FAQ Breakfast at Walt Disney World

Three meals a day plus a snack or two seems like it should be a straightforward thing to accomplish while you’re on vacation at Walt Disney World, and for the most part it is. But while the lunch, dinner, and snack parts of the equation are standard affairs, there are enough twists and turns with acquiring breakfast that it bears a deeper dive. Here are the answers to your questions, and to questions you didn’t know you had.

I’m staying at a Walt Disney World hotel, is breakfast included with my stay?

No. While your typical stay at a Hampton Inn includes at least a muffin and a banana, the Walt Disney World hotels do not include breakfast.

Pre-pandemic, guests could purchase the Disney Dining Plan as part of a hotel package. The Dining Plan included credits which could be applied to the purchase of breakfast. This product is no longer available. There are murmurs that some form of dining package will be offered again in the future, but there is no word yet on specifics.

Is there a restaurant that serves breakfast at my hotel?

Yes. Every Walt Disney World hotel has at least one restaurant that serves breakfast. All the WDW hotels have a quick service venue that offers grab-and-go items such as fruit, yogurt, and pastries, as well as a limited number of hot breakfast food options.

Additionally some hotels also have a table service restaurant where you can get a hot meal served by wait staff or as a full buffet. Some of these locations are:

• Ale and Compass – Yacht Club resort
• Cape May Cafe – Beach Club resort
• Trattoria al Forno – Boardwalk resort
• Whispering Canyon Cafe – Wilderness Lodge resort
• Grand Floridian Cafe – Grand Floridian
• Olivia’s Cafe – Old Key West
• Rix Sports Bar & Grill – Coronado Springs Resort
• Trail’s End – Fort Wilderness Campgrounds
• Steakhouse 71 – Contemporary Resort (opening soon)
• Boma – Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Chef Mickey’s – Contemporary Resort
• Kona Cafe – Polynesian Resort
• ‘Ohana – Polynesian Resort

How early can I get breakfast at my hotel in the morning?

Restaurant hours may vary by location and season. The Quick Service restaurants in the hotels typically start serving at 7:00 a.m. The table service restaurants typically start serving at 7:30 a.m.

A handful of places will start serving just coffee and pastries at 6:00 or 6:30. Contemporary Grounds at the Contemporary Resort is one example of this.

Can I bring breakfast food from my hotel restaurant back to my room?

Sure. However, you should be aware that some of Disney World resorts are sprawling. For example, the rooms at the outer reaches of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort are nearly half a mile away from the food court. If you have access to a car, then you can get a hot breakfast wrapped up and quickly drive it to your family back in the room. If you’re traveling on foot, this could be more challenging.

Can I cook breakfast in my room?

You’re welcome to eat breakfast in your hotel room. Many people consume breakfast in their rooms as either a money-saving or convenience measure. Easy and quick breakfast items include cold cereal, granola bars, fruit, yogurt, juice, milk, peanut butter sandwiches, and the like.

Whether you can cook depends on what type of room you have. All WDW hotel rooms are equipped with at least a dorm-sized refrigerator. All Moderate and Deluxe-level rooms also have a coffee maker which you can use to prep coffee, tea, or other items requiring hot water such as oatmeal.

Additionally, some rooms include a kitchenette or even a full kitchen. If you like cooking your own full breakfast on vacation, then choosing one of these rooms may best suit your needs.

Where can I get food to cook for breakfast?

All the Disney hotels have some basic packaged food for sale in either a gift shop or the food court. The resorts that have rooms with kitchenettes or kitchens also sell more substantial items like eggs, butter, packaged cheese, frozen sausages, and loaves of bread. The beverage cases at the hotels are well stocked with a variety of milk and juice selections.

If you want more than that, there are several services that deliver groceries to the Orlando area hotels, including those at Walt Disney World.

Can I bring breakfast food into the theme parks with me?

Yep! With very limited exceptions, you’re welcome to bring food and non-alcoholic beverages with you into the Disney World theme parks.

Many guests bring easy breakfast items, such as cereal bars or fruit, to consume in line while waiting for the theme parks to open.

Are there restaurants that serve breakfast in the theme parks?

There are a few, but not as many as you might think.

Each theme park (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios) has a Starbucks location – it won’t be called Starbucks, but it is Starbucks. The offerings there are essentially the same as you’d find at your local outpost. There are also coffee carts or stands, run by Joffrey’s, at each park. These offer beverages and pastries.

Additionally, three of the parks have at least one table service venue that serves breakfast. These are:

• Magic Kingdom – Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Hollywood & Vine
• Animal Kingdom – Tusker House

EPCOT currently has a standard opening time of 11:00 a.m. on most days, so they’ve bypassed the typical breakfast hour. You can, however, get breakfast adjacent foods at some locations such as quiche or crepes in the World Showcase France pavilion.

Does it matter when I eat breakfast at Walt Disney World?

Timing is everything at Walt Disney World. TouringPlans vociferously recommends that guests arrive at the theme parks ready to go when the parks open. The park opening time and your thoughts on waking up early to eat during vacation can impact the entire flow of your day.

If you tend to be a light eater in the morning your best bet may be to bring your own food or acquire some grab-and-go items from the hotel food court to eat while you’re waiting in line for the park to open.

Having a full sit-down breakfast at your hotel will impact your ability to arrive at a theme park early (the exception being days when you’ll be touring EPCOT and the park opens at 11:00 a.m.), so this may be best experienced on a day when you have a non-park day planned.

Another strategy is to schedule a breakfast in a theme park toward the end of their service – say 10:30 a.m. This way you can spend the first hour+ of park opening time enjoying the rides and use your breakfast as your primary mid-day meal. Alternatively, you could try to arrange an in-park breakfast reservation time prior to the park’s official opening, allowing you to get inside the park ahead of other guests.

Also bear in mind that at least one member of your party may need to be awake at 7:00 a.m. to make Genie+ reservations. This timing may impact when you choose to have your first meal of the day.

Are there character breakfasts?

There are character meals, but they’re not exactly the same as they were prior to COVID. Pre-pandemic, characters would stop by each table in the restaurant to chat, sign autographs, and pose for photos. Currently, there are characters at some meals, but they keep their distance. They will walk through the dining room, wave, and blow kisses. You can take photos, but only distance selfies.

Currently, the venues that offer character dining at breakfast are:

• Chef Mickey’s – Contemporary Resort
• Hollywood & Vine – Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Topolino’s Terrace – Riviera Resort
• Tusker House – Animal Kingdom

Note: There are additional venues that offer character lunch or dinner.

Can I see the breakfast menu at a Disney World restaurant?

Yes. The full menus for all Disney World restaurants are available on the Disney World website and on TouringPlans.com.

I’m still nervous about COVID. Are there outdoor dining spots that serve breakfast?

Yes. Nearly all Quick Service restaurants at Walt Disney World (hotels and theme parks) have at least some of their seating outdoors. You can mobile order your food and eat at an outside table, venturing inside only to pick up your tray and skedaddle back outdoors.

I’m having trouble getting a reservation for the breakfast I want. Can you help?

We can try. TouringPlans offers a free dining reservation finder service that will search restaurant openings and cancellations for you.

Can I eat breakfast at a restaurant at a hotel other than the one I’m staying at?

Yes, you’re welcome to dine at any Walt Disney World hotel.

That said, getting to a breakfast reservation at a hotel other than your own can be challenging. Disney’s free transportation system may not be running early in the morning. And, depending on your destination, you may not be allowed to park at another resort unless you have a table service meal reservation. For example, if you had a breakfast confirmation number, you would be allowed to park for a limited time at the Contemporary. However, you would not be able to park at the Contemporary just to pop into the Contempo Cafe for a quick service meal. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with taking an Uber/Lyft/cab to another resort.

Can I get breakfast at Disney Springs?

The two Starbucks locations at Disney Springs open at 9:00 a.m.

There are also weekend brunch offerings at Wine Bar George, House of Blues, Chef Art Smith Homecomin’, Raglan Road, and STK Orlando. (Where to Find Brunch at Disney World)

I like to make healthier food choices. What are my breakfast options at Walt Disney World?

While healthy is in the eye of the beholder, there are a wide range of breakfast options available at the Walt Disney World parks and resorts. Basics like fruit, yogurt, and oatmeal are available in some form almost everywhere.

Beyond that, spend some time looking at the menus of the restaurants in your hotel or the park areas you plan to visit. Many venues have special vegetarian or vegan menus from which anyone may order. Some examples of things you might find are:

• Breakfast Tofu Bowl – Contempo Cafe – Contemporary Resort
• Plant based sausage with potatoes and red peppers – Capt. Cook’s – Polynesian Village Resort
• Egg white breakfast wrap – Market at Ale & Compass – Yacht Club Resort
• Triple Suns breakfast wrap (plant-based egg, chickpea slaw, roasted tomato sauce) – Ronto Roasters – Disney’s Hollywood Studios

We’re celebrating a birthday at Walt Disney World. Can they do something special at our breakfast?

There are not really any celebrations at Quick Service restaurants. However, if you’re having breakfast at a table service restaurant at Walt Disney World, be sure to note this on your reservation and tell any staff that you encounter while you’re there (wait staff, hostess, etc.). While this is not guaranteed, in many cases, they will bring you a free cupcake on your birthday. You’re also welcome to order a celebration cake at many Disney World restaurants, even for breakfast. Order in advance via the Disney website.

I’m on vacation! Can I get a cocktail with my breakfast?

Most of the table service restaurants that serve breakfast have a breakfasty cocktail or two on the menu such as a Bloody Mary or mimosa. But just because that’s what’s on the menu doesn’t mean those are the only libations you can order. If there’s a full bar at the restaurant, they can likely make any adult beverage of your choosing, just ask.

Have any other questions about breakfasts at Walt Disney World?  Let us know in the comments.