Our favorite places to eat at… Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a great place to shop and eat, especially since you don’t need a ticket to get in. There is free transportation from all Disney hotels to the area and it’s a great place to wander around. There will also be a lot of Christmas decorations and activities there in December. Last year, Santa was there.

There are all sorts of dining options depending on your mood and how much time you want to spend on dining. If you are looking for a quick bite, I recommend the Earl of Sandwich. It is a bit like a Panera, in that you can get soups and sandwiches from the counter. They offer a bunch of hot ones and I got fruit and cookies there with mine.

If you want a fun treat, check out the Ghirardelli SodaFountain & Chocolate Shop. For mum and I no trip to Downtown Disney is complete without a sundae from there. The wait can be long and the place tends to be busy, but it is worth it. Also, go in the shop, they give free samples of the chocolate and it is always a full square of Ghirardelli chocolate. Yum!

For dining reservations, you have a ton of options. If you want something with a lot of character (though a bit of a wait) there is a Rainforest Café here, and a place I’ve yet to visit called T-Rex, from the same parent company. Like its predecessor, T-Rex also has animatronics in its décor, this time its dinosaurs! Both are likely to have waits even with reservations. It’s rarely a good idea to try to just walk up to get a table.

Mum and I rather enjoy going to Planet Hollywood. You get to skip most of the line if you have a reservation. If you have never been, it’s a lot like a Hard Rock Café, as there is movie memorabilia everywhere. They have a huge appetizer sampler that we’ve ordered instead of a meal before which includes chicken crunch, buffalo wings, Texas tostadas, and spinach dip ($20). They have burgers ($12), fajitas ($17), pasta ($16), salmon ($22), and tons more. They also have a bunch of desserts for $7 each or a sampler for $10. This is a great place if everyone wants something different for dinner. They don’t have much for vegetarians though.

The House of Blues Restaurant just redid its menu, so I can’t speak to how it tastes, but sometimes there is live music there. Prices run about $13 for burgers or sandwiches, around $20 for other entrees, including Lobster Mac & Cheese. Appetizers include flatbreads ($12), chicken wings ($10), and pulled pork sliders ($10). They also have a bunch of salads (with meat around $15, without $6-10).

I am determined to try out the Wolfgang Puck Café one of these visits. The menu includes pizzas ($15), pastas ($16-20), sandwiches ($13-17), and a sushi bar. The lunch menu also has bacon wrapped meatloaf ($19), oven roasted salmon ($27), and chicken pot pie ($19). The sandwiches are exchanged for more entrees at dinner time.

There are lots of other great places to eat. For a full list, go here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/downtown-disney/dining/