Be Our Visitor Restaurant continues to be a preferred decide at Walt Disney World, as followers like to eat inside Magic Kingdom’s fortress from Magnificence and the Beast. Nevertheless, it’s additionally a controversial selection that followers knock as overrated or ‘one-and-done.’ We’ll enable you to resolve whether or not this prix fixe lunch or dinner is “price it” with a meal evaluate, meals pictures, and whether or not the general expertise provides good worth for cash. (Up to date June 21, 2025.)
Despite the fact that we’ve dined right here a minimum of a dozen occasions over the past decade-plus, it’s onerous to consider Be Our Visitor Restaurant has been open since 2012. We nonetheless fondly recall our first meal right here through the delicate opening that November–plus a number of extra breakfasts, lunches, and dinners when New Fantasyland was actually new, and also you needed to e book Advance Eating Reservations 180 days out for an opportunity at eating inside Beast’s Fortress.
Lots has modified since Be Our Visitor Restaurant opened. The prix fixe dinner that debuted to interchange the a la carte desk service menu has been expanded to interchange the counter service lunch. As soon as among the finest makes use of of a quick-service credit score, breakfast nonetheless isn’t again as of 2025. We’ve hesitated on re-reviewing Be Our Visitor Restaurant within the final couple of years within the hopes that a few of these modifications could be undone and the ‘regular’ Be Our Visitor Restaurant could be restored. We’ve misplaced hope at this level, however possibly Walt Disney World will shock us!
As earlier than, Be Our Visitor Restaurant is a 2-credit desk service restaurant on the Disney Eating Plan. Objectively talking, it is likely one of the absolute worst use of DDP credit. We’re speaking in direction of the very backside of the record. Any 2-credit desk service restaurant is a poor use of credit, however Be Our Visitor is the worst of the worst.
Accordingly, this submit addresses whether or not Be Our Visitor is price it when paying out of pocket. When you’re asking: Is Be Our Visitor Restaurant price it on the Disney Eating Plan? ABSOLUTELY NOT is the reply. In all caps similar to that. No lengthy submit wanted. (For the perfect choices that are ‘price it’ on the DDP, see our record of the High 10 Desk Service Credit score Makes use of on the Disney Eating Plan.)
With that out of the best way, let’s dig in and decide whether or not Be Our Visitor Restaurant is well worth the premium pricing (in money cash) for the prix fixe menu at lunch and dinner…
One of many largest criticisms of Be Our Visitor Restaurant is that it’s loud, crowded and chaotic. The Grand Ballroom essential eating corridor is cavernous and tables are tightly packed, making it really feel extra like a flowery mess corridor than a chic and regal setting. We’ve voiced this concern in previous opinions, and that the Grand Ballroom is our least favourite eating room at Be Our Visitor Restaurant.
Actually, we’ve usually advisable requesting to be seated in a distinct space. Though the West Wing is my favourite of the rooms, it’s additionally the least-bloggable because of being too darkish for meals pictures. Accordingly, we usually request the Fortress Gallery, which is the perfect of each worlds and very-bloggable (crucial metric for any meal).
For this lunch at Be Our Visitor Restaurant, I’m glad that I didn’t comply with my very own recommendation. I’d like to assert this was intentional, however actually, I simply forgot. Sarah usually handles logistics whereas I’ve my head within the clouds taking pictures or no matter.
One factor you may discover from these pictures and movies is simply how empty Be Our Visitor Restaurant is throughout my meal. This isn’t some digicam trickery or newfangled AI, neither is it a results of doing the primary or final seating of the day. It wasn’t through the fall or winter low season, both.
I took most of those pictures proper round midday on what ought to have been a busy day at first of summer season. Once I was seated within the Grand Ballroom, I used to be solely the third occasion in all the area. By the tip of my meal, there have been a couple of dozen or so different events, and that is in an area that has capability for round 300 friends. (That’s a guess. Whole restaurant capability is 550 individuals, and I’d think about it’s about 300/175/75.)
To that time, right here’s a video tour on the finish of my meal that ought to provide you with an thought of how busy Be Our Visitor Restaurant was in addition to the eating room format and sizes:
This meal was a reminder of our greatest experiences at Be Our Visitor Restaurant, all of which had been the primary seatings of the morning for breakfast or the final seatings for dinner. Throughout these meals, the Grand Ballroom truly has a sure opulence and magnificence to it. Not in the best way you’d discover at a real Signature Restaurant–it’s extra like getting into the story of the animated movie and experiencing its stylized model of sophistication, if that is sensible.
