Walt Disney World Best Of: Where to Stay, Eat & Play (Families & Adults Edition)

Join travel advisors Ryan and Julie from Wonder and Beyond Travel as they break down the best of Walt Disney World for both families and adults. Whether you're planning a magical vacation with kids or an adults-only getaway, this episode covers everything you need to know to make the most of your Disney experience.

For Families:

• Best resorts: Art of Animation (value), Caribbean Beach (moderate), Polynesian and Beach Club (deluxe)
• Top parks: Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios lead the way for family fun
• Dining recommendations including quick service favorites like Connections Cafe at Epcot and Pecos Bill's at Magic Kingdom
• Character dining gems like Garden Grill, Tusker House, and the newly reopened 1900 Park Fare
• Must-do attractions from Dumbo to Toy Story Mania
• Hidden dining treasures including Topolino's Terrace and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

For Adults:

• Best resorts: Pop Century (value), Caribbean Beach and Gran Destino Tower (moderate), Riviera and Boardwalk (deluxe)
• Focus parks: Epcot and Hollywood Studios for the perfect adult Disney experience
• Dining highlights from Yorkshire County Fish Shop to Hollywood Brown Derby
• Hidden gems like Toledo tapas restaurant and the Wine Cellar at Epcot's Italy pavilion
• Top attractions including Tron, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Tower of Terror
• Pro tip: Use the clock to your advantage by starting late and taking advantage of extended evening hours

The hosts also discuss the growing trend of "why-cations" - designing trips based on your purpose and desires - and share real client stories that showcase the personalized touches that make vacations truly memorable.

Transcript

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 0:00

Hello and welcome to All Things Travel. Today we're continuing with our best of series and focusing on one of my favorite destinations, Walt Disney World.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 0:10

Listening with travel advisors, Ryan and Julie, I'm your travel professor teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation, and she's a Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. And together we're the co-owners of Wonder and Beyond Travel, whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 0:38

All right, so today, obviously one of my favorite destinations, Walt Disney World, and I really like this best of series that we're doing now because it's kind of like a quick short hit on the best things for this and this and this. And today's episode I organize into families versus adults because. The best thing for a family is not gonna be the best thing for the

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 1:00

Right.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 1:01

Uh, couple overlaps, but not a lot. And I kind of wanna throw just some quick facts at everybody. the best resorts, the best parks, dining, things like that, you need to know, because these are questions we get. Almost every Disney trip we plan what's the best resort, what's the best restaurant, what's the best attraction, And again, these are my opinion based on going with my family and, and going with my husband and what I recommend for clients. someone else may have a slightly different opinion.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 1:32

And that person may be me.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 1:34

It might be, so feel free to interject, but then I'll put you back in your spot.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 1:38

So before we get to all of that, if you did not listen to last week's episode, take a listen back because we discussed three different types of vacations and weighed the cost difference between an off season trip versus a peak season trip. All right, Julie, are we starting with adults or are we starting with families?

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 1:58

Families.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 1:59

So why don't you hit us with where we need to stay.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 2:03

Okay, so this is always a big thing, right? the biggest decision you make for your Disney trip is where are you staying? I have three, I'll say four top recommendations for families if you wanna go. Value resort, I say art of animation. The little mermaid rooms are the standard rooms, and they are a little further, but the themeing throughout the entire resort is. Great for kids and they have the family suite option, which is also great for larger families if you are interested in a moderate resort. Caribbean Beach is my go-to. I was on the phone with Disney earlier this week, placing room requests for clients, and it was like Caribbean Beach, Caribbean beach,

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 2:47

Yep.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 2:48

Like

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 2:48

Yep.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 2:48

doing like five of them all at Caribbean Beach and the agent was just like. And the same location for this one. she was kind of making fun of me, but was like, I see that this is a good spot at Caribbean Beach. And then Deluxe Resorts, I'm gonna say the Polynesian and the Beach Club as a very close second, depending on basically what you're more interested in.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 3:11

I think for families. I agree. especially because we're gonna talk about parks next. I think these make the most sense.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 3:19

