At Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom there is a very special restaurant called Be Our Guest. This restaurant completely immerses guests in the Beast’s Castle that is right out of the beloved Disney classic Beauty and the Beast (1991).
Be Our Guest Restaurant is located in the Enchanted Forest area of Fantasyland. This area is comprised of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, and an entire Beauty and the Beast section. This Beauty and the Beast section includes not only Be Our Guest, but also the Enchanted Tales with Belle attraction where guests become a part of the fairy tale. The story begins in Maurice’s workshop and then guests step through a magic mirror to the Beast’s Library. There is also Belle’s Village which includes Gaston’s Tavern (a quick service location) and Bonjour! Village Gifts. The village is very charming and the atmosphere is quite quaint with the film score playing as guests wander around.
Be Our Guest opened in late 2012 and has been extremely popular ever since. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and all three meals require advanced reservations, despite breakfast and lunch being considered quick service. Only dinner is considered to be table service. I recommend booking your reservation as close as possible to the 180 day mark because reservations fill up very quickly. The hours are:
- Breakfast: 8:00 am – 10:30 am
- Lunch: 11:00 am – 2:30 pm
- Dinner: Begins at 4:00 pm with a changing end time depending on Park hours.
For breakfast and lunch, guests can actually place their order using their My Disney Experience account starting at 30 days before their reservation. What is the benefit of this? Well, guests seat themselves for breakfast and lunch so if there is a particular dining room that you have your heart set on, then you can skip the step of ordering at the restaurant and go directly to your table. If you choose to order at the restaurant, there are touch screen terminals inside where you order. Either way, the food magically appears at your table!
The host or hostess seats guests at dinner, but you can still request a particular room to sit in. Please keep in mind that there is no guarantee that your request can be accommodated. Dinner is the only meal where Beast makes an appearance. Unlike other character dining experiences where the characters roam from table to table, the Beast stays in one location and guests can line up to meet him.
Be Our Guest is made up of three different rooms where guests can dine.
The main one is the Grand Ballroom. And it is gorgeous! It looks straight out of the “Beauty and the Beast” dancing scene from the film but unfortunately without a singing Mrs. Potts. The Grand Ballroom is decked out with beautiful high-domed ceilings and impressive chandeliers. The ceiling is covered in cherubs whose faces are modeled after the children of the Imagineers who built the restaurant. My favourite detail of the Grand Ballroom is actually on the outside of the windows at the far end. There is snow falling outside of the windows and the animation of the snow is the same animation that was used in the film! You know you are a Disney nerd when that small detail excites you!
The second room is my favourite room and that is the West Wing. This mysterious and dark room where Belle was forbidden to enter is right out of the movie so it may be a little scary for younger guests. There are many fascinating details throughout the West Wing including the Enchanted Rose that is slowly loses its petals. There is a portrait of the Prince on one wall of the West Wing. It even has the claw marks of the Beast through it, just like in the film. Every so often there is a loud thunder clap and the portrait changes from the Prince to the Beast for a brief moment!
The third room is the Castle Gallery sometimes known as the Rose Gallery. The theme of the room is a bit confusing, just like the name. The centrepiece is a giant music box of Belle and the Beast and the backstory is that the Beast gave the music box to Belle as gift. There are portraits of the happy couple around the perimeter walls of the room. The website describes this room as Belle’s private library but that theme does not carry through. To me, this room seems like a missed opportunity to include a third room that is a copy from the film. Maybe it could have been the actual library or the dining room where Lumière sings “Be Our Guest.” This room is not always open for every meal. It is sometimes used as prep area for dinner.
The breakfast menu is the best value if you are on the Disney Dining Plan. All of the entrées are priced at $25 and include a side of fresh fruit and an assortment of pastries. Options include:
- Feast a la Gaston (scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, and sausage)
- Croque Madame (open face ham sandwich)
- Vegetable Quiche
Guests can also order the Master’s Cupcake at breakfast which features the famous Grey Stuff. (and it is delicious!)
The lunch menu is the best value if you are paying out of pocket. Prices range from $13 – $17. Options include:
- French Dip Sandwich
- Tuna Niçoise Salad
- Croque Monsieur
- Braised Pork
- Carved Turkey Sandwich
There are many dessert options at lunch including:
- The Master’s Cupcake
- Lemon Meringue Cupcake
- Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff
- Triple Chocolate Cupcake
- Éclair à l’Orange
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake
The dinner menu is a fixed price three-course meal, which includes an appetizer (some options being French Onion Soup, Charred Octopus, Escargot), a main (some options being Filet Mignon, Seafood Bouillabaisse), and a dessert. One dessert option is a white chocolate Chip cup filled with the Grey Stuff. Yumm! This fixed price menu is set at $62 for adults and $37 for children. It is a two table service credit meal for those on the Disney Dining Plan.
Be Our Guest Restaurant is definitely a must-do at least once for anyone visiting the Magic Kingdom. My favourite option is Lunch in the West Wing but any meal/room combo would be just as magical.
Have you dined at Be Our Guest Restaurant before? Which meals have you tried? Which room is your favourite?
I always wanted to try this!
The whole Beauty and the Beast area is like heaven for me. I can’t wait to try the new dinner menu at Be Our Guest!