The most sought-after dining reservation at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is hidden from the chaos of the crowds and nestled within the boulders and crevasses of a mammoth mountain.

It’s location, deeply tucked inside the whimsy of Fantasyland, is veiled to remain secretive and secluded from the meddling townspeople. The only clue to it’s existence is a castle, high above the bustle of the pathways and far enough in the distance to be unreachable.

 

Protected by gatekeepers and check points, guard-like statues and a large, commanding stone wall with a black iron gate, guests with reservations are the only people invited inside.

And, millions of Walt Disney World visitors seek a table at this coveted location in hopes of entering the magnificent and enchanted restaurant.

 

Welcome to Be Our Guest.

 

If attendants make it through the first guard station, parties are directed to walk down the cobblestone bridge.  The arched structure connects the private mountain entrance to Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland and traverses a flowing channel of crystal-clear water that divides it from the crowds.

To the left is a magnificent waterfall, cascading over rocks and pebbles.

To the right is an evergreen forest, masking the location in intrigue and seclusion.

 

Several horned, stoic but friendly statues line the edges of the massive bridge, upholding tall lampposts and keeping a watchful eye on those who wish to pass.

 

 

 

 

Once guests arrive at the securing iron gates, the second guardsman will tell visitors to halt on the bridge or take a seat on boulder benches until their party is invited inside.

 

The doors to the Beast’s enchanted castle remain closed until an escort appears with the names of those allowed to feast.

 

If dining during breakfast or lunch, parties will be directed through the castle’s foyer to an armor clad, statue-lined hallway that leads to ordering stations on the right.  If the meal has been pre-ordered online, a stop might be made at the pay station on the left.

 

 

Dinner banquet guests are chaperoned through the magnificent and breathtaking Grand Ballroom.  A massive 12 foot tall chandelier brimming with 84 candles and 100 jewels, flanked by two other equally beautiful light fixtures is the room’s crowning centerpiece.

The ornately carved ceiling displays an enormous and gorgeous mural of soft pastels, clouds and playful cherubs.  Elegant cobalt blue fabrics drape across arch insets above the marble columns.

The Grand Ballroom is pure elegance, filled with opulent round and rectangular tables, set with delightfully padded, comfortable chairs.  At the back of the room, arched, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a snow dusted garden, while tiny white flurries trickle from the evening sky and gracefully blanket the ground.

 

The Grand Ballroom is one of three dining rooms available inside the Be Our Guest (BOG) Restaurant.  During breakfast and lunch, guests are typically allowed to choose a dining room, but dinner seating is chosen by The Master.

 

The secretive and alluring West Wing is to the left of the Grand Ballroom. Dark and mysterious, with tattered cloths draped from the rafters, ornately carved wooden chairs, and royal printed wallpaper, this room protects and displays the beautiful red rose.

Occasionally, a flash of lightening from a clamorous thunderstorm will illuminate a hidden and concealed secret in the ragged artwork.

The very dark and remarkably dim lighting creates a feeling of imminent and mysterious events, but it does not create good pictures with my phone.  LOL

Momma Note:  The West Wing is my favorite dining room inside Be Our Guest, but it scares my 11 year old.  If your child is sensitive to simulated thunder and lightening or if dark rooms are an issue, you might consider avoiding the West Wing.

 

 

The Rose Gallery is the third available dining room inside Be Our Guest and it is much smaller than the Grand Ballroom. With soothing and relaxing lighting, it is the most peaceful option and my husband’s favorite space.

A warm hue bathes the cream colored wallpaper and large tapestries adorn open spaces between dark wood molding.  Tufted benches and simple cushioned chairs sit alongside rectangular wooden tables.  Small, brass chandeliers dangle from the interesting ceiling and create a calming ambiance and beautiful setting.

The show-stopping centerpiece is a spectacular rotating statue of Belle and the Beast dancing underneath a crimson rose.

The menu at Be Our Guest is a delightful fusion of American and French cuisine, a mix of casual, familiar dishes with a French twist and traditional French meals with an American influence.

Be Our Guest serves all three meals, with breakfast and lunch as quick service and dinner offered as table service.

Breakfast is served from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Breakfast is considered a quick service meal, but requires advanced dining reservations (ADR). At the time of this post, it is the only quick-serving Disney restaurant that accepts reservations.

The Feast A La Gaston is a plate of scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, apple smoked bacon, sausage, fresh fruit and a selection of pastries.

Assorted cured meats and cheeses are available, as well as vegetable quiche, steel cut oatmeal and a bacon and egg sandwich.

We recommend the unique Croque Madame, an open-faced ham sandwich topped with a fried egg, Gruyere and Béchamel served with fresh fruit and a selection of pastries.

My daughters love the croissant doughnut, which is fried and topped with banana caramel sauce, pastry cream and chocolate ganache.  It is also served with fruit and pastries.

I usually order the vegetarian option of warm, steal cut oatmeal with golden raisins, brown sugar and assorted pastries.  Delicious and filling!

For a healthier option, choose the freshly scrambled egg whites, roasted tomatoes and chicken apple sausage.

Kid’s meals include crepes stuffed with yogurt and fresh berries, French toast, scrambled eggs and cereal.