Yes. So Parks, the best parks for families are Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. And if you're getting a three day park ticket, it's always a toss up between Epcot and Animal Kingdom based on your family's interests Magic Kingdom has, those nostalgic, the Timeless Rides, and obviously the Castle and the most family friendly rides. But Hollywood studios, It's right there with it

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 3:44

It has really upped its family game, especially with Pixar being up and going.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 3:51

Absolutely. It's got Toy Story Leon, it's got Galaxies Edge and it has all these really great shows as well to go and see. So, especially when, like you said, monsters Inc. Opens and the, animation courtyard reopens. it's really gonna be a great contender for Top Park over there.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 4:12

so let's talk a little bit about food when it comes to families. At Walt Disney World, if we're talking about quick service in the parks at Epcot, we recommend going to Connections Cafe. there's tons to choose from, but I really think Connections Cafe has the broadest, set of options when it comes to quick service. Food, magic Kingdom, Pecos Bills, tall Tail Inn and Cafe, I think is the winner here. You get a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to this quick service if you have hotdog lovers. Casey's, I think is a close second.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 4:46

That was my close second, but the seating at Casey's is what gets me.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 4:50

I agree. Animal Kingdom, we're talking Yak and Yeti local food cafes. Absolutely wonderful. if you have more adventurous eaters, really think going to SAT Canteen is worth your time when it comes to quick service and Hollywood Studios and a b, C commissary, I think is the winner here. really good food offerings and inside and lots of seeding. So I think it's a win when it comes to families.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 5:16

Tons of options.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 5:18

When it comes to table service in the parks, when we're talking about Epcot, if we want to do a character, meeting Garden Grill is really great. Not only is the food good, it's family style, so you can just sit and relax and the characters come to you. Tusker House, as we've talked about on this show in the Animal Kingdom, has really good options when it comes to a little bit more interesting food. And you're also gonna get characters dressed in their Safari gear, which is something you're not gonna see at other places. Hollywood Studios, Roundup, rodeo Barbecue. So you've got that Toy Story theming there. And then at Magic Kingdom Crystal Palace, where you're gonna meet Winnie the Pooh and his friends. I can tell you from personal experience. The food is really, really good here. It's got kind of a southern twist to it. everybody's gonna be happy with the food.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 6:09

I'll throw in there real quick. I know that that seems like a lot of character Dining, garden Grill, Tusker House and Crystal Palace are all character meals. But I do strongly recommend you include character meals in your trip because that means you do not need to weigh in any lines to make characters.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 6:25

Agreed.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 6:27

I also just wanna throw a couple of hidden gems for dining that are maybe not on your radar. Totino's Terrace Breakfast over at the Riviera Resort. This is actually a pretty hard to get reservation. The, the atmosphere is beautiful. The characters are super cute and like these artist inspired outfits and the food is so good. Actually, this restaurant at dinner is a signature restaurant, so it's really good food. Kate May Cafe breakfast was a huge winner for me recently. It's at Beach Club, so sometimes those resort. Character dining experiences have a little bit more availability than the in park options. storybook Dining at Artist Point is over at the Wilderness Lodge. the food is really amazing. It's a prefix type menu. so it's like one price per person, which is also really nice. And you're meeting dopey. The Evil queen, snow White, and Grumpy. Three more. Whispering Canyon Cafe over at the Wilderness Lodge. Have you ever eaten there, Ryan?

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 7:26

No. Uh, on this list. Cape May and Whispering Canyon are the two that I have not eaten at, but I've certainly heard great things about it.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 7:34

Whispering Canyon is also served, it's kind of family style. The reason I really like it is'cause they have these barbecue skillets you can choose from and they are so good. And if you know the ins and outs of Disney dining a little bit. On a dining plan, you don't pay for your kids under three, and if you were to go here, they can truly just share off your skillet and you can just order more for your skillet. 1900 Park Fair is over at the Grand Floridian, another character dining that just recently reopened. And here's the big one, hoopty Do musical review. I feel like everyone forgets about this, but it

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 8:11

I know and it's so good.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 8:13

All right. Take us through a couple attractions, Ryan.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 8:15

