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Drinks and dinner at Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World, the pan-Asian restaurant from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
The menu covers Chinese, Japanese and Korean dishes, from sushi and dim sum to Peking duck, served in a large, dramatic two-level dining room. The photos show some of the cocktails and dishes from this visit.
Disney Springs doesn’t need park admission, so Morimoto Asia is a good option for a night off from the parks.
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Nine days at Walt Disney World in September 2023, planned around food and drink: EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival, Galaxy’s Edge, tiki drinks at Trader Sam’s, a backstage greenhouse tour and fireworks from two different angles. Here’s how each day went.
Day 1: Arriving at Disney Springs
We checked in and headed to Disney Springs for a burger and fries to start the trip.
Day 2: EPCOT, Food & Wine and a Lobster Feast
First stop at EPCOT was the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Then we grazed around World Showcase during the Food & Wine Festival: tacos, frozen drinks, brisket, onion rings, a shepherd’s pie and baked oysters. More in EPCOT food.
Dinner was all-you-can-eat seafood at Boston Lobster Feast: lobster, snow crab legs and mussels. We ended at Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs for Mickey-shaped mousse cakes.
Day 3: California Grill at the Contemporary
Dinner was at California Grill on the top floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. We had sushi, sliders and dessert, then watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the restaurant.
Day 4: Hollywood Studios and Galaxy’s Edge
We walked through Toy Story Land, then into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to see the Millennium Falcon and grab a Ronto Wrap. Drinks were at Oga’s Cantina, the galaxy’s busiest bar, with the creature tank behind the counter.
On the way back we stopped at Portillo’s for a Chicago-style hot dog, then went back to EPCOT for an evening of Food & Wine booths: an herb-butter croissant, berry cheesecake, a rice bowl with a soft egg, a bao bun and more oysters.
Day 5: Nomad Lounge and Trader Sam’s
Afternoon drinks and small plates were on the terrace at Nomad Lounge in Animal Kingdom.
At night we went to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Village Resort for tiki mugs, potstickers and the Uh Oa! bowl, which they light on fire at the table.
Lighting the Uh Oa! bowl at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Day 6: Behind the Seeds, Shiki-Sai and Cirque du Soleil
We took the Behind the Seeds tour at The Land pavilion in EPCOT. It goes through the greenhouses and labs you see from the Living with the Land boat ride: hydroponic towers, a coffee plant, giant squash hanging from vines, and fish tanks.
After a look at the Cosmic Rewind building, we had sushi, gyoza, tempura and skewers at Shiki-Sai in the Japan pavilion. The night ended at Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life at Disney Springs.
Day 7: Magic Kingdom, The Polite Pig and Rise of the Resistance
At Magic Kingdom we did the Haunted Mansion and rode the PeopleMover past the Progress City model. Splash Mountain was under scaffolding while it was being turned into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Lunch was at Skipper Canteen, plus egg rolls from the Adventureland snack cart.
We had barbecue at The Polite Pig in Disney Springs: brisket, sausage and mac and cheese. In the evening we went back to Galaxy’s Edge for Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run.
Day 8: 50’s Prime Time, Jock Lindsey’s and Fireworks
Lunch was at 50’s Prime Time Cafe, where the dining room looks like a 1950s kitchen: deviled eggs, a crab cake, shrimp and grits and fried chicken. Then one more Galaxy’s Edge visit to see the X-wing and fly Smugglers Run.
We finished the night at a fireworks dessert party in Magic Kingdom, with desserts, mimosas and a view of the castle, then saw the TRON Lightcycle / Run bike on the way out.
Day 9: One Last Lobster and One Last Grog
Before flying home we went back to Boston Lobster Feast for another round, and stopped at Trader Sam’s once more to catch the show effects.
The show effects going off at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Where to stay
We stayed at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, a Disney Vacation Club resort across the lake from Disney Springs. You can walk or take the boat over to Disney Springs for dinner.
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar in Disney Springs is an Indiana Jones-themed bar named after Indy’s pilot from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The bar is set up like Jock’s aircraft hangar, filled with props, maps and nods to the films, and serves themed cocktails and small plates. The photos show the bar’s decor, including an Air Pirates Circus banner, along with drinks from this visit.
It has both indoor seating and a waterfront patio overlooking the lake at Disney Springs, and it’s a relaxed spot for a drink without needing park tickets.
Lunch at 50’s Prime Time Cafe in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.
The restaurant is themed as a 1950s family kitchen, with black-and-white TVs playing classic sitcoms and servers who play the role of family members, reminding guests to keep their elbows off the table and clean their plates. The menu is classic American comfort food.
The photos include the deviled eggs and other dishes from this meal. Reservations are recommended through the My Disney Experience app.
Skipper Canteen in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom is a table-service restaurant themed around the Jungle Cruise and its skippers.
The menu features globally inspired dishes, and the servers keep up the Jungle Cruise tradition of puns and corny jokes. The restaurant is also packed with details tied to the S.E.A. (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) storyline. The photos show the restaurant’s crest and some of the dishes.
Skipper Canteen is a good choice if you want a sit-down meal in Magic Kingdom that’s a little different from the usual theme park food.
Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya is a Japanese restaurant in the Japan pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase at Walt Disney World.
The restaurant’s menu changes with the seasons and features sushi, sashimi and izakaya-style small plates, along with sake and Japanese cocktails. The photos show some of the sushi and drinks from this visit.
It’s located upstairs in the Mitsukoshi building, and the Japan pavilion is a great place to explore before or after with its gardens, shops and pagoda.
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Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Walt Disney World’s tiki bar, during a September 2023 trip.
Trader Sam’s is famous for its collectible tiki mugs and for the little shows that happen around the bar when certain drinks are ordered. The photos and video show some of the mugs and the bar in action, including a blue skull mug.
It’s one of the most popular bars on Disney property and gets crowded quickly, so arriving around opening time is the best bet for a seat.
Lighting the Uh Oa! bowl at Trader Sam’s Grog GrottoThe show effects going off at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Make tiki drinks at home
If a trip to a tiki bar gets you hooked, here’s what we’d start with for a home bar. The full list is on our Tiki Bar Gear page.
Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a relaxed bar and small-plates spot on Discovery Island, next to Tiffins restaurant.
The lounge is decorated with art and artefacts celebrating the travels of the park’s Imagineers, and its outdoor terrace overlooks the Discovery River. The photos show some of the food and drinks from this visit.
It’s one of the few places in Animal Kingdom to sit down for a drink, and it doesn’t need a reservation.
Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World.
The cantina is a standing-room-heavy bar run by the crime boss Oga Garra in the story of Black Spire Outpost, with DJ R-3X providing the music. The menu features colourful Star Wars-themed cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, some shown in these photos.
Reservations are highly recommended and open well in advance through the My Disney Experience app.
Epcot food from a September 2023 visit to Walt Disney World.
Epcot’s World Showcase is one of the best places to eat at Walt Disney World, with pavilions representing 11 countries and seasonal festival booths throughout the year. The photos show a selection of dishes and drinks from around the park.
Grazing your way around the World Showcase with small plates from different countries is one of the most popular ways to spend an afternoon at Epcot.
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