The Most Memorable Meal I Ever Had in WDW

It’s no secret that there’s some seriously awesome food to be had in WDW, but nothing will ever top the first meal we had at the California Grill.

We decided to go there after slowly realizing over the years that the best fine dining in WDW is at the resorts, not in the parks. And having heard such good things about it, we decided to give California Grill a whirl, even though it’s one of the priciest restaurants on property.

We had never been to the Contemporary Resort before either (apart from the Monorail station), so we were delighted to be whisked up a private elevator from the concierge desk straight into the restaurant lobby. We were graciously greeted and immediately escorted to our table, which was right next to the window, offering some of the most beautiful views of the park I had ever seen. Plus, it was sunset. Amazing.

The food? It’s insanely good – and not just by WDW standards. I’d put California Grill’s cuisine up against any of the finest restaurants in NYC. That first time, my co-diners had the filet mignon, and I had the lobster risotto (an entrée portion off the appetizers menu). I’m something of a risotto slut, and the California Grill’s lobster risotto was one of the best I’ve ever had. And the wine list is impeccable.

And we knew that the Wishes music was piped in, and that you could watch the fireworks on the outdoor promenade. But nothing really prepares you for what that experience is like.  I know that conventional wisdom says the best place to watch the fireworks is on Main Street, directly in front of the castle, but for me – I’d rather be 11 stories above the Kingdom, semi-dressed up, not sweaty, wind in my hair, space around me to breath, faced with the awesome spectacle of fireworks bursting over the Magic Kingdom. And once the fireworks are over and you’re basking in that awesome post-Wishes afterglow, the Water Pageant pootles by and you’re smiling all over again.

We’ve returned to the California Grill a few times since, but nothing will ever top that first time we went – that time when our eyes were opened to the possibilities that lay at the other resorts, that time when we fell in love with Wishes all over again, and that time that set the gold standard – and made the next day’s lunch of chicken tenders and fries a lot less appetizing.

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Related Links:
* The Disney Dining Plan, or "How I Learned to Stop Worrying About My Figure and Love My Sweatpants."
* Wordless Wednesday: Sunset Dinner at the California Grill
* Things to Be Thankful For: Disney Edition