Okay, so again, remember we're focused on families here. if I'm looking at the Magic Kingdom, I've got a lot of the heavy hitters, the classics, I've got Dumbo, Prince Charming's Carousel, the Magic carpets of Aladdin, and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Rooms. So I'm hitting some of those classic kid friendly, fun things. Epcot, I've got the Cs with Nemo and Friends. Then obviously spending time at the aquarium afterwards. Outdoor and indoor play areas and frozen ever after Hollywood Studios, I've got toy story mania, Mickey and Minnie's, runaway railway alien, swirling saucers for the first time and forever. A frozen sing-along all great family things. Then Animal Kingdom. I've got the Festival of the Lion King and the Kilimanjaro Safari. If you hit all of these plus more on your trip, you are hitting the classics and the must dos when it comes to Disney.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 9:13

Yeah, and notice that for Magic Kingdom, I left off like it's a small world and Peter Pan because while I love those old time nostalgic rides, I don't know what it is about Dumbo and the magic carpets of Aladdin. My kids like we have to go on those rides over and over again.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 9:29

Well, and this is not an exhaustive list by any means. This is just the, Hey, think of this with your families. You wanna make sure to hit these.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 9:38

Yes, yes. So to wrap up families, a couple quick tips. Use early entry and make sure you have a plan. And if you work with us, that plan comes from us. Bring snacks and more snacks, and just give them to your children. In between all the rides and everyone will be happy. and don't feel like you need to rush to attractions. have your priorities and don't rush around because that won't be fun for anyone.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 10:03

Alright, so we are going to continue with talking about adults, but first I wanna talk about where in the world is Wonder and Beyond Travel. And Julie, I'm gonna take a little pivot here because I was listening to a podcast. Yes. I listened to other podcasts and they were talking about a really cool trend in travel. And I want to get your take on this. this is the idea of why Casian. designing your trip based on why you want to go there. And what you want to see when you're there. And I just thought, man, as I listen to this, it sounds like so many of the podcast, episodes that we've done so many of the trips that we do with our clients. So the why ca I think is really special. what I love about this segment, when we talk about where in the world is wonder or beyond, is it's not always just, here's the trip. But it's often why the trip, you know, we're doing this because, grandma always takes grandchildren or, a fiance wants to have a romantic trip. I've been a part of Disney Baby Reveals, the picture taken at the Magic Kingdom, that kind of stuff. And it really kind of hit me. This idea of why ca as such an important part of not only the types of trips that we plan, but the conversations that we have with our clients. What do you think about this idea of why ca

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 11:28

I think that is so cool, and elevates the

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 11:31

I.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 11:31

When you do step back and think about why am I taking this trip?

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 11:35

Yeah, and sometimes it's just to relax and have fun and have that classic Disney vacation. Other times there is a specific purpose that means a heck of a lot more. Based on where you want to go. So folks, as you're thinking about 20 26, 20 27, we really urge you to think about the why vacation, why are you taking the trip? How can we help you do that? we can help you with all sorts of things, Part of our job is to help find those hidden little things, those fun little things. I'll give you two examples. I had a group of ladies that traveled on Riviera Cruise lines this past fall, They had a day in the French City before they boarded, I said, you know, you're gonna get there and you're gonna have this day that you get. They're, you're gonna be flying in from Paris. You're gonna, you know, you're gonna be tired, but you gotta stay up. So you're gonna have this the rest of this day. And you're also gonna have that next morning'cause you're gonna board the ship in the afternoon. How do you wanna spend your time? Do you want to do a tour? do you want to have me set you up with, with a driver? and the one woman said, you know what I really want to do? I wanna see a fabric store. and they're like, oh, that sounds really cool. another woman goes, you know what? I really want to see a farmer's market'cause I wanna see produce and all this kind of stuff. And so that got me going. Once we got their hotel set up, I knew when their transfers were picking them up and so I did a little bit of digging I found a farmer's market and a fabric shop all within 10 minutes of walking from their hotel. You know, it's just those little things You didn't just go to France, you also went to a fabric shop in France. You saw the vegetables because you grew up on a farm and that's what interests you. I absolutely love that kind of stuff.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 13:24

