Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! I know it’s too late for reservations for tonight, but I know that many of you wonder about where to have those special dinners. Maybe you have an anniversary coming up, a birthday, or maybe you are just celebrating a night out without the kids! I’m actually not going to talk about food in this edition, but just about ambiance! Some of the restaurants I’m going to talk about are admittedly not my favorite places to eat, especially if I’m by myself! They would all, however, be perfect for trying to create a romantic environment!

Riverside Dining in Mexico

My first choice for creating romance is San Angel Inn inside the Mexico Pavilion in World Showcase at Epcot. My advice for making the most of this dining spot is to make a late reservation, perhaps while Illuminations is going on. That will ensure that the restaurant is at it’s least crowded. You will miss out on the fireworks, but you can see them on another night. Squeezing in with 75,000 other people around World Showcase isn’t super romantic to me, especially if you happen to end up with the smoke blowing in your direction.

Ask for a table for two next to the river. You’ll have the best view of the pyramid and the volcano and you can watch the boats glide by. Most of them will be empty at this time. Pick some appetizers to share and enjoy some of the specialty margaritas. After your meal you will be able to stroll back to the front of the park or over to the International Gateway. Whichever way you are going, I suggest you take the long way around the lagoon and hold hands! You might get to see the extra fuel burn off as they begin to put away the Illuminations barge for the evening.

This is my nod to the couple who might be a little Goofy, because I’m a little Goofy. This is for the couple who wants to gasp in terror in the Hollywood Tower Hotel and scream along with Aerosmith on their date. Remember your first date at the movies? Did they still have Drive In Movies or have you always wished you could go to a Drive in Movie?

Romantic Night at the Movies

The Sci Fi Dine In at Disney’s Hollywood Studios might be the perfect place for your date night. The dining room is full of 1950s style cars, where you’ll be able to slide in and sit next to your sweetie. (Keep in mind that a family of four might be sliding in behind you! I don’t recommend drive in shenanigans in the Disney Parks and you’d probably lose your park privileges permanently, so don’t try it!) On the screen you’ll find clips from lots of old black and white sci-fi and silly horror B movies. You can share some classic drive in eats and feed each other french fries. Don’t forget to try one of the adults only milkshakes! After dinner you can stroll through the streets of New York and San Fran in the Streets of America. Share an ice cream cone and run over for one more thrill ride before going back to pick up the kids! If you don’t have kids to pick up stop by the lounge in your hotel and grab a nightcap. Dinner and a movie is a classic date right?

An Italian Villa in the middle of Downtown Disney

This next one is probably off your radar, but I’m here to bring it to your attention. Imagine leaving the kids with the Kid’s Club or a sitter and jet setting off to Italy for a quiet dinner for two in an Italian Villa. That probably isn’t a possibility for most of us, but it’s very easy to get to Downtown Disney from your resort. Make your way over to the bridge that separates the Marketplace from the area that used to be Pleasure Island. Once you cross the bridge you’ll find yourself next to a paddle wheel boat and standing in front of your Italian Villa for the evening. Portobello is a classic Italian restaurant. In the late evenings, it is dimly lit and there are beautiful shadows cast by the candles around the room. If you’d like to maximize the romance I would try for a later seating or go early and combine it with tickets for La Nouba over in the West Side area. You’ll be able to enjoy wandering around the area after your meal. You could also see who is playing at House of Blues, or just enjoy a cocktail on their porch and people watch.

The Ultimate in Romance

There is one location at Walt Disney World that hands down has the corner on the market for romantic meals. It’s going to cost a pretty penny, but if you are celebrating something really special or you are planning to propose, I can’t think of anywhere better. Victoria and Albert’s is located in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. There are several different dining options if you choose to have the ultimate date night. The main dining room is small and intimate. There is a harpist playing nightly and each table is waited on by a pair of servers. The Queen Victoria Room is home to only four tables and the menu served is the same menu as the Chef’s Table. If you book a table in the Queen’s room, it is yours for the evening. There is only one seating and you may come in when you please and linger as long as you’d like. Finally the Chef’s Table is in an alcove off of the kitchen and has a less formal feeling than sitting in the main dining room, but is the most expensive of the three options. Before dinner you can grab a cocktail and listen to the Orchestra playing in Mizner’s next door. After dinner, I highly recommend a cab back to your hotel, especially if you indulge in the wine paring. From the greeting at the door, to the personalized menus each diner is presented with, and the rose presented to each lady after dinner, Victoria and Albert’s is the most luxurious date night I’ve ever been part of! The staff at Victoria and Albert’s is also more than willing to help you with any special surprises, just give them a call ahead of time.

That’s my take on romantic dining at Walt Disney World from in the parks, silly, out of the way to over the top. Happy Valentine’s Day!