The Master’s Cupcakes is available for $4.99 during breakfast and is a decadent chocolate sponge cake topped with Lumiere’s delicious special grey stuff.

 

Lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

It is considered a quick service meal, but requires advanced dining reservations (ADR).

We love the French onion soup, which is a vegetarian option.  A delicious and creamy potato leek soup is also vegetarian.

My husband’s favorite dish is the flavorful braised port (Coq Au Vin Style) and my girls enjoy the grilled carved ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich with pommes frites.

Quinoa salad with green beans, potatoes, olives, bell pepper, tomatoes and golden beets is another favorite.

For lunch, kid’s meals like meatloaf, carved turkey sandwiches, grilled shrimp, whole grain macaroni, and grilled cheese with turkey noodle soup are all available.

The desserts at Be Our Guest are fantastic and vary slightly during lunch and dinner.  Try the Master’s Cupcake, strawberry cream cheese cupcake, chocolate cream puff and the Éclair a l’Orange.

Dinner is served from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 pm.

Dinner at Be Our Guest is considered table service and requires advanced dining reservations.  It is our favorite meal inside Magic Kingdom.

Bread served with salted butter is brought to all dinner tables.  Assorted meat and sausages, soups, garden salads, salad trio and Marseilles-style mussels are listed as appetizers.

 

 

Again, we love the French onion and potato leek soups.

Try the grilled strip steak with garlic butter and pommes frites, the roasted lamb chop or the sautéed shrimp with scallops in a creamy lobster sauce.

My son greatly enjoyed the pork chop and my daughter liked the layered ratatouille, which includes oven baked zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions, sliced and layered on quinoa and served with a bell pepper sauce.

A seasonal sustainable catch of the day is also available.

Kid’s meals include garden salads, fruit cup, chicken brochette, grilled steak and beast casserole.

Sparkling, white, red and dessert French wines and Belgian ales are on the menu, too.

Awe-inspiring carts, brimming with yummy desserts, are brought around the dining rooms at the end of the meal.

Try the lemon meringue cupcakes, triple chocolate cupcake and The Grey Stuff, of course!

 

 

After dinner, guests are invited to meet The Beast in the library for a Photo Pass opportunity.  (The Master does not speak, but he will pose for pictures.)

 

 

The service at Be Our Guest is fantastic.  Each server has been personable, friendly, helpful, timely and attentive.  We always enjoy our dining experience.

Quick Family Review For Be Our Guest:

Be Our Guest is our family’s must-do Magic Kingdom restaurant.  Since it’s opening in 2012, we make sure to dine there at least once during our Disney vacations–sometimes as many as 4 times!   We love everything about it!

Final Family Be Our Guest Suggestion:

Make advanced reservations as soon as possible for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Dinner is our favorite, but we love breakfast and lunch, too!  The restaurant is a relaxing escape from the chaos of the theme park crowds and is a great opportunity to rest and recharge in a beautiful setting with delicious and delightful food.

Dress is casual for all meals. (theme park attire)

Getting reservations at Be Our Guest can be very challenging.  It is imperative that you book dining at Be Our Guest as soon as you can, preferably at the 180 day opening.

If you don’t get the reservations that you need, be tenacious, continue to check daily for cancellations, especially 48-24 hours before your desired time because guests tend to cancel existing reservations at the last minute.

There are 550 seats–one of them must be for you!

Guests are always welcome to walk up and ask for available openings, but do not bet on something happening.  The best way to ensure a seat at Be Our Guest is to book an ADR at 180 days and continue to check your MDE app each day for cancellations.  To make reservations via telephone, please call 407-939-5277.

When dining at Be Our Guest for breakfast or lunch, I highly recommend pre-ordering your meal from the My Disney Experience (MDE) app, which is available 30 days in advance.

Our pre-ordered food (breakfast and lunch) always arrives crazy fast.

 

A theme park ticket is required because Be Our Guest is inside the gates of Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

Breakfast and lunch both count as 1 quick service meal on the Disney Dining Plan.

Dinner counts a 1 table service credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

Find out if the Disney meal plan is right for you–Click here.

 

Extra Hint:  The selection of pastries that is served with most breakfast items adds a lot of food to already large dishes.  Consider splitting a meal between people in your party to save a little money.  Everyone at the table is not required to order a separate meal at quick service restaurants.  The only time each person at the table is charged for dining is at a buffet restaurant or a prix fixe meal.

 

For transportation to Be Our Guest, just travel to the Magic Kingdom.  Disney resorts provide complimentary transportation via the monorail, ferry boats or buses.  Ask your concierge or front desk for the quickest way to travel to the Magic Kingdom Theme Park. If you are a Disney resort guest, you can park your personal vehicle for free at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) and ride the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom Theme Park.  Parking is $20 for non-resort guests.

Restaurant menus at Walt Disney World are seasonal and change often, so for current menu listings, check the Disney website or the My Disney Experience app.  All menus are listed for every Disney restaurant, as well as hours of operation and prices.

If you only learn one thing from my blog posts, I hope it is the fact that Disney changes every day.  That is exactly why Disney is so popular–there is ALWAYS something new for junkies like me to experience!  It is also why I always say everything is subject to change.

For a list of all character meals offered at Walt Disney World, click here.

To read a review of our favorite buffet at Walt Disney World, click here.