That's so cool and makes their trip very unique.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 13:27

Yeah, Absolutely. Well, we love celebrating with our clients, where they're headed, what they're excited about, why they're taking the vacations. It inspires curiosity in both them and us, and we can't wait to hear about their trips while we're planning them after they return. And if you work with Julie and I, you just may be featured on the, all right, Julie. So now let's talk about adults. When we're talking about where to stay with adults. We're still gonna break it down into the three different categories. So value we have pop. I really like pop as a value option because it's got the skyliner and I, I just think it's a really good value at that level. I always recommend a preferred room here because of its location to not only the skyliner, but also the dining and things like that. Moderate. We're gonna stay with Caribbean Beach. That is a tried and true, moderate because of the skyliner. However, I'm gonna throw an audible in here with your list. I'm gonna say, as adults, a little step up here is to do the tower at Coronado.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 14:37

Tower.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 14:38

Distino Tower. I think that's worth the look. even though you don't have the skyliner, I think that's a really nice place to stay. The deluxe here, I'm, with you, the Riviera and the Boardwalk, two of my favorite resorts. I absolutely love Riviera because I don't feel like I'm staying at Disney. I feel like I'm staying at a really nice hotel. but I also have access through the skyliner to everything Disney has to offer.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 15:04

I did think of you when I made that list, especially the del.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 15:10

The parks here. We are going to focus on Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We've got a lot of nostalgia here for adults when it comes to Hollywood Studios, and we've got Star Wars and the Muppets, And then Epcot, obviously with the countries, just a lot of fun, a lot of things to see and enjoy with the festivals, and then also some really great attractions.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 15:34

you'll notice that those two parks, Epcot and Hollywood Studios, are so easily accessible by all three of those resorts

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 15:42

Absolutely. So what about when it comes to dining, Julie?

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 15:46

All right, so let's start with Quick Services in Epcot. I'm gonna mention our favorite, the Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the uk, but also the Zoa Grill over in Japan, and we've talked about both of those before on our Epcot episode. In Magic Kingdom, I'm actually gonna say just like snack around, there's not a great quick service that pops into mind when I think about just an adult trip. I would grab some spring rolls at the cart in front of Adventureland. grab a pretzel somewhere. I'd grab some snacks over at Gaston's Tavern or even Friars Nook in Fantasy Land, and then head over to Sleepy Hollow. on your way into Frontier Land, in Liberty Square. Ryan, what do you think about quick service in Magic Kingdom?

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 16:30

Personally, I'm not hot on dining and magic kingdom in general. that's my biased opinion based on the foods that I like. certainly when I go there and I work with clients, we can find plenty of things but I agree with you. Snack around there. There's a lot of good snacks hidden around Magic Kingdom get a doll whip, get the spring rolls, do all that yummy stuff.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 16:53

All right. So over at Animal Kingdom, the quick service to go to is Ulli Canteen, at Hollywood Studios. I really like Docking Bay seven, and I know Ryan really likes Toronto Roasters.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 17:04

Yep. Yep.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 17:04

those are really fun, unique environments. Being in Galaxy's Edge, you're not gonna find an environment like that outside of that park area.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 17:13

Agreed.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 17:15

Table services and you can weigh in here too, but for adults only in Epcot, I'm gonna say cheeky sigh. If that's the style of food that you like and Chefs de France, I think you can get a really nice meal there.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 17:27

I also think that if you want a little bit entertainment and you are a, a good eater, I think the beer garden is a great place to go. it's lots of great food.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 17:40

A good eater.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 17:41

A good eater. I'll leave that open to interpretation.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 17:44

At Animal Kingdom, I'm gonna say Tiffins. This is a signature restaurant, but it is so good and it's connected to the Nomad Lounge, which is also a great option to go and have a more casual, but really good experience.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 17:57

and to be honest, I would say just skip Tiffins and go to Nomad Lounge because they have a great food menu right there.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 18:03

do, they do studios. The Hollywood Brown Derby is by far, the winner for adults over there. And honestly, a lot of times, like you mentioned earlier, leave the park and go over to Beach Club, boardwalk area.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 18:19

I like, with Hollywood Studios, to be honest, I prefer to sit on the patio, in the lounge because you can still get the great food there, but it's a little more relaxed atmosphere. so yeah, I agree with that.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 18:31

Yeah. And at Magic Kingdom, I think Skipper Canteen is the winner for

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 18:35

It, it, it has to be. I, I think unless you have a nostalgic restaurant that you want to go back to time and time again, I think skipper, canteens, makes the most sense. What about some hidden gyms when it comes to dining? Julie?

