Dining at Walt Disney World during the holiday season
offers the chance to sample special entrees, desserts, and entire menus geared to Christmas travelers.
Disney restaurants often open up extra options — from counter-service to table-service to buffets — during the holiday season, and especially on Christmas Day.
We’ve got three ways that Disney dining changes during the holidays, and a few specific suggestions for you!
Disney Specialty Holiday Meals
Many Disney restaurants announce specialty Christmas Day menus! There are three different types of “options” offered during the season…
Extra Counter Service Options Open Up
A few of Disney’s oft-shuttered restaurants like Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland, Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland, and the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon in Frontierland open their doors for counter-service eats during the holiday season (and other busy seasons throughout the year).
Diamond Horseshoe has even offered a special table-service meal on Christmas while remaining counter-service for the busiest portion of the season.
Table-Service Holiday Menus are Available
Several buffet restaurants in Disney World will have a holiday menu at Christmas time, changing out some of their standard items for more traditional eats.
For example, as Christmas carols ring out in the Biergarten’s festive hall, this Germany pavilion restaurant has served up a seasonal menu on Christmas Day.
Outside the Biergarten during the Holidays
Special Holiday Meals are Offered on Table-Service Menus
Some restaurants, like the Hollywood Brown Derby, add a special entree to their regular offerings on Christmas Day. Here, the standard menu will be offered, but a traditional dish will be added to the menu.
Hollywood Brown Derby
We have a complete listing of Walt Disney World restaurants offering a special entree or complete feast on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day in our new DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2019 e-Book!
Holiday Reservations
Pre-order the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays 2019 NOW!
You’ll want to book your Advance Dining Reservation FAR in advance for seasonal meals, especially for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Booking 180 days in advance of your vacation is recommended via 407-WDW-DINE, My Disney Experience, or Disney’s online reservation system.
No reservation? You won’t go hungry. Out-of-the-way restaurants are likely to have open tables. Check out a Resort restaurant – Olivia’s Cafe at the Old Key West Resort, Boatwright’s at Port Orleans — Riverside, or Ale & Compass at Yacht Club are good bets.
And while we’ve let you know the kinds of options that are available to you for holiday meals here, we’ve got lots more in our Holiday guide!
There are more crawls, bonus items, and over 350 pages of holiday tips in the new DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World® Holidays 2019. Over 250 colorful photos will aid you in your decisions, too!
Where’s your favorite place to dine during the holiday season at Walt Disney World?
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Decisions, decision, decision …. Pretty much anywhere as I am there and with my family! The Biergarten in Germany is neat due to the countries ties to Xmas.. Plus big beers and the Karmel Kuche right next store… How can you go wrong!
This year we are doing Xmas eve there, Xmas day at Liberty Tree tavern ( I miss the characters) and New Year’s Eve at Crystal Palace ( first time ever there.. and I have been going since ’73 when I was 6 years old). 32 days until we leave cold Ohio for my happy place!
I am getting really excited now!
hiiii we decided last month to give us a WDW Christmas & New Year treat!
We had some luck with our ADR…arriving late on Christmas Eve we will go straight to bed..and then on Christmas night we’ll go to the Artist Point…I’ve been dying to go there!
We also got a terrace dessert party, a candlelight package at Coral Reef…
NY’s eve will be lunch at Sci-Fi…and then snack around the night in DHS haha!
OOOOOH I CAN’T WAIIIIT
A special Disney memory, Thanksgiving at the Brown Derby a few years ago with my husband. What a great trip, left the brisk North and had wonderful weather in sunny Florida. The parks were very quiet on the day and we enjoyed a lovely mid afternoon dinner after meandering through the Hollywood Studios. Later, we saw the Christmas lights get turned on, kicking off the holiday season.
It’s so tempting to leave cold Toronto and go down to enjoy all that Florida has to offer including the Disney World and Disney food. Lingering memories from my childhood …. It’s a little too late to plan the big trip now… maybe next year. On the other side, it’s really beautiful here in Canada with that typical winter scenery and white Christmas.
We are going this year for the Christmas Holiday and super excited…. since we have a soon to be 4 year old girl (turns 4 on the 26th) Christmas Eve we are going to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Xmas Day we are having Brunch at Chef Mickey and dinner at 1900 Park Fare in the Grand Floridian Resort. On her Birthday we are lunching at Cinderella’s castle. On the 27th going to the Hollywood and Vine Dinner. All charater dinning. I know the food will be good not super great but the smile and reaction on her face will be priceless.