them on Disney property-one in Animal Kingdom and one in Disney Springs. Kids adore this place, and as long as your toddler isn’t easily overwhelmed by loud sounds, we’re guessing they will adore the animal animatronics and faux rainstorms here as well.
There’s enough going on in this restaurant that it can actually be difficult to get little ones to focus on food. That said, the menu is extensive for both adults and kids, meaning you’re sure to find something your little one will enjoy if you can get them to focus on food. If not, you can always take the meal to go.
Note: If your toddler loves dinosaurs, he or she may also enjoy the T-Rex Cafe run by the same people who own Rainforest Cafe. This restaurant is the same sort of thing as Rainforest Cafe, but with a dino theme. Some kids love it, others are frightened by it.