This was my first time experiencing that at Be Our Visitor Restaurant at lunch. I used to be seated on my own with nobody else inside a minimum of 5 tables of my, with a view of the snow falling exterior the window of Beast’s Fortress. It was actually serene, calming, and peaceable in a approach that I’ve by no means skilled at Be Our Visitor Restaurant…and presumably gained’t once more.
Most of you in all probability won’t be able to copy my low-crowd lunch at Be Our Visitor Restaurant. Then once more, maybe you’ll in case you’re visiting within the coming months and go for an early or late seating. With the counter service lunch nonetheless not again and the prix fixe menu costing a fairly penny, it looks as if Be Our Visitor Restaurant now has much more desk service provide than it does demand.
As I left the restaurant, I lingered on the bridge for some time taking pictures. It was likewise quiet on the market, and I overheard a handful of friends who had been capable of receive walk-up availability. On different days in Magic Kingdom, I recurrently noticed Stroll-Up Waitlist availability for Be Our Visitor Restaurant within the My Disney Expertise app.
This additionally makes me wonder if the counter service breakfast and lunch may come again in some unspecified time in the future sooner slightly than later. Staffing undoubtedly was not the difficulty stopping extra tables from being crammed–there have been a ton of servers who didn’t seem notably busy. (It wouldn’t shock me if there have been extra servers than friends after I arrived for lunch.)
A part of why Signature Eating or themed eating places maintain a lot attraction is due to the environment, whether or not that be upscale and stylish or immersive and enjoyable (or a mix thereof).
At its greatest, Be Our Visitor Restaurant is one such restaurant that wears a number of hats. As mentioned above, it’s not all the time “at its greatest,” although. In any case, that’s price making an allowance for when figuring out whether or not Be Our Visitor Restaurant is best for you.
When you’re eating right here at 7 pm through the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, that is not the expertise you’re going to have. It’ll be packed, noisy, and fewer nice. Against this, in case you do 11 am or 9 pm in June by September, it might be just like this. Different dates and occasions will probably be someplace in between.
In fact, the important thing consideration for most individuals when figuring out in the event that they need to be Beast’s visitor at his restaurant is the worth proposition when it comes to the menu itself. Whether or not a meal is “price it” is a matter of your body of reference and subjective perspective.
When you’re evaluating Be Our Visitor to actual world eating places round Orlando, it’s unlikely to be a superb worth. The identical is true of virtually each eating possibility at Walt Disney World. It ought to come as roughly zero shock to anybody that premium pricing is charged for the eating places…and actually the whole lot else…at Walt Disney World.
Stripping away the placement within the park, themed design, distinctive environment, and the whole lot else is definitely your selection if these issues don’t matter to you. So certain, the worth right here isn’t pretty much as good as Applebee’s or Outback or Sizzler or no matter different chain. Nevertheless, it’s additionally not the identical. Most of you in all probability already knew that. In all probability not many individuals studying this to settle a debate between Applebee’s and Be Our Visitor Restaurant.
With that in thoughts, we’ll use the Hollywood Brown Derby as our body of reference. That was chosen after contemplating numerous different completely different eating places (Cooks de France, Coral Reef, House 220, and Topolino’s Terrace).
We opted for Brown Derby as a result of we felt there have been the strongest parallels between it and Be Our Visitor. Each have names beginning with “b,” for one. Extra importantly, they’re each borderline Signatures with comparable delicacies caliber and menu parallels.
Brown Derby may be barely nicer, however Be Our Visitor is stronger in environment and in addition in Magic Kingdom, the premier park at Walt Disney World. Nonetheless, these are among the many two weakest Signature Eating places at Walt Disney World–nothing like their resort counterparts.
As famous above, Be Our Visitor Restaurant at present provides an all-day prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner. This prices $72 per grownup and $43 per little one, plus tax and gratuity (minus any reductions).
Whereas that’s undeniably costly, it truly isn’t that a lot greater than dinner at Be Our Visitor Restaurant price again when the prix fixe menu debuted. Digging by the DTB Archives, we paid $60 per grownup again in October 2018, for considerably comparable meals to what’s at present on the menus. Given all the inflation and so forth since, a rise of $12 in ~7 years doesn’t appear too horrible. (Or possibly that’s simply me?)
The meal additionally features a common drink (so no booze or smoothies) and bread service, which isn’t supplied in any respect Walt Disney World eating places. The bread is serviceable; not one thing anybody would purchase. The drink is what it’s. (Mine was Coca-Cola. Tasted like Coke.)
For appetizers, there are 5 completely different selections. You may get French Onion Soup, Escargot de Bourgogne, Tuna Tartare, Blended Greens Salad, or Potato-Leek Soup. Three of those are soups or salads, so not precisely all-stars from a bang for buck perspective.