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 18:49

Epcot Tudo, GoTo, wine Cellar. So many people forget about this. It is in the Italy pavilion on the left side, right past, the Italy restaurant there

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 19:01

Mm-hmm.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 19:01

the left. And I love the wine cellar. It is exactly what it sounds like. It feels like you're stepping into a wine cellar. So many delicious drinks to get there and kind of like small plates for food. It is so good. steakhouse 71 I love and this is where I would go if I left Magic Kingdom for food, I would go over to Steakhouse 71'cause I can walk to the contemporary and walk back and they

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 19:27

And to,

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 19:28

amazing burger.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 19:29

I was just gonna say it's worth leaving the parks at lunch to get that burger. It is super good.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 19:37

I also wanna mention Animal Kingdom Lodge. I think that gets forgotten quite a bit because it is a little bit outta the way, but GCO is a signature restaurant and Sana is, a regular table service restaurant. both of them are really, really delicious and I wish that I made it over there more frequently. and then the last for Hidden Gems that I thought of was Toledo over at the top of the Grand Justino Tower at Coronado

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 20:07

Agreed.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 20:07

is like a tapas style restaurant and their menu looks awesome.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 20:11

Yeah. to be honest, you said hidden gems. I, I kind of forgot about this, but the after. going there a couple trips ago, this is definitely one that I highly recommend, especially for adults. I just think it has that really nice atmosphere.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 20:24

so how about you do the attractions and then you can kind of weigh in on

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 20:29

Okay.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 20:30

things if you need to.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 20:32

Magic Kingdom tron. Yes, absolutely. Jungle Cruise is a really good option for adults because it has that punny humor that I love so much. I just laugh the entire time, no matter how many times I go Epcot guardian to the galaxy. Absolutely. Such a fabulous ride for adults. Hollywood Studios, tower of Terror, rise of the Resistance. Millennium Falcon. Mickey Mini's Runaway Railway is a really great ride for families and adults, and I'm super excited about the Muppet Themes, rock and roller coaster. I think that is just, that's gonna be the perfect high octane attraction with nostalgic, aspects for the Muppets. Animal Kingdom, flight of passage and then doing the safari. I think those are great. and then obviously when dinosaur turns into the Indiana Jones ride, it's gonna be the same thing. that is just a fantastic ride at Disneyland and I'm so looking forward to having it in Florida. I mean, obviously, you know, we're, we're kind of treating families and adults as two completely different beings here, and they don't have to be. you can be in a group of adults that want to rope drop and do all the classic things and all that fun stuff. Or you could be the group of adults that uses the clock to your advantage. And what do I mean by this? starting in the afternoon and staying later, is your superpower as adults, especially if you're staying at a deluxe resort that has extended evening hours. I think that's, that's a great way to use that. So, you know. Maybe sleep in a little bit, have a breakfast reservation, maybe hit the pool in the morning and then as people are leaving to go back to the pool, go back for naps. That's when you're hitting the parks you're really rewarding yourself with fewer people and some more options when it comes to riding rides.

j_1_01-16-2026_144555: 22:25

Yeah, I agree.

ryan_2_01-16-2026_144555: 22:28

the world is full of wonder, and your next great adventure is waiting at Wonder and Beyond Travel. We work with you to create a one of a kind journey, taking the stress off your plate so you can focus on the joy of exploring and the memories that will stay with you forever. If you're ready to start planning or you just want to dream a little bigger, head over to Wonder and beyond travel.com. We'd love to help you get started. We look forward to talking to you next week on all things travel. When we do cruising 1 0 1, everything you need to know to get on the seas.