Disney Restaurants with the Most Unique Backdrops
Sometimes, you want more than a meal when you’re at Disney. You’d prefer to relish in the ambiance a bit as well.
Some Disney restaurants offer memorable backdrops so distracting that you may forget about your meal.
Here are the Disney restaurants with the most unique backdrops.
Be Our Guest
When you dine at Be Our Guest, your server will seat you at one of three sections: The West Wing, The Rose Gallery, and The Grand Ballroom.
I’ve dined in each section and consider them all quite lovely. Let me be clear, though. There IS a best place to sit here!


Photo: Disney
When you dine at the back of The Grand Ballroom, farthest from the restaurant’s entrance, you’re sitting against the backdrop of a mountain!
Imagineers have designed a snowy landscape that provides an exquisite glow. It’s a sneaky great place to enjoy a romantic dinner.


Photo: Disney
That’s not what you’d expect at a Magic Kingdom restaurant, is it?
Blue Bayou Restaurant


Photo credit: Twitter user @disneywjoseph
While we’re on the subject of popular Disney restaurants, we should talk about the most famous one at Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland pros know that a meal at Blue Bayou comes with a fringe benefit. You’re dining in the same building that hosts Pirates of the Caribbean!


Photo: Disney
The glowing lamps here serve a hidden purpose. They’re lighting up the interior of a dark ride!
You’ll hear the excitement from riders on Pirates of the Caribbean while you enjoy your meal! It’s as Disney as a dining experience can get!
Garden Grill
Walt Disney World hasn’t ceded this concept to Disneyland, either!
The following two attractions share the same commonality. The eatery shares the same space as a Disney boat ride.
In the case of Garden Grill, the restaurant slowly rotates while you eat.
This novel setting ensures that your table will overlook the house set from Living with the Land! You can see the old dog from Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress!
Pinocchio’s Village Haus


Photo: Disney
Similarly, when you’re one of the lucky few at Pinocchio’s Village Haus, you’ll look down at some of the happiest tourists on the planet!
The people in boats beneath you are riding It’s a Small World and hearing that song over and over again.


PhotoL Disney
They’re entering the section where the dolls of Mary Blair take on a life of their own, and they’re euphoric about it.
When you’re one of the fortunate ones at this restaurant, you can watch the action unfold.
Alas, only a handful of tables provide this view and yes, complete strangers will fight you for them. It’s worth the effort from time to time, though.
My only request is that you not be selfish. You should only try for these tables about every tenth trip to the restaurant. Let the rest of the tourists be happy, too!
Paddlefish


Photo:Instagram/ Paddlefish
I’ve only listed a couple of Disney Springs restaurants here, which led to some harsh cuts.
My confession is that this list started with The BOATHOUSE, which didn’t even make the cut.


Photo: ThemeParkHipster.com
While I love the restaurant’s idyllic setting, especially at night, I know that there’s something better.
Disney has positioned The BOATHOUSE by the water at Disney Springs. Meanwhile, Paddlefish is IN the water!


Photo: Paddlefish
You’re eating in a boat at sea when you dine here. It’s like an entirely different kind of vacation, but you’re at Walt Disney World!
This is arguably the classiest backdrop of anything on this list. It’s either this place or Be Our Guest.
However, the x-factor here is that the Paddlefish boat originally went by a different name, the Empress Lilly. It was so named after Lillian Disney, Walt’s wife.
This boat is also an authentic replica of 19th century paddleboats, which explains its current name.
Rodeo Roundup BBQ


Photo: Disney
The newest restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios always earns strong consideration as the place with the best food.
Still, that’s not why you’ll adore eating here. Instead, it’s the charming ambiance.
Disney has recreated the premise of the Toy Story franchise. When you dine here, you enter the world of Woody and Jessie.


Photo: Disney
Since you’re in Toy Story Land, you’ve shrunk down to the size of these toys, making the items on display seem disproportionately huge.
You’ll feel as if you’re exploring a cartoon AND a science-fiction movie all at once. That’s right! Zurg appears as well, which explains the intergalactic ceiling.
Rodeo Roundup BBQ is legitimately one of the most charming places to eat at Walt Disney World due to its setting, which is overflowing with childish wonder!
San Angel Inn Restaurante
Here’s the fourth restaurant set in the same building as a water ride. Yes, I have a type.
In truth, San Angel Inn Restaurante is the closest Walt Disney World analog to Blue Bayou.
A meal here occurs in a darkened building. The primary illumination comes at the check-in desk. The place grows darker as you sit closer to the water.
While you’re eating, guests on Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros repeatedly pass by your table.
Blue Bayou offers better food and resides by the superior ride. Still, the experiences feel oddly similar.
Space 220


Photo: Disney
While all the restaurants on this list provide unforgettable backdrops for their dining experiences, Space 220 currently claims the title as the most unique.
You’ll enter this place by riding a Stellarvator into outer space. We’re not talking about an instance where you must use your imagination, either.
You’ll stand in a small room and watch digital displays above and below you.
One of them will show the view as you exit Florida, while the other signals that you’re fast approaching a space station orbiting 220 miles above Earth.
The experience is mesmerizing and among the recent high points of Imagineering. Oh, and the food matches the quality of the experience as well!
T-REX


Photo: T-REX CAFE
Finally, here’s the loudest restaurant on this list. So, I wouldn’t say that T-REX is for everyone.
However, those of you who love something new and different will get a kick out of a meal here.
At T-REX, the restaurant commemorates the age of the dinosaur…almost too accurately.
The same people who operate Rainforest Café have themed T-REX. Yes, there are dinosaurs everywhere.
In some instances, we’re talking Audio-Animatronics akin to the ones you’ll find on DINOSAUR.
Still, the big moment at T-REX occurs a couple of times an hour.


Photo: T-rex
The ceiling and walls light up, and the dinosaurs sound spooked, as they should. They’re about to watch the comet strike and end their species.
Sure, this whole event sounds depressing, but it’s a joy to behold! Children delight in the shiny ceiling presentation that comes with loud noises and shiny things!


Photo: MickeyBlog
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