The appetizer might be a troublesome one for choosy eaters, as I can’t think about snails or terrine are dishes that attraction to a whole lot of households. Undoubtedly, the Escargot de Bourgogne is the “greatest worth” merchandise of the bunch. The same appetizer would price $19 over at Hollywood Brown Derby.
Escargot is a dish that Walt Disney World tends to do shockingly nicely, and this was no exception. The snails are actually bathing in butter, and that plus the garlic proves potent. You’ll be able to nonetheless style the earthiness beneath, and the chewiness of the escargot was good. The baguette was likewise scrumptious, and helpful in absorbing the remaining butter. (Frankly, I don’t get why persons are averse to escargot–it tastes like meatier mushrooms!)
There are additionally 5 entrees on the menu at Be Our Visitor Restaurant–the Dry-Aged Duroc Pork Chop, Quick Rib Beef Bourguignon, Charred Eggplant, Steak Frites, Trout Amandine, Grilled Filet Mignon, and Roasted Poulet Rouge Hen.
It will in all probability come as a shock to precisely nobody who has ever dined at any restaurant (even Applebee’s), however the vegetarians are getting the poorest worth right here (and all over the place), with an entree price roughly $7 (based mostly on my completely unbiased calculations).
On the different finish of the spectrum, the filet mignon would price $52 over on the Hollywood Brown Derby. The standard of this reduce may be somewhat decrease, however actually, I don’t suppose so. We had each of them final 12 months in comparatively fast succession and so they had been fairly comparable. (Signature Eating places within the resorts are undoubtedly utilizing greater high quality cuts.)
In any case, I ordered the Dry-Aged Duroc Pork Chop, since I’ve by no means had that at Be Our Visitor Restaurant. A dissimilar grilled pork dish is $43 at Brown Derby, which might be about the place this may be priced if a la carte.
The Dry-Aged Duroc Pork Chop is served with Smashed Potato and Stewed Pepper Piperade. It was an enormous hunk of meat and, fortunately, properly-prepared. The Pork Chop was additionally juicy, tender, and with simply sufficient exterior char to provide most bites a little bit of texture. It’s additionally served with a creamy and tangy sauce, which is scrumptious–however was pointless for the meat itself (I used it for the potatoes, which had been a tad dry on their very own).
The danger with pork chops is all the time that they’ll be overcooked and dry, and maybe that might occur right here when Be Our Visitor is busier. Nevertheless, my Dry-Aged Duroc Pork Chop was incredible and highly-recommended on that foundation. It’s on par with the Grilled Filet Mignon.
On a return go to to Be Our Visitor, I ordered the Quick Rib Beef Bourguignon. The model above was particular to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Occasion, so the preparation isn’t an identical to what’s on the menu at present–but it surely’s the identical thought.
This dish was extremely tender, falling aside when reduce with the fork. The meat was flavorful, and juicy with a posh savory and candy (and barely acidic) dynamic due to the accompaniments. It has somewhat little bit of fats for taste, however not a lot as to render any of the meat inedible.
In isolation, I actually preferred the Beef Quick Rib. Nevertheless, I’ve had glorious variations of this dish not too long ago at Walt Disney World, together with on the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant. There are additionally passable Beef Quick Rib dishes at Tony’s, Kona and Jiko–and people price $31, $38, and $52. This ranks #3 amongst these, forward of solely Tony’s (no shock there).
Lastly, the meal concludes with the Dessert Trio. This consists of a Lemon Jam Macaron, Chocolate Tart topped with the Gray Stuff, and a Darkish Chocolate Truffle.
This trio is enjoyable, however nothing particular. I think that dessert is offered this approach to distract from its lack of high quality, which is on par with buffets. This unfold is under no circumstances on par with something at Brown Derby. I suppose I’d pay possibly $5 for it?
That’s largely for the novelty of the Gray Stuff. This isn’t to say these desserts are dangerous. They’re effective. They simply aren’t notably memorable come what may and never one thing you’d purchase if paying out of pocket (besides possibly the Gray Stuff).
Lastly, there’s the character element of Be Our Visitor Restaurant. This isn’t a personality meal in any conventional sense of the time period, and isn’t marketed as one by Walt Disney World.
At the moment, there’s a character ‘presence’ to the extent that the Beast walks by the varied rooms waving at friends. I don’t know the way often this happens, but it surely occurred 4 occasions throughout my lunch. This wasn’t a 4-hour marathon meal, so it’s gotta be round each half-hour.
