Disney in a Minute: What is Signature Dining?

Defining “Signature Dining” at Walt Disney World can be a slippery proposition. Disney describes it as “outstanding restaurants [that] serve up memorable dining experiences”. You wouldn’t be all wrong to think of Signature restaurants as the ones with the best food, the best service, the best wine lists, and generally the highest prices. But the line between Signature and not-Signature dining used to be clear-cut; now it’s not so cut and dried.

Disney currently lists about 25 restaurants as Fine/Signature Dining, and one thing you’ll quickly notice is that none are cheap. There’s a wide range of cuisine, and a definite “quality dining” feel to the menus. The cheapest entrees are usually $35 or above, and Signature restaurants are 2 credits if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan. Reservations are recommended, as these restaurants are often very popular. Like all Disney World restaurants, allergies can be accommodated, and you’ll need park admission if the Signature you’re heading to is inside one of the theme parks.

Signature restaurants are often thought of as gourmet. For example, Monsieur Paul is a French restaurant featuring French classics such as escargot, roast duck, and caramelized apples. Jiko serves African-inspired dishes such as grilled wild boar, peri-peri chicken, Botswana-style beef short ribs, and malva pudding. But not every menu is adventurous; the BOATHOUSE is steak-focused and you’ll find a “Yacht Club” club sandwich, steak & fries, cedar-plank salmon, and oven-roasted half-chicken.

Even the vibe is often classy but not stuffy; Citricos has Mary Poppins-inspired decor. And in the not-so-distant past, Signature Restaurants at the resorts were a lot more formal with strictly enforced dress codes; now they are more relaxed. Most resort Signatures now require only “attire that respects the restaurant’s sophisticated and upscale aesthetic” and is clean, neat, and in good condition.

With a few exceptions, kids are welcome at all Disney World Signature Restaurants, and they do have kids’ menus. But keep in mind that these dining experiences are in more upscale venues, and for many guests, they’re a splurge. If you’re dining late at night and your kids won’t make it through a multi-course meal, it might be better to read the room and make a different plan.

Here are the challenges with “defining” Signature Dining.

• Some character meals with fine dining menus, like Storybook Dining at Artist Point, are 2-credit meals and have Signature prices – but they’re not on Disney’s “Signature” list.
• Dress code at the in-park Signatures was always more casual. But even at the resorts, today’s Signature dress code allows more informal attire.
• Disney sometimes moves restaurants on and off the Signature list without changing the menu or prices.
• There are Disney World restaurants with the same price range and fine cuisine as Signatures, recognized by the Michelin Guide, that are not on Disney’s list of Signatures. That one is a real puzzle!

You can still find what you could call “true” old-school Signature Dining experiences at Disney World. Victoria & Albert’s holds a prestigious (and well-deserved) Michelin Star, as does Capa at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando. Both offer unforgettable dining experiences – at prices you’ll also always remember.

So, when all is said and done, has the designation “Signature Dining” lost its meaning? Not necessarily. A few Signatures fall short of the quality experience that their menu and decor promise, but most of those on Disney’s Signature/Fine Dining list are still on the indulgent side. They’re great places to make yet another magic memory on your visit to Disney World. And it’s good that Disney’s fine dining may perhaps feel more approachable to everyone than in the past!

But if you’re directly comparing Toledo, Tapas & Steak to Canada’s Le Cellier steakhouse and wondering why only one is Signature dining and it isn’t the one in the Michelin Guide, we don’t have an answer for you. Sometimes, the Signature Dining label seems to be about Disney’s whims as much as anything else.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Do you have a Disney term that you think needs a little more explanation? Let us know in the comments!