Where to Dine on Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World!
Happy Thanksgiving Disney Nerds!
Have you ever thought about spending Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World? Are you worried that you’ll miss out on your Thanksgiving favorites? Well, let us put your mind at ease! If you ever decide to spend Thanksgiving at Disney you won’t miss out on your turkey trimmings!
Let’s face it, a huge part of this holiday is getting your Thanksgiving meal. Disney is always going to make sure they give you options to get your turkey and fixings on Thanksgiving. We always recommend checking the list of restaurants every year since it may change. Once you check the list, make your reservations early. This year, Disney has announced 11 restaurants that will offer a Thanksgiving experience.
Outside of the parks, you can head to several resorts for a Thanksgiving experience.
- Cape May Café at the Yacht & Beach Club (Dinner)
- Ale & Compass Restaurant at the Yacht & Beach Club (Brunch and Dinner)
- Whispering Canyon Café at the Wilderness Lodge (Lunch and Dinner)
- Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness (Brunch and Dinner)
- Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (Lunch and Dinner)
- California Grill at the Contemporary Resort (Dinner)
In the parks, Epcot is the place to be for Thanksgiving. Disney has Thanksgiving options at:
- Coral Reef Restaurant at The Seas (Lunch & Dinner)
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway (Lunch and Dinner)
- Biergarten Restaurant in Germany (Lunch and Dinner)
- Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room in the United Kingdom (Lunch and Dinner)
- Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada (Lunch and Dinner)
No other park is listed in Disney’s offering but Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom should be. Liberty Tree Tavern already offers a Thanksgiving meal every other day of the year. It’s a great additional option to look into if you rather be at the Magic Kingdom that day.
In addition, these 11 restaurants (and Liberty Tree Tavern) that Disney has announced is offering a Thanksgiving Day experience, several quick service locations will have some type of special offering for the day. Disney has not released a full menu of what offerings are going to be available but that could be part of the fun! Personally, I think trying any of the special offerings will be fun for any Disney foodie!
Now we also want to advise that a trip to Walt Disney World for Thanksgiving will not be your typical trip. The crowds are much higher during the week of Thanksgiving so as long as you are prepared for that then you will have a great trip. Expect long wait times and make sure you utilize your dining reservations and fastpass+ options. This is also a good time to spend less time in the parks. Yes, I said LESS time in the parks. Take advantage of touring the different resorts and seeing their holiday décor. Most of the resorts if not all the resorts will be decorated for Christmas and it’s a wonderful time to visit them. Be sure to check out the huge Christmas trees at some of the resorts like the Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Grand Floridian. Also, don’t forget the Gingerbread displays at the Contemporary Resort, Yacht & Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn, and of course the Grand Floridian which is celebrating it’s 20th gingerbread house anniversary this year.
If you are not planning to spend time at Walt Disney World for Thanksgiving but still want to have a little bit of Disney at your table then check out this great recipe from the Walt Disney World kitchens for Sweet Potato Casserole!
We hope this helps give you an idea of what your options are if you decide to spend Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World. Have a magical Thanksgiving everyone!
Do you want to plan a trip to Disney? Then look no further than Once Upon A Time Travel! It’s the official travel agent of The Disney Nerds Podcast and they would love to help you plan your next Disney vacation!
