I am hoping for some dining recommendations for my upcoming trip (3/4-3/9), specifically on arrival day (but other hidden gems/ideas are more than welcome). I have been to Disney many times, but this will be my mom’s 2nd trip. I probably don’t want to make an ADR, just because of potential flight issues (even though we’re scheduled for a noon arrival). She has not been to Disney Springs…and neither of us have ever really been to any of the resort restaurants. However, I do have an extra day of park tickets that I could use on either end of the trip…in other words, my options are wide open.
So far we have ADRs for: Highway in the Sky, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Tony’s Town Square, Tusker House, Garden Grill, and the Brown Derby.
I’d love any suggestions!
I would do an ADR for 7pm at a resort or DS. Even if your flight is 4 hours late you would still have plenty of time for dinner. Were are you staying?
We are staying at Caribbean Beach this trip…and taking Magical Express from the airport.
We are doing the new story book dining at AP in WL. There is: Boma, Sana, Ohana, CG, The Wave, 1900 Park Fair, and so many other wonderful places. I would take mom out and enjoy and relax you deserve it.
So, she had wanted to go to Artist Point last time, but we just never made it. I guess storybook dining is a change in the last two years?
I would make a reservation,through Open Table, at a DS restaurant. If something happens you can cancel without penalty .
We did citricos on our arrival night (at gf). It was the perfect level of relaxing and beautiful after our 33 hours of non stop travel.
33 hours! Yikes! Fingers crossed our travel day will be much shorter than that. Citricos is a part of the Highway in the Sky Dine Around dinner, so we probably won’t do it on arrival night too. But I’m so happy to know that you enjoyed it!
I’m so in full Disney mode, I didn’t even think of Open Table. 
Thank you for the suggestion!
Thank you for all of these suggestions! The Wave is on the Highway in the Sky Dine Around, so we’ll probably skip that one…but I’m going to take a look at the reservations available for some of the others.
If you can get a reservation at Homecomin’, that would be great.
If you like bbq, the Polite Pig is also one of my favorites. It’s quick service so no reservation required.
Both Disney Springs…
I’ve heard sebastians at CBR is really good.
Raglan Road at DS stays open very late, and you can make Open Table reservations there.
Ooooh! We are thinking about doing this in November – will you report back on how it is? I’m so curious!
You could always make an ADR someplace and bump-and-run it if you get majorly delayed. The last two times we went to Jiko on our first night, but while I liked it, I want to switch it up for our first night this year. (I think we’ll do Highway in the Sky.) My philosophy is that, since we don’t go to a park on arrival day, it’s fun to go explore a resort. Maybe try Narcoossee’s? 'Ohana and watch HEA? Artist’s Point?
I am not familiar with Highway in the Sky; where/what is it?
I will absolutely report back! I’m excited to try it out.
Highway in the Sky is a sort of restaurant crawl that takes place via the Monorail. It starts at The Contemporary where you eat at The Wave, then to the Polynesian for a snack, then to the Grand Floridian for Citricos, followed by Dessert and HEA fireworks at the Contemporary. Here’s one of the reviews I found when I was deciding: https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/review-highway-in-the-sky-dine-around-at-walt-disney-world/
I want to make a trip over to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, because it just sounds so cool. However, friends have told me we should try to be there right when it opens because space is so limited? Maybe that means dinner at Ohana? Has anyone else experienced long waits to get into Trader Sam’s?
Usually they will give you a pager and you can wait at the bar area on the patio.
A 30 min plus wait at Trader Sams is common. I would try to fit in the new bistro at your resort as it’s getting great reviews. If you arrive at noon you could be in the parks by 3pm, when is your departure flight? I’d start by deciding whether you are going to a park on arrival day and take it from there. If you are avoiding parks, then Disney Springs, Broadwalk or AKL would be my suggestions.