There are dozens upon dozens of Disney World restaurants on property. Some are wildly popular and require reservations right at 7 AM 60 days in advance, while for others you can grab reservations for the day of your trip.
We make it our mission to be well-informed about all the different dining spots in Disney World so we can keep you updated on the best spots to spend your time at while you’re on vacation. This time, our trip took us over to the Dolphin Hotel, which is located on Disney World property but is actually owned by Marriott. We stopped by The Fountain to check out their offerings and see if it’s worth taking time out of your Disney day to head over!
Atmosphere
If you’re a big fan of diner dining, the feel of this restaurant will be a big hit for you! It’s not tiny, but it’s not massive either, and you’ll get the diner feel from the moment you walk through the door.
This is a table service restaurant, meaning it requires advance dining reservations, but there is also a to-go area.
We love that there are multiple different types of dining placements around the restaurant — you’ve got tables, booths, and counter seating, but keep in mind that if you want something specific, you’ll want to request it when you make your reservation.
Overall, we’re big fans of the style of this space!
Menu
What you’ll find on the menu here are classic comfort food eats and lots of sweets, just like a classic diner!
You’ll find appetizers like a Pretzel and Cheese Dip, Tomato Soup, and more, and for your main course, there are burgers, chicken sandwiches, ruebens, and more to choose from. Salads and various side options are also available.
And, of course, we can’t forget about the milkshakes! There are eight different flavors of milkshake here, and they all sounded absolutely amazing to us. Underneath them, you’ll find the kids’ menu and regular drinks listed as well.
Overall, it’s not a massive menu, which makes it easier to decide what to grab. We took a look over it, and ordered our plates!
Drinks
We had to grab one of the milkshakes, because how could you come here and NOT get one? We decided to go for the Banana Pudding Milkshake for $15 and it was incredible! This spot used to have a much larger variety of milkshakes, but we didn’t feel they were as high of quality, so we’re big fans of this change.
The banana pudding was so cute, and we loved the chunks of banana and vanilla wafer pieces at the very top of the shake. The base itself was so smooth and creamy, and while we did taste a little bit of artificial banana flavor here, but it wasn’t too strong at all.
While we loved the look of the banana candies on top, we did get tired of them quickly, but thankfully were able to just scoop the rest right off! Overall, we highly recommend!
Food
For our appetizer we decided to grab the Pretzel and Cheese Dip for $14 which was MASSIVE!
The last time we got these they were small pretzel bites, which we did enjoy, but we were a big fan of the massive pretzel as well! This cheese is similar to the cheddar cheese you’ll get with a Mickey pretzel in the parks. We loved that it was crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside, and it was perfectly salted. The switch between the small pretzel bites to the big pretzel was a bit of a shock to us, but not in a bad way! We think this is a great shareable appetizer that will easily satisfy the whole table.
Our first main course of the night was the Burnt Ends & Pimento Melt for $20, and just like everything else we’d had so far, it was tasty! While burnt ends are traditionally beef brisket, this sandwich was made with turkey “burnt ends”. The pickled red onion added a bit of a sweet flavor, which we didn’t mind.
Now it is hard to eat a bit because the meat is almost in balls on the inside, so it made it want to spill out the sides of the sandwich, but once we mastered that, we really enjoyed it. Our one true complaint is that we do wish the shredded cheese had been more melted. It does come with a side of fries that are pretty basic and unseasoned, but you can choose to upgrade.
Our second entree was actually our favorite choice out of them both — the Fountain Smash Burger for $21! The cheese was amazingly melted here and the bun was nice and soft while also tasting like a true smash burger — the patty tasted hand-pressed and fresh, not like a pre-shaped patty just thrown onto the stovetop.
The veggies were delicious on here as well, but what really sold the burger overall was the patty and the way the cheese was entirely melted over it. Sounds simple, and it is, but it really amazed us!
So we had an amazing meal, but is it a right fit for you?
Nosh or Not
Overall, we think this is a great place to stop if:
- You’re looking for classic, American diner style food
- You’re staying at the Swan or Dolphin already
- You want a more laid-back table service meal that won’t be a massive struggle to get a reservation for
However, we don’t think this will be a good fit for you if:
- You’re not staying at the hotel and don’t want to leave the parks to eat
- You’re looking for something more unique than American diner food
- You have a more expansive palette
We’re always here to bring you the latest dining news out of Disney World so stay tuned to DFB!
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What would you order at this restaurant? Tell us in the comments!
The post REVIEW: Why is NO ONE Talking About This Hidden Diner in Disney World? first appeared on the disney food blog.