Best restaurants in WDW Parks for solo travellers?

Brett Wyman

Legacy Guest
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
I have no shame doing Disney solo but Im not up for sitting in a table service restaurant by myself. What are the best places in WDW parks where there is a bar that serves the same or similar menu as the regular restaurant. What other places are good for solo dining?
 
California Grill Lounge is one that springs to mind. I haven't been but as I understand it you can get the full menu and you can get a fireworks view. You don't need a reservation.

[edit]Tutto Gusto in EPCOT has a good variety if you like Italian.
 
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There is also the option of Biergarten if you do want to sit with others. Some people don't like it or find it awkward, so it just depends on you, but it's an option if you want to company. Your dining companions may or may not be that friendly, so that kind of depends too. I've had solo's join at my table though and have had fun chatting with them.
 


Animal Kingdom--I love Nomad Lounge. Yak &Yeti's bar is really small and frequently, when I am there, it will be dominated by children just sitting there waiting for tables.
Studios--I don't think it was the full menu, but Brown Derby Lounge has a good selection.
MK--I would just go over to The Wave at The Contemporary. There's also good lounges with full menus at The Polynesian and GF, but it's easiest to find a seat at The Wave.
EPCOT--Tutto Gusto Lounge is great. I also love having dinner at Spice Road by myself in the main dining area. The staff there is so friendly and great, I've never felt odd sitting by myself, and it was always a great Illuminations view.
Disney Springs--I think virtually every sit down restaurant has a bar with a full menu, and Jock Lindsay's has a short, but interesting menu.
 


Any place with bar seating. I'll also second Bluezoo (Bar/lounge seating) at the Dolphin. The bartender was really friendly.
 
Sci-Fi Dine-In doesn't have a bar but the seating is such that you don't have to worry about interaction and just enjoy a meal while watching the "movies" on the screen.
 
Flying Fish serves the full menu at the bar, and I've always gotten excellent service/attention there, and being able to walk out without an ADR is always a plus. Also a fan of Nomad Lounge, which others have already mentioned, where they have a light bites menu and you can also order off the Tiffin's menu. And I plan on checking out La Cava de Tequila in the Mexico pavilion at EPCOT next trip... food wise it's just tapas, but sometimes that all the body needs!
 
I have two solo trips coming up. One in October and one in November. Looking forward to trying these lounge suggestions. :flower1:
 
I haven't been to WDW on my own but I have dined on my own during family visits. I decided after many years of visiting there were some places I wasn't going to get the others to dine at, so one year I thought 'I am not missing out any more' and got a reservation for one. I've eaten at Yak & Yeti and was given a window seat upstairs so ate a lovely meal while people-watching. I made a reservation at sci-fi diner at opening time so got seated at the front of the car, and loved watching the old commercials/trailers, I didn't need anyone to talk to there. I've also had breakfast alone at the Wave, but I feel breakfast is the easiest meal to eat alone.

If the others never wanted to go again, I would defintely dine at Via Napoli and Be Our Guest (west wing) alone and feel comfortable.
 
Sci-Fi Drive in you will be a "hitch hiker" in the car with a bench seat to yourself. You could also do 50 Prime Time Cafe and watch TV and they have a lounge area off the living room waiting area. AK Yak and Yeti and Satu li are good options. MK try Skipper Canteen or Columbia Harbor House. Epcot is about to the point of having some festival going on most of the time so you can sample to kioask (Art Fest into Flower/Garden, and the Food/Wine) or if you want a sit down, you could try Coral Reef and watch the fish.
 
Nomad is my favourite. I've spent a shockingly long time hanging out there with drinks and food, just watching the world go by

The bar at 50's prime time is fun and I'd also recommend the Hollywood Brown Derby lounge where you can get the famous cobb salad and grapefruit cake. I've heard good things about baseline taphouse but I've never been there.
 
Nomad Lounge (AK)
Brown Derby Lounge (DHS)
Geyser Point (WL)
Tutto Gusto (Epcot)



At Epcot I also like these if alone:
Spice Road-small plate menu, outdoor lakeside seating
Chefs de France-5:00 pm ADR, request window table

The Wave (CR) has always been pleasant. I think, since the Contemporary is a convention resort they may be more accustomed to solo diners.

My worst experiences (hands down) have both been at Mama Melrose-two visits and both times I’ve been sat on a busy, too narrow walkway snuggled right up to the server station. On one visit the server asked, “Is it just you?” in an extremely annoyed tone and proceeded to ignore me for the rest of the meal.
 
Don’t worry about sitting alone at a table. Go and eat where you want to eat. It’s Disney, and your supposed to have fun. If you feel awkward, bring a book to read when your waiting for your food. You will miss out on a lot of good places if you don’t want to sit alone. I do it all the time. I’ve even gone alone to places where the characters come around. At 1900 Park Fare, Anastasia sat at my table, and told everyone we were getting married. I loved it. It’s Disney, everyone is a kid. Just go out and have fun, and don’t worry about sitting alone. You won’t regret it.
 
Though not in the parks I recommend Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo house. They have a preparation/cooking area in the center of the restaurant and I ate there my last visit to this restaurant. It was one of my best dining experiences at Jiko and I will ask for that the next time I visit.
 

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