Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
Be Our Guest. It is arguably the most popular restaurant in all of Disney World. Reservations are extremely hard to come by for any meal, but as Disney cracked down on third party websites offering reservations to Disney property restaurants, reservations have become a bit easier. It took this girl 3 visits to Disney World and lots of planning before I could finally snag a reservation for dinner, and it was so worth it!
My daughter and I arrived slightly early for our dinner reservation, and they were quick to accommodate us. We were greeted outside the castle by a Cast Member carrying Lumiere. She gave us a brief tour of the castle as we were led to the West Wing, much to my daughter's delight. The ambience inside was perfect - dimly lit, the magic rose glowing softly in its glass case in the corner, beautiful tapestries that had been shredded in the Beast's rage, and a portrait that, if you looked long enough, transitioned between the Beast and his true human form.
Service was fast, but dinner was not rushed. Several guests were walking around the different dining rooms to take a look, and the Beast entered each room to have fun with the guests and get everyone excited to be there.
As for the food, it was delicious. Even the salads were wonderful! I enjoyed the Layered Ratatouille which tasted just like my grandmother's recipe. My daughter ordered the Strip Steak and thought it was cooked perfectly. Then...the dessert cart. Every dessert on the menu was sitting before us in a beautiful case. How can you choose just one? We ordered the obligatory "Grey Stuff" which, to be honest, left us a bit underwhelmed. The shining star, though, was the Triple Chocolate Cupcake. Fabulous and rich, I would recommend sharing it and perhaps tasting a few desserts together.
After dinner, we were invited into the Library to meet the Beast. He does not sign autographs, but he is playful and ready for photos. The Beast truly was having fun with all the guests which made it that much more fun for all of us. As good as the food was, the visit with the Beast was the highlight of the evening.
Be Our Guest is not advertised as Character Dining; however, the Beast is often available after dinner to greet guests to his castle.
It was a very magical experience, and I would gladly return to dine here again, perhaps for a quick-service breakfast next time!
Nancy Wideman
Travel Specialist