There have been so few different friends within the ballroom that Beast gave me, a solo middle-aged male traveler, a whole lot of individualized consideration and waves. I’ll by no means not reciprocate a wave (don’t need to damage the poor fella’s vanity), so we ended up on this type of bizarre wave-off state of affairs on a few events. Awkward, however amusing.
For most traditional friends, the Beast’s look is nothing particular and ‘price’ no matter worth you’d ascribe to seeing one character in Pageant of Fantasy Parade. When you’re within the restaurant on a busier day and never seated close to his preset path, you may barely be capable to see him. Sadly, friends are required to remain of their seats throughout Beast’s look–that means pictures and autographs are usually not doable.
Beforehand, the Beast met friends after dinner for an precise meet & greet with pictures, autographs, hugs, and high-fives. Executing a flawless High Gun high-five with the Beast…now that’s price one thing! I actually want they’d carry the normal meet & greet again, because it added worth. This doesn’t.
Walt Disney World ‘examined’ the return of Beast’s meet & greet at one level, but it surely’s now not being supplied (except it returned comparatively not too long ago and I missed it). You do get the under memento autograph postcard, although–that’s kinda cool.
All instructed, my meal supplied about $67 in worth versus the $72 price, plus no matter premium I’d be prepared to pay for the expertise of getting right into a passive aggressive arm-flailing contest in opposition to a royal werewolf in his fancy crib. Certain, I’d drop 5 bucks on that. Price it for the pictures and story alone!
Joking apart, my expertise eating inside Beast’s Fortress was well worth the added price, and that will’ve been true for me even when that surcharge had been $15 to $20. The premium would have been nonexistent or adverse if I ordered my Be Our Visitor go-to dish (the filet mignon), however would’ve been much more if I misplaced a guess and purchased eggplant.
Walt Disney World undoubtedly “punishes” vegetarians with prix fixe menus and the Disney Eating Plan and rewards carnivores, and that’s no completely different right here. (Similar goes for choosy eaters, apart from the ‘meat & potatoes at each meal’ individuals.)
It might not have been well worth the cash had I dined at Be Our Visitor Restaurant on a busy day and gotten caught in the course of the Grand Ballroom with each single desk crammed. So not solely is worth a matter of perspective, but in addition a matter of the general expertise, which could be hit and miss past simply the meals.
I’m extremely assured that Be Our Visitor Restaurant could be beloved by most Walt Disney World followers if our experiences there have been the norm. It truly jogs my memory a whole lot of ‘Ohana on this regard–one other restaurant that’s polarizing and could be each good or dangerous relying upon the expertise.
Regardless of its combined opinions and uneven experiences, Be Our Visitor Restaurant stays widespread a decade later…as a result of it’s so widespread.
Name it inertia or a self-fulfilling prophecy, however the level is that many Walt Disney World friends need to do what everybody else is doing. This hype maintains momentum for widespread issues. It additionally creates sky-high expectations and, unsurprisingly, a whole lot of disappointment.
In terms of overrated eating places at Walt Disney World, Be Our Visitor Restaurant is the one we hear talked about most frequently by readers. Once more, we disagree with that evaluation. We’ve additionally been lucky with optimistic experiences at Be Our Visitor Eating places, know exactly what to anticipate, and aren’t topic to the hype machine.
Finally, we’re nonetheless followers of Be Our Visitor Restaurant–however a lot much less enthusiastically so. Two programs of this meal had been incredible, with solely dessert disappointing–however that’s a story as previous as time at this Magnificence and the Beast restaurant. Or a minimum of a story as previous because the final decade, because the dessert has by no means lived as much as the hype. (As a lot as I benefit from the Gray Stuff, it’s nonetheless a counter service caliber dessert.)
Primarily based on this, we nonetheless suggest Be Our Visitor Restaurant as one of many prime eating experiences in Magic Kingdom and even Walt Disney World as an entire. That does include caveats, and we’d additionally advise scheduling your lunch or dinner to keep away from essentially the most crowded, chaotic, and loud occasions of the day.
At its worst, Be Our Visitor Restaurant is all the issues its critics declare. However at its greatest, Be Our Visitor Restaurant could be probably the most iconic Walt Disney World eating choices, a memorable meal with that may stand out within the minds of Magnificence and the Beast followers years–if not many years–later. In our view, the meal itself and people recollections make Be Our Visitor Restaurant well worth the excessive price ticket.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Be Our Visitor Restaurant? Is Magic Kingdom’s widespread Magnificence and the Beast restaurant well worth the hefty price ticket? Does the standard of the prix fixe menu coupled with the environment and character element justify the price? Is Be Our Visitor Restaurant overhyped and/or overrated? Would you slightly do a desk service meal elsewhere in Magic Kingdom, or is that this the most suitable